I don’t think there’s anything quite like this little book. After I ran the gauntlet as a new self-published author, and began to teach other aspiring writers, I was challenged to say what I meant by “becoming the expert in your field.” After some research and inspiration, I created a two-page handout that looked like a detailed outline. It has been routinely well-received.

When the muse stuck again, moving me to publish the handout, I knew it needed to be fleshed out – I just didn’t know how much. What unfolded is still very clean and very much to-the-point – no fluff. The added work has primarily to do with two simple-but-not-easy exercises that bring the original outline to life.

I’m pleased with the way it turned out and confident that it can and will make a huge difference in the lives of those who read and apply it. What more can an author ask of his work?

Pricing written material is even more a random exercise today than it was when I first published. I believe every reader will take away more than $9.99 in value – that’s what’s most important to me.

I think everyone who owns their own business will benefit from reading and practicing this ebook – including those who would like to own their business but haven’t taken the leap yet. This is particularly true of those who employ the writer-speaker-consultant model of serving – but also works for auto mechanics and landscapers.

I think the work goes beyond being successful in business – this is just good marketing after all. It touches on the core of who we are, what we do, and how we show up in the world. Though simple, I’ve found value in repeating the exercises whenever I get a little sideways with the world. It always brings some insight which helps me move forward with a bit more spring in my step.

If you choose to purchase a copy and do the work, please enter a review on Smashwords. We authors love feedback from readers! Thanks, and read on!

This silly idea demeans both work and worker, particularly when it comes to volunteers. You can’t trust volunteers because they aren’t being paid, or so the story goes. Let’s take a closer look.

Mothers typically don’t receive direct financial compensation for their work as mothers. Do we trust them with our children?

Many volunteers maintain paying jobs. Do they suddenly become untrustworthy when they leave their place of employment? That includes you by the way.

In crisis, before organization-funded relief efforts arrive, who deals with the nastiest, most chaotic response? When the car goes over the guardrail or a tornado strikes, who insists on waiting for paid works to take action?

In governing nonprofit, community, and faith-based organizations, who sits on boards and committees?

Do we ask if a song-writer or painter was paid for her work before we enjoy it?

If you want important work done, perhaps it would be better to turn to a volunteer.

We also know that money is not a top-ten motivator for doing good work – studies over the years are clear and consistent on this point.

So, what’s up with this distrust of volunteers?

For one thing, volunteers do not suffer bad management gladly – they expose it. When volunteers are not supported to succeed, they act poorly or disappear.

Even though money doesn’t motivate good work, it may keep workers showing up every day. Volunteers are under no such constraint. Because they’re much more difficult to threaten, volunteers are less subject to control. Volunteers must be led.

Here’s how I propose to restate the tired maxim: Great leaders deserve volunteers; all others please pay cash.

Please pay attention to the shift between volunteer – staff – volunteer roles – all in growing and deepening service. Here ya go:

Switching Gears: How I Found My Place In Volunteering

Does it feel like all the money is being hoovered up? That the places you’re used to finding money are looking pretty dry?

Does it feel like people who are usually generous are tightening up? Like people who usually pay on time aren’t? Like people who usually have money, don’t.

Does it feel like the stories about why-we-can’t are filling the airwaves? That we’ve heard these stories too many times? That they’re seeming a little tired?

Stop it.

We don’t have to limit ourselves to money – let’s look at real resources – time, energy, knowledge, caring, stuff. How can you help someone today? What extra stuff do you have sitting around idle that can be put to work today? What can you give today? What can you create today?

What value can you bring today?

If it’s true that the shape of money in our society is shifting, then maybe it’s time we get used to moving goods and services in a new way. Or ways.

How about giving? How about sharing? How about exchanging? How about creating something entirely new? How about lending a helping hand? How about just being there for a fellow human in crisis?

When we look at possibilities, at resources laying around idle, at the beauty and love we swim in, we’re less likely to pay attention to what does not appear.

When we’re being useful, in action, looking out for opportunities to create and to help, we’re uplifted.

Let’s stop dwelling in scarcity mentality. Let’s get a life!

Compine HR, CI, OD, and CM in a pot that’s strong, wise, fun, and irreverant. Stir for twenty years – more or less – and serve hot!

