Overcoming Challenges In Business

Build Your Business & The Kingdom

The Build It Broadcast: Episode 6

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DOWNLOAD The "Challenges Action List" HERE

In business we will face many challenges.  When you analyze these business challenges, you’ll see that just as you have one of them tamed and under control another one comes in right behind it.

This means that you must always keep an eye on each area and facet of your business so that you are not caught off-guard.  Of course there are always market conditions that you can’t control and sometimes don’t foresee so as with everything else in life we must be diligent and operate with an “eyes wide open” mindset. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your understanding in the area of your business.
 
In a moment I want you to hit pause to write down a list of the challenges you are facing right now in your business.
 
Be sure that your list of challenges is specific to your business – or perhaps your particular project. And remember, just because you make a nice and neat list today doesn’t mean that it’s going to be the same tomorrow, so you can repeat this exercise over as much as you need to.
 
Ok hit pause now and write them down, we’ll go over some ways to address them towards the end of this episode.
 
Now before we go on to some ways to handle challenges, I want you to consider how we are supposed to respond to challenges.
 
And the way we should respond to challenges is basically Ethics and Integrity in business:  a/k/a doing the right thing.
 
Have you ever found it challenging to do the right thing, especially when doing the right thing may mean losing out on income? Was there ever a time when you had a choice of making money or doing what was best for the customer or client.  There are times when if we make even one bad little decision it can move us closer to making bad big decisions.
 
I used to think it was odd that when we’d go for insurance licensing with the state we would have to take ethics classes.  Having been in the business world for many years now I’ve come to understand why those classes are needed.
 
I think of things like “little white lies”, or even gossip that we really shouldn’t be participating in as Christians.  It’s these things that can happen instantaneously and after something has been said or done we realize it was a mistake. Remember, it’s the little foxes that spoil the vine!
 
If you have made some mistakes in this area I want to encourage you to own up to those mistakes and let your client, or friend, know that you goofed up.  This will accomplish a couple of things:  it will prove that you are human and make mistakes (just like everyone else) and it will prove that you really want to do the right thing! 
 
These actions will put your Christianity on your sleeve where everyone can see it.  The choice is always ours on whether or not we want to be an example of Christ-centered living, which means doing the right thing no matter what.
 
Proverbs 13:11(NIV) says:  Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. We have a choice.  Plain and simple.
 
When challenges come up there are many ways to find a solution.  Here are a few that you may find useful:

1. Pay attention to your market.  Although I don’t recommend reading and listening to the news regularly, from a business standpoint it is prudent to keep an eye on the current market trends.  Even better than listening or watching the news is to keep in touch with your clients and customers.  Ask them what they’re seeing as trends so you can know how to handle things in your business as wisely and prudently as possible

 

1. Brainstorm the solution with like-minded people. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with “brainstorming”, this is a method of getting together with others, placing the challenge on the table, and everyone throwing out ideas for a solution.  I believe it is especially important that you only toss around ideas with people you know, like and trust.

 
Proverbs 13:20 says “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Brainstorming is GREAT! It allows us the opportunity to see solutions from another persons’ perspective.

1. Pull out your Bible!  Research the business principles found in the Word and ask the Lord to reveal to you what he wants you to do about a particular situation.  Get out of your head and let your heart speak to you.  Many times we will have that “tug” from the Holy Spirit that is telling us to do – or not do – something.  As we grow in relationship with Him we will be better able to discern his voice and understand what He wants us to do. 

 

1. Critique yourself and your team members. Do you need to work on some areas to become better and more refined? Could you be directly or indirectly contributing to the challenge you’re facing?

 
This actually works better when you are not in “challenge mode” but, when you are under pressure you may be better able to see the challenge, and thus the answer, more quickly. I know whenever I take classes, or am under a deadline, I tend to work more quickly and be able to perform better. If that is your personality you may find that you can discover the answers to your challenges more quickly!
 
Review the list of challenges you wrote down and start looking for the solution from these suggestions. God does not want us to stay stuck and there is always a way to get out of a challenge!

Thank you so much for joining us today!

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Until next time, God bless you and your business!

- Leslie and Michelle