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Junkyard Management

Goble Properties, Junkyard Management, Leadership, Random Thoughts,

Small Business

Hey, do you know anyone who owns a small business? Odds are you do. So you probably know how hard the past year plus has been for all small businesses.

If the person you know is a person of faith, you might forward this article to them: Buy Local (For God’s Sake): Why the Church Should Partner With Small Business.

Also, if you know anyone in church ministry, you might share that same article.

One of the reasons I volunteer for the De Pree Center and admire groups like Faith Driven Entrepreneur (among others) is because they see how our …

Generosity, Junkyard Management, Philanthropy,

Financial Planners and Generosity

Last week I wrote about not expecting pastors to be your primary source of information about generosity.

This week it’s about financial planners. Don’t assume that because they know the difference between a charitable remainder trust and a charitable gift annuity that they know anything at all about actual generosity.

The truth is that most financial planners are trained at, well, planning your finances. Most have a financial incentive in mind — namely fees for managing your money.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. I use them regularly. In this increasingly complex world we all need their expertise.

But … …

Goble Properties, Junkyard Management, Leadership, Random Thoughts,

The Morning Welcome

Each morning when I arrive at work I say hello to the folks who sweep the streets, maintain the landscaping, pick up the garbage, and touch up paint on the curbs. They do the overlooked but crucial jobs, allowing the rest of us the luxury of focusing on our jobs.

My office is on the second floor of a shopping center. The retail businesses are on ground level, offering such things as health foods, jewelry repair, cooking utensils, and pizza by the slice. Most of them open about 10 AM.

Typically I arrive at my office around 8 AM. So …

Junkyard Management, Leadership, Random Thoughts,

Community is Not Transactional

A few months ago I had a meeting with a young man with big dreams. It was a get to know each other conversation over bad coffee (do not EVER buy a Starbucks cappuccino … not going to make that mistake again). The guy across the table was an idealist. The good thing about idealists is they push all of us to be better. The bad thing is they are never truly satisfied with anything, like a grumpy perfectionist armed with moral arrogance. But then maybe the coffee was just souring my mood.

Our conversation meandered across a variety of …

Junkyard Management, Leadership, Philanthropy,

Which Part Are You?

Last week I wrote about junkyard wisdom and used the line, “Junk cars, like broken people, often have the parts to make something whole.”

It triggered some fun/silly exchanges with friends about what car part they actually are. One said he was a UV joint because he held things together, another said a seatbelt because he was strong but passive, and another said a spare wheel just waiting to go but enjoying the downtime (sounds Covid induced to me). There were others, but you get the idea.

So I was thinking about what spare part I am, and the metaphors …

Junkyard Management, Junkyard Wisdom Book, Leadership,

What’s Wisdom Got To Do With It?

Apologies to Tina Turner for hijacking her song title and making it worse, but the question of the day is why junkyard … wisdom?

Everybody understands the junkyard piece, at least they do when they read my bio. I grew up working Saturdays and summers in our family’s wrecking yard – aka junkyard – and it shaped my perspective on the world. I see life through the prism of a family business that bought junk and sold parts.

But how does wisdom fit into this perspective?

Wisdom is elusive to define. It is many layered, showing up in …

Book Reviews, Junkyard Management, Leadership,

Junkyard Saints

I’m currently reading Jon Meacham’s new book, His Truth is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope. This post isn’t about the book itself — though from what I’ve read I highly recommend it. Instead, I was struck by something Meacham says in the opening pages about sainthood.

“Generations of believers have held that some human lives are in such harmony with the ideals of God that they should be singled out. One need not embrace Catholic practice and doctrine to benefit from the contemplation of men and women who, in the words of an old hymn, …

Junkyard Management, Leadership, Salvaged,

Six Ways to Motivate Your Team During a Pandemic

Last year I shared my six ideas for motivating your team (which had previously been published by Outreach Magazine). I wondered how the six ideas hold up during a pandemic. Would they still work in an era of zoom calls and working from home?

I looked over the list and decided to give it a refresh. Usually I write about stuff I know and have decades of experience with, but this time I’m winging it like everyone else. So your feedback is even more welcome as we all learn how to motivate folks in these crazy times!

Anyway, here are …