FROM THE CEO
At CMA we’re keenly aware that equipping the current and next generation for management extends the bounds of business practices and principles. The truth is, if we’re not managing our homes as well as our businesses, we’re not managing well. This is just one of the reasons we work hard to bring you a diverse and highly qualified panel of keynote speakers, and Patrick Lencioni is no exception.

A renowned teacher on management, he has agreed to give us a sneak peak at his forthcoming book, The Cure for the Frantic Family. In it he outlines simple but powerful tools to help families of all kinds bring more purpose into their often hectic and busy lives. He’ll help us create meaningful frameworks through which we can make decisions, handle challenges, do some planning, and even determine how to spend our time. Participants will walk away with practical techniques on how to incorporate more meaning, sanity and control in our homes and day-to-day lives.

Pat is just one of the top-notch speakers and seminar leaders ready to teach, engage and empower you at this year’s Annual Conference. Other speakers include Gordon MacDonald, Lee Strobel, Patsy Clairmont, Dr. Henry Cloud, Israel Gaither, Alistair Begg and others.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER HIGHLIGHT: Patrick Lencioni
A CMA favorite, we’re thrilled to welcome Pat Lencioni back to the podium as a featured keynote for the 2007 Conference. 

Patrick Lencioni is founder and president of The Table Group, Inc., a specialized management consulting firm focused on executive team development and organizational health. He has been described by the One Minute Manager’s Ken Blanchard as: “…quickly defining the next generation of business thinkers.”

His passion for organizations and teams is reflected in his writing, speaking and consulting. He is the author of five business books, including The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, which continues to be highlighted on The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-seller lists. His other successes include: Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Field Guide; Death by Meeting; The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive; and The Five Temptations of a CEO. His much anticipated book, Silos, Politics and Turf Wars, was just released this past February and his next book, The Cure for the Frantic Family is due out in early 2008.

Featured in numerous publications such as Fast Company, Inc., USA Today, Entrepreneur, the Drucker Foundation’s Leader to Leader and The Harvard Business Review, Pat is well respected and admired by business leaders the world over.

CULTURE WATCH

If you want a lesson in branding this time of year, take a look at Santa Claus, suggests forbes.com writer Mike Matheis

In his online article, For a Better Brand, Think Like Santa, he writes: “Santa runs a multinational enterprise that combines uncanny customer intelligence, superb information, management and world-class service. He leads a logistical tour de force that spans the globe and delivers the goods, just in time. And he does it all with a warm—some would say jolly—panache that is impossible to forget.”

Branding tips from Santa, says Matheis, include these:

▪         He creates positive brand loyalty by building the expectation of an experience through consistent images and behaviors.

▪         He delivers on his promise to good boys and girls year after year.

▪         He always has an ample inventory, which also builds customer loyalty.

▪         His workshop uses the latest technology to maximize efficiency and to equip his elves with what they need to meet ever-changing requests of his customers.

▪         He keeps his list up-to-date and knows who’ss been naughty or nice, what they want, and where to send the gift.

▪         He is highly visible in the marketplace and has effective tie-ins with retailers.

▪         Although some things about his appearance and style reflect regional preferences, the Santa brand is always recognized.

▪         And he does it all in a good-natured way—often with a Ho-Ho-Ho.

View the full article, which includes some helpful implications for businesses—even Christian organizations.

MANAGEMENT INSIGHTS

Holiday Headaches for Air Travelers – Pass the Aleve

There really ARE ways to get through the craziness of airports in busy December and make it to your meeting or destination on time. Here are a few business tips for avoiding holiday travel headaches, compliments of forbes.com:

1.       Explore the U.S. Registered Traveler program. For about $100, you can get a “Security Threat Assessment” from the Transportation Security Administration. If approved, you can breeze through security via a special lane in about three minutes.  The privately run program is only at a few airports, but it is expanding.

2.       Let someone else book your travel. If your organization has someone who can book your travel, let them do it. That way, if your flight is cancelled or you have a problem, someone else can help you work through the snags and challenges.

3.       Be prepared to be productive during airport delays. Along with your laptop, mobile phone, and BlackBerry, bring a three-outlet adaptor or surge protector.  Competition for precious airport outlets is at a premium, and either will be a valuable commodity.

4.       Fit everything into a carry-on. Then you avoid the craziness of holiday travelers at baggage claim, plus no worries about lost luggage.

5.       Remember restrictions on liquids. All liquids and gels must be in containers of 3.4 ounces or less, and in one clear plastic zip-lock bag of 1-quart size or smaller.

6.       Whenever possible, take direct flights. This minimizes the domino effect of cancelled or late flights.

Pardon Me, But Where are the Sockets?

