Breadbox Media

139 Corporate Works of Mercy

Completing performance appraisals only at year-end loses the real value of performance evaluations that comes from a continuous process that happens throughout the year.

138 Use It or Lose It

Edmund Burke said, “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.” Do what you can with what you got—nothing more, nothing less.

137 Foolish or Wise – You Choose

No one wants to be a fool, but if you fail to be prepared you are one. Listen to this week’s episode of By Your Life where we’ll talk how taking personal responsibility for being prepared is the wise thing to do.

136 Happiness is Countercultural

Wealth is morally neutral, but as MCI-WorldCom, Enron, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and Purdue Pharma have shown, an unbridled pursuit of wealth can lead to our downfall.

135 The GOAC

A leader cannot effectively lead others without first leading themself. A pre-requisite to this self-leadership is a strong self-image which rests on self-love.

134 Truth, Truthiness, and The Social Dilemma

Most people will ignore facts that are contrary to their beliefs and will seek out, interpret, and focus on facts that confirm their preconceptions. It’s called confirmation bias and it should scare us.

133 RSVP for the Banquet

When co-workers share a meal it helps build camaraderie, fosters deeper work relationships and boosts productivity. It can be a way to share goals or brainstorm solutions to challenges with others who bring different perspectives.

132 Don’t Attack the Messenger

Healthy, productive organizational cultures don’t just happen. They need to be cultivated.

131 Humility and Integrity: Bricks of Character

Integrity strengthens relationships in teams, with vendors, and customers. When integrity is absent, there is a lack of trust and teamwork implodes.

130 Captivated by Purpose

Compensation systems are designed to attract, retain, and motivate employees, but many plans miss the mark because companies fail to recognize that mission is more important than money.

129 Forgiveness: Good for Body, Mind and Soul

Welcome to the one hundred and twenty-ninth episode of By Your Life. I’m Lisa Huetteman and I know that you have a hundred different things you could be doing right now, so I thank you for choosing By Your Life.

My goal is to inspire, empower, support, challenge, and encourage you to connect Sunday, with Monday-Friday, in a secular business world. It’s my desire to help you live our Catholic faith in the marketplace. I hope to offer you practical ways to go forth and glorify the Lord by your life.

Holding onto Anger

In this edition, we’ll reflect on the readings for the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Every Sunday, my husband, mother and I take lunch to my in-laws’ house and we spend a few hours with them talking and sharing a meal. This week, my father-in-law told a story about going to visit his mother. He hadn’t seen her in many months and had driven over 10 hours with two kids in the car and the first words out of her mouth when he walked in the door were, “Albert, can you go to the store and get me some bread?” You could hear the irritation in his voice as he described that event that happened over 50 years ago. I jokingly said to him, “Grandpa, do you think it is time you let that go?” He jokingly responded, “No, I want to hold onto it!”

All kidding aside, the first reading from the Book of Sirach and the Gospel should be a warning to all of us who hold onto resentments. Sirach said, “Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight.” (Sir 27:30) Then, in the Gospel, Jesus told the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. If you are human, and you are reading this now, you must admit that there have been times you’ve held onto anger way too long, despite the negative effects it had on you. But, if we are honest, what should concern us even more is that wicked, unforgiving servant who Jesus describes in the parable is us, the ones who have been forgiven, yet refuse to forgive. Why do we do this? Why do we cling to hateful things, refuse to forgive others, and allow ourselves to be consumed by anger?

128 A Good Critic

In this edition, we’ll reflect on the readings for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. (Cycle A) Each of us is a critic. Hundreds of times a day we mentally critique others, how they look, what they wear, how they drive, how they wear their mask, or not, how they complete a task, what they eat, say or do. Most of the time these thoughts are merely a matter of preference, (“I don’t know how you can listen to that music.”), or opinion, (“I don’t think that is a good color on you.”), or judgment, (“I think turning left here is faster than going straight.”), or values, (“I wouldn’t have done it that way because you left the most important thing unfinished.”) In most of these cases, our criticism is best left unsaid. However, we sometimes face situations where we must judge the moral implications of another person’s actions. What is the right thing to do in these situations? Our readings this Sunday give us guidance.

127 Listen to the Voice Within

We all have a little voice of God within. It is called our conscience. The question is, do we listen to God or to everyone else? In this week’s episode of By Your Life, we talk about the consequences of choosing who we listen to.
 

126 Character, Reputation, and God-given Authority

If you are like me, you’re sick of all the media coverage of this election and can’t wait for it to be over. You may wonder, “Is this the best the United States can do when nominating presidential candidates? Is God really involved in this process?” To answer these questions, in this episode of By Your Life, we talk about character, reputation, and God-given authority.

125 Preparing for the Test

So much of what we observe these days is just not right. When we are constantly bombarded by negative thoughts, we can’t help but respond with negative behavior. In this week’s episode of By Your Life, we talk about stopping the flow of negative so when we are tested, we are prepared to respond with what is just.

124 What You Focus on Matters

Peter Drucker is credited with developing the concept of management by objectives, a management philosophy that focuses on clarity and agreement of goals. When employees visualize what needs to be done and how, they can focus on doing the right things. In this episode of By Your Life, we discuss how what you focus on matters.

123 Scarcity or Abundance

Blake Mycoskie started TOMS shoes in his apartment and grew it into a $450 million business in seven years. Most will credit his novel business model, but I look at it as God’s abundant blessings. In this edition of By Your Life, we talk about how when we give whatever we have, God can multiply it.

122 Pearls of Wisdom

Coach John Wooden said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” This is just one pearl of wisdom from the winningest coach in basketball history. In this episode of By Your Life, we talk about the value of wisdom and wisdom in what you value.

121 That’s Not My Job

I usually cringe when someone says to me, “That’s not my job!” It is counter to my belief in taking personal responsibility. But there is one thing that is not our job: judging others. In this episode of By Your Life, we discuss the pitfalls of judging.

120 Till the Soil

Is profitability a core value? Profitability is a laudable business goal and I’m all for profits. But defining profitability as a core value can lead to unintended consequences. In this episode of By Your Life, we talk about cultivating a values-centered culture at work and personally cultivating a Christ-centered heart.