The Employee Who Used to Do More Picture an experienced employee who once did more than the job required. They volunteered for difficult projects, helped new employees, stayed late when something went wrong, and brought ideas into meetings. Then something changed. They still arrive, meet deadlines, collect their paycheck, and go home, but the extra
When Good Employees Stop Giving You Their Best Read More »
Dr. King Gave Racism a Warning Label In his 1967 Stanford speech on “The Other America,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. argued that racism was evil because its ultimate logic was genocide. He was not saying every racist thought inevitably leads to mass murder. His warning was about the belief underneath racism: once people are
When Racism Follows Its Logic to the End Read More »
We Have Made “Anointed” Mean Almost Everything The word anointed is used so loosely in Christian circles that it can become another way of saying someone is talented, powerful, emotional, or impressive. But the biblical meaning goes much deeper. In Scripture, anointing is connected to being set apart for a specific calling, responsibility, or purpose
Anointed Does Not Always Look the Way We Think It Does Read More »
Justice Has Never Been Completely Blind American history makes it difficult to claim that everyone has always experienced justice equally. The law once protected slavery, Black Codes restricted newly freed Black people, and convict leasing disproportionately forced Black people back into labor after emancipation. That history does not mean every modern case involving a Black
The Two Faces of Justice in America Read More »
People Notice More Than the Meal You can put people off without even realizing it. After a business dinner, interview, networking event, or first date, you may wonder why there was no second invitation. Often, it is not because of anything dramatic you said or did. People tend to remember how they felt while they
The Business Meal Is Quietly Telling People Who You Are Read More »
Why Do We Tell People Not to Hope? I have never completely understood why we tell people, “Don’t get your hopes up,” when something good might happen. I understand the reason behind it. We think lowering our expectations will make disappointment hurt less. But when I really want something, telling myself not to hope for
Go Ahead and Get Your Hopes Up Read More »
When the Music Stopped Being the Biggest Story In 2014, Lil Wayne was trying to release Tha Carter V when his relationship with Cash Money Records turned into a legal battle. Wayne later alleged that his recording agreement entitled him to a $10 million advance connected to the album and that millions remained unpaid. This
When Your Record Label Calls You Family but the Contract Says Business Read More »
Words Reveal Patterns One thing I pay attention to when getting to know someone is how they talk about themselves and their life. That applies to romantic relationships, friendships, work, and spiritual connections. I notice when most conversations focus on what they cannot do, why nothing seems to work, or how everyone is against them.
Listen to How People Speak About Themselves Read More »
When Being Told What to Do Gets Under Your Skin If you dislike being told what to do, someone may have called you stubborn, rebellious, or difficult. Sometimes they may have a point. But some people simply place a high value on making their own decisions. They do not necessarily reject leadership, rules, or advice.
Maybe You’re Not Difficult—Maybe You Need to Know Why Read More »
Surviving Alone Is Not the Same as Living Alone When I said every man needs some form of brotherhood, some men disagreed. They argued that strong men handle life themselves and that trusting others only creates vulnerability. I understand the caution. Trust should be earned, and everybody calling you brother is not your brother. But
A Strong Man Can Stand Alone, but a Wise Man Knows He Shouldn’t Stay There Read More »