Long lines at airports—typical. Except these impatient travelers are cueing up to PLUG in, not CHECK in. Laptop or cell in hand, you see them hovering above an electrical outlet, desperately seeking energy. 

With earlier arrival times before takeoff, travelers have more time on their hands.  They want to plug in, get to work, e-mail, or just play. But how many sockets does an airport need? Typically, airports need to double the number of outlets. If they did that, you’d find an outlet every 12 feet, instead of every 25 feet. 

The nation’s busiest airport, Atlanta, is accommodating travelers by adding new outlets. In Atlanta’s new terminal currently under construction, the cost is $150 to $200 per outlet. But in an existing concourse, where walls need to be torn up, adding sockets could cost thousands per outlet! Other airports are looking for solutions to the energy crisis. At Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, pay phones were recently converted into free laptop recharging stations. 

But what to do until outlets are plentiful? One experienced traveler advises: “Think like a cleaning lady.” Where would YOU plug in a vacuum cleaner? Often it will be in a pillar or behind a row of seats. That traveler, Robert Cowen, publishes a travelers’ website: InternetTravelTips.com.

As a Christian traveler, you might want to offer the tech version of a “cup of cool water”: an extension cord with three outlets and an invitation for others to plug in and power up.

(Source: The Socket Seekers, by Christopher Elliot, NY Times, 11/28/06).

Gift List for Work? Check it Twice

Staying up late wondering what to give other managers or the CEO? How forgiving will your team be of a gift-giving faux pax? Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com editor, gathered some tips on gift giving at work. Here are a few of her insights posted on that website in an article entitled: The Dos and Don’ts of Gift Giving at Work.

Ms. Lorenz asked Jodi R.R. Smith, president and founder of Mannersmith, an etiquette consulting firm, for advice. Ms. Smith suggests you first think like the other person. "The trick to good gift giving is to find something that is appropriate based on the tastes, likes, and dislikes of each particular person," she says. She offered these guidelines to help make your corporate holiday gift giving a breeze.

1.       DO check your company's policy on giving gifts. "The first thing people need to do is check their workplace policy manual," explains Smith. Also, ask other employees how gift giving is handled.

2.       DON'T be obvious about excluding people. If you aren’t giving a gift to all the people you work closely with, but want to give a gift to some of them, arrange a time and place away from work for a gift exchange. 

3.       DO suggest a group activity for your gift exchange, or in lieu of an exchange. Draw names and keep it secret until the exchange day. If you’d rather not do gifts at all, suggest that the team go out for lunch, have a potluck, or bring in favorite holiday treats. 

4.       DO be careful about buying for your boss. Smith does not advocate giving gifts to bosses. Why? Because it can seem like you’re trying to impress. If you’re the boss, be upfront and let your staff know you don’t want to receive a Christmas gift. This stance can help keep the playing field level for all employees. If you really want to be thoughtful toward your boss and show appreciation, write a nice thank-you note or buy an item you know will be used. 

5.       DON'T give inappropriate gifts. Good gifts for coworkers include picture frames, professional pens, stationery, personalized business card holders, food baskets or fine chocolates. These choices work for a wide range of people. Smith suggests staying away from items of a personal nature… "Anything you can also give your significant other is not something to give someone in the office," she says.

6.       DO think philanthropically. Charity donations are especially good gifts for bosses. Find out what charity your gift recipient supports to make sure it’s meaningful to him or her. Or, what about working with a charity? Instead of exchanging gifts, your team members could volunteer for a day at a soup kitchen or at another organization.

7.       DON'T give useless gifts if you’re the boss. "Small tokens of esteem from bosses to employees are always welcome," says Smith. "But employees tend to prefer bonuses and additional time off to a trinket."

Now, CMA members, go back and look at that list. What would be the best way to honor God during this holy season and show appreciation to your coworkers?

Christmas Parties Are Serious Business

We don’t want to play the role of Ebenezer Scrooge and put a damper on festivities BUT remember that your organization’s Christmas party is a work function. The website, www.newbusiness.co.uk, gives timely tips to employers regarding the office/organizational Christmas party. The article, entitled “Avoid Christmas Compensation Claims,” was posted 11/21/06. Whether celebrating in the UK or USA, here are a few worth noting:

1.       Set a “party policy.” Just as you have rules and regulations for other work activities, put some guidelines in place for office parties. This could include simply listing employer’s responsibilities (e.g., meeting health & safety requirements and providing procedures to address any problems).

2.       Identify potential hazards. It may sound paranoid, but it’s wise to conduct a risk assessment to identify potential hazards. This could involve inspecting the site for any potential slips and trips, considering the safety of people going home after the event, and bearing in mind possible conflicts between people if you assign tables.

3.       Issue behavioral guidelines. Inappropriate or unacceptable behavior should be clarified. Employees need to realize that even if they’re dressed in a Santa suit or wearing reindeer beanies, they’re attending a work activity and normal disciplinary procedures would be applied.