Ingrediants:

HR stands for people – not human resources. We want to work with real people, organic and whole – not numbers, heads, or bodies. Get em fresh and treat em gently!

CI stands for get it right the first time – and keep working till you do. Then do it again. That’s continuous improvement.

OD stands for organization development – not business. An organization is composed of humans and resources, processes and systems – all working together – cooperating you might say – to accomplish their purpose.

CM stands for change management. Stir gently. Do not bruise the humans or the organization. Exercise care. Focus on what’s important. Help everyone understand – before change happens.

This kind of soup can be very powerful – you don’t need much.

Please feel free to share this recipe, try it yourself, or ask for a demonstration!

My commitment is to people and work. I shutter every time a decision is made based on money without regard to people. And I’m forever whining about the work – can we please just do the work!?

It seems to me people have great potential. It also seems there’s plenty of valuable work waiting to be done. My part is to help people work together better.

I don’t know why this distinction whapped me between the eyes today, or why it seems so important to let it fly. But it does feel good to be clear on this point. It helps me understand both the successes and not-successes I’ve experienced. I understand people don’t always see things the same way I do. Maybe this will help bring the differences to light!

A rapid-fire series of 90-second monologues also called elevator speeches. But what to say? What to offer? How to say it?

What came to mind was “speed consulting.”

Here’s the idea: a client sets a single meeting with me to explore a single challenge or opportunity. Together, we dive for the core of it, with a shared intention to find the perfect leveraged action to move my client past the challenge and into the opportunity.

I’ll say that I think I’m pretty good at this for four reasons:

• I’ve experienced a broad range of businesses from a broad range of positions.
• I’m a systems thinker and it comes naturally to me to quickly see the parts and how they fit – or don’t fit – together.
• I’m an excellent communicator.
• I’m very intuitive.

I’ll tell them I’m charging only $50 each for these sessions and I’m pretty darn sure I can consistently produce mulitples of this investment in value. And if my client doesn’t think they received their money’s worth, I’m quite comfortable waiving the fee.

If things go well, perhaps we’ll consider working together, or maybe they’ll recommend me to a friend.

It feels like an interesting marketing experiment – just right for me!

I’m not sure what to make of it. Maybe you’ll see something of importance. If you do, please let us know by making a comment below.

By growth, I mean our changing, developing, and deepening our understanding, beliefs, and skills. Spirit and work present two ever-moving entities existing in the same field – me.

How do we handle challenges and opportunities that appear to present conflicts between spiritual beliefs and business beliefs?

For awhile now, I’ve been troubled – that would be an understatement – by my organizational development side. I’ve developed very strong understandings, beliefs, and skills in this arena through years of growth. But, these understandings, beliefs, and skills increasing fly in the face of what I’m learning and practicing spiritually. Try as I might, I could not get the the OD side of me to go away, or even shut up. Every time an organizational problem presented itself, Rog wanted to jump on it.

Recently, a friend pointed out that I’m genetically wired for organizational work – that my whole body lights up when these “problems” appear. He said this work must be for me. And then he asked a magical question: What comes beyond organzational development?

That question unstuck me. Because what’s beyond OD for me is everything about my spiritual side. What’s been showing up for me on that side is something about creating sacred space in a way that fosters action. Now, suddenly, this sounds very OD to me!

Before I really took a deep dive into my spiritual development, I wrote “Choosing Joy at Work.” Before he asked the magical question, I’d  just been realizing that for me, “joy” can more accurately be described as “sacred space.” The idea of choosing sacred space at work is not so far from creating sacred space in a way that fosters action.

So, I’m putting the business back in BizWorks as I bring a new spirit to OD. I’m once again excited about growing my organizational development side – this time Because it enhances and reconciles my spiritual side.

Why not help the other guy? Why not give when you lack?

This is a time to reach out to those who, like you, need help. Could be they’re lonely. Can you lend an ear? Could be they have no one to turn to. Can you be there for them?

Sure you can. Just because the fear of lack is raising doubt doesn’t mean we have to follow. Rise up brother – be the change. Rise up sister – be the peace. Let’s move forward together into a new world – one in which every opportunity to serve is instantly matched by joyful service.