Practicing Excellence

So much of a medical organisation's success rides on the leadership, conduct, and performance of its physicians. How does a health care organisation engage its physicians to lead by example? And how does a physician, in the midst of 25 appointments, 30 phone messages, hospital rounds, and the details of managing a clinical practice, do what needs to be done to foster satisfaction and loyalty among patients? This book eloquently answers these questions. Beeson has created a brilliant guide to implementing physician leadership and behaviour that will create a high-performance workplace built on collaboration, commitment, purpose, and making a difference in the lives of the patients it serves.

Based on his extensive experience as coach and mentor to many thousands of Christian leaders across a broad spectrum of ministry settings, Reggie McNeal helps spiritual leaders understand that they will self-select into or out of greatness. In this important book, McNeal shows how great spiritual leaders are committed consciously and intentionally to seven spiritual disciplines, habits of heart and mind that shape both their character and competence: The discipline of self-awareness—the single most important body of information a leader possesses The discipline of self-management—handling difficult emotions, expectations, temptations, mental vibrancy, and physical well-being The discipline of self-development—a life-long commitment to learning and growing and building on one's strengths The discipline of mission—enjoying the permissions of maintaining the sense of God's purpose for your life and leadership The discipline of decision-making—knowing the elements of good decisions and learning from failure The discipline of belonging—the determination to nurture relationships and to live in community with others, including family, followers, mentors, and friends The discipline of aloneness—the intentional practice of soul-making solitude and contemplation

Quality Assurance is not a new concept in the education sector in general, and higher education in particular, though it is becoming increasingly more relevant and important. Higher education helps to improve an individual's quality of life by enabling them to inflate their knowledge and expertise, to grasp abstract concepts and theories, and to raise their awareness of the world and their community, and as such the assurance of quality is becoming more pivotal in the whole education process. There is no simple definition of the concept of quality in education, though numerous models and theories have been devised. Toward Quality Assurance and Excellence of Higher Education is a new episode of the Quality Assurance perception in higher education, which identifies the quality culture and orientation from the beginning, integrating crucial factors to build a “pyramid” of higher education excellence. The book compares concepts from the main theories of Quality Assurance, management and control when they are applied to educational systems in higher education. The book also presents a new model of excellence in higher education. Excellence is an architecture of building blocks that includes process performance, effectiveness, harmony and collaboration, and these bocks should be incorporated in a quality-oriented concept for sustainable excellence of higher education. The model integrates four main facets: the Educational System, Quality Assurance Managing and Control, Strategic Planning and Globalization. Also presented are international “best-practices” in quality assurance in higher education, from Japan and Finland.

Practicing Communication Ethics: Development, Discernment, and Decision Making presents a theoretical framework for developing a personal standard of ethics that can be applied in everyday communication situations. This second edition focuses on how the reader’s communication matters ethically in cocreating their relationships, family, workgroups, and communities. Through an examination of ethical values including truth, justice, freedom, care, integrity, and honor, the reader can determine which values they are ethically committed to upholding. Blending communication theory, ethics as practical philosophy, and moral psychology, the text presents the practice of communication ethics as part of the lifelong process of personal development and fosters the ability in its readers to approach communication decision making through an ethical lens.

Why do some church leaders thrive while others fizzle? What can a preacher who has lost his passion do to flourish in church leadership once again? How should a pastor handle the overwhelming demands on his time, energy, emotions and family?Dr. Ronnie Floyd delivers a practical guide to ministry for pastors and church leaders. After decades of pastoral ministry, Floyd's fire burns red hot to live and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. In 10 Things Every Minister Needs to Know he offers invaluable wisdom for sustaining family relationships and emotional health while moving ministry teams and churches to succeed.

Practicing Communication Ethics provides a theoretical framework for developing a personal standard of ethics that can be applied in real world communication situations. Through an examination of specific ethical values including truth, justice, freedom, care, and integrity, this first edition enables the reader to personally determine which values they are ethically committed to upholding. Blending communication theory, ethics as practical philosophy, and moral psychology, this text presents the practice of communication ethics as part of the lifelong process of personal development and fosters the ability in its readers to approach communication decision-making through an ethical lens.

"In Thank God It's Sunday Bernard Smalls delivers the good news that a serving heart is the key to prosperity. This uplifting parable-based on a true account of a wildly successful car dealership-shows that profit is the applause we get for taking care of our customers." -Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One Minute Manager and Raving Fans Why read TGI Sunday? Bernard Smalls, a former professional drummer, started his customer service career washing cars in Alaska. That's cold! Today as a corporate trainer he teaches in a fun, motivating way the TGI