4.       Don’t make your staff sick. Good rule. If you’re having a potluck or buffet at work, make sure food is not left out at room temperature for more than 90 minutes, and it should be stored below 5°C (41°F).

Oh, and do have fun!

To Bonus or Not to Bonus … or What’s in Your Envelope?

Will your employees be getting a Christmas bonus this year? Will you? 

Receiving a year-end bonus was a given in most companies. Was! According to Marilyn Gardner, staff writer for the Christian Science Monitor (11/27/06), “In many companies, the year-end bonus is becoming a quaint memory of earlier times…” But now, many employees are seeing the “gift” bonuses disappear.  Instead, the year-end reward is tied to performance.

The article cited a 2005 survey by Hewitt Associates:

§          59% of companies said they would NOT give holiday bonuses

§          More than three-quarters offer bonuses based on performance (to be re-earned each year).

The article cites another study: “Among 1,500 small businesses, 39% plan to give employees holiday bonuses this year, according to Constant Contact, an e-mail marketing service for small businesses. That is up 2% from last year.”

In nonprofits, like small businesses, cash flow and cash management are less predictable, so it may be harder to meet the annual expectation of employees.  Whether you give bonuses or not, it’s important that employees are clear about how they’re given (especially if they’re tied to performance).

But there may be a bonus comeback in the near future. Ms. Gardner cited Bob Kustka, president of CHR Partners, a human resources consulting firm in Massachusetts, who expects changes: "Bonuses are going to come back into vogue in the next few years as the war for talent heats up," he says. "The new workers entering the workforce, the millennials, will be harder to keep. They don't have the same level of loyalty previous generations had. Therefore organizations will be looking for innovative ways to keep those workers."

Tell us what your organization does regarding Christmas bonuses. Do you give them out? Do you have a party in place of a bonus? We want to hear from you. Just e-mail ben@cmaonline.org.

If you want to know what your customers think in 2007, go online for your survey!

Reporting data from the 7/17/06 issue of Advertising Age, consultant Gary Foster says: “Internet-based questionnaires will account for nearly 33% of ’06 U.S. spending on market-research surveys, according to Inside Research.” Foster explains: “Marketers get their results quicker and cheaper. Because two-thirds of Americans age 15 and older now use the internet and the rapid adoption of broadband, there is a shift away from phone and mail research. Marketers have been able to cut costs 15%-20% by moving mail surveys online and about 30% by shifting from phone surveys to online.” (Source: 11/10/06 issue of The Foster Letter, www.garydfoster.com)

FOR YOU…

Aerobics 3 Hours a Week – A Brainy Resolution

Forget the word searches and crossword puzzles. A new study says aerobic exercise can actually reverse brain shrinkage that starts in your 40s, and keep your memory and intellect strong!

According to a Wall Street Journal article (11/16/06): “As little as three hours a week of brisk walking—no Stairmaster required—apparently increases blood flow to the brain and triggers biochemical changes that increase production of new brain neurons.” Many of us thought mental gymnastics was the key…but more and more studies, like this one, are revealing the greater impact of real gymnastics. Just three hours a week. 

The areas of the brain especially affected in a good way are the regions responsible for memory and intellect, according to WSJ writer Sharon Begley. The study cited, reported in the November issue of Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, says that after just three months, the people who exercised at least three hours a week had the brain volumes of people three years younger. 

Proverbs for Business — A Handy Book Packed with Wisdom

Need some practical wisdom as you embark on a new year to keep your organization on the right track from someone who’s been there? Proverbs for Business, by Steve Marr, provides everyone from the CEO to the newest employee with practical wisdom that will increase workplace effectiveness.

Each one-page reading (260 in all) has a poignant question, a Scripture, a brief business application, and a verse from Proverbs. The topics are timeless—focusing on things like quality of service and product, achieving success, human resource issues, decision making, planning, hiring and firing, work relationships, and much more.

Marr is known for his radio program, Business Proverbs, currently heard on more than 1,000 radio stations nationwide. He served as president and CEO of the fourth largest import-export company and now is president of Widow’s Mite Foundation, which provides books and resources for Christian leaders and ministries. Visit www.businessproverbs.com for more information on ordering Proverbs for Business (suggested donation $6.99) and other books relevant to your ministry setting.

FINALLY, TAKE THIS WITH YOU…

Silent Night, Holy War – Some Thoughts for the Season

In his book, Champagne for the Soul: Celebrating God’s Gift of Joy, Mike Mason shares a story befitting for the Christmas season about the struggle beween good and evil—joy and spiritual warfare—that most of us feel at this time of year. Rather than paraphrase, let me share Mason’s own words:

 “My friend Ron Susek has written a book with the intriguing title Silent Night, Holy War. In this fictional retelling of the Christmas story, Ron imaginately weaves together the events of Jesus’ birth, as recorded by Matthew and Luke, with the apocalyptic events of Revelation 12. His thesis is that we have every reason to expect Christmas to be a time not only of great joy, but also of great struggle and spiritual warfare.

“Though we seldom consider this somber side of Christmas, it’s nonetheless true. A false god rules over Christmas, manifesting itself as commercialism, busyness, and shallow merriment, making the true Christ as difficult to find now as He was that first Christmas night in a stable in Bethlehem. Yet, how many of us approach the birth of the Prince of Peace prepared for conflict?

“I, for one, so looked forward to Christmas being a joyous day, a highlight of my experiment in which I could sing with all my heart, ‘Joy to the world the Lord is come!’ Perhaps these high expectations were a large part of my problem. With such an attitude, even small annoyances become disproportionately vexing. Joy will not be scheduled. A zealous plan for everything to go smoothly on Christmas Day or on any day, is a recipe for disaster. Joy lives in the shadow of the cross, not in a Pollyanna world where everything goes well.

“I’m reminded of a Christmas card I received, depicting a decorated tree whose shadow falling, across the floor, takes the form of a cross. For Christians, the shadow of the cross falls over every day. We live in a spiritual war zone where our enemy, the devil, observes no holidays but continually ‘prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour’ (I Peter 5:8). Why should we expect the road to Christmas to be any easeir than the road to Easter? It wasn’t easy for Mary or Joseph, or for many others in the original drama. As T.S. Eliot wrote in Journey of the Magi, ‘This Birth was… hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.’

“Christ doesn’t come to our righteousness but to our unrighteousness. He doesn’t come to our airbrushed fantasies, but into the heart of our real pain. Indeed, if we do not let him into our pain, we will not experience His coming or His joy at all.”

ASSOCIATION NEWS: The Latest on CMA

Membership Renewals for 2007

It’s time to renew your Christian Management Association membership for 2007!  Renewal packets have been sent—watch for them in your mailbox. This year we’re offering you the option of renewing your CMA membership online.

Check us out at www.CMAonline.org. You’ll be blessed!

CMA Palm Springs 2007
CMA’s 30^th Annual Conference - March 12-15, 2007

Be Inspired by the beauty and desert calm of Palm Springs, California, for a time of spiritual renewal and personal reflection.

Be Uplifted by Dove Award-winning artist Kathy Troccoli, multi-talented comedic sensation Anita Renfro, and praise and worship by the anointed team of Dick and Mel Tunney.

Be Connected during networking time with ministry colleagues.

Be Challenged by Gordon MacDonald, Priscilla Evans Shirer, Patrick Lencioni, Israel Gaither, Dr. Henry Cloud, Patsy Clairmont, Lee Strobel, Alistair Begg and many other powerful speakers, as they focus on how we can develop greater authenticity and live out our Christian values.

Register online at www.CMAonline.org

CMA CALENDAR & DIRECTORY OF SERVICES: Everything You Need to Know

2007
Jan 10-13 - Christian Stewardship Association Annual Conference (Dallas, Texas)

Feb 1-4 - Council for Christian Colleges and Universities Annual Presidents Conference (Washington, D.C.)

Feb 17-20 - National Religious Broadcasters National Convention (Orlando, Florida)

Mar 11-13 - 7^th Annual CMP Summit (Palm Springs, California)

Mar 12-15 - CMA Palm Springs 2007 (Palm Springs, California)

CMA Directory of Services

CMA Website: www.CMAonline.org

Audio Recordings: (800) 874-8730

Membership Info: (800) 727-4CMA, ext. 1

CMA Chapter Meetings: www.CMAonline.org

CMA Sponsored Programs

Envoy Financial (a Christian Retirement Coalition Company) provides group benefit and retirement plan design and implementation for ministries and churches. Info: www.envoyfinancial.org.

CMA Management Monthly
The Management Monthly eNewsletter is sent 12 times a year to all CMA members.  Subscriptions for non-members are $100 per year for 12 issues. Editorial material may be reprinted if credit is given. David Schmidt, editor and Suzy West, production and circulation. Copyright, 2006, Christian Management Association. CMA is a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and has adopted “The Peacemaker’s Pledge” of Peacemaker Ministries.

CMA Job Market

Management classified ads are updated every Monday noon (PST) on CMA’s website. To run an ad or to review the latest job opportunities, go to www.CMAonline.org/jobmarket.

CHRISTIAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 4090

San Clemente, CA 92674

Phone: (949) 487-0900, Fax: (949) 487-0927

Email: CMA@CMAonline.org, www.CMAonline.org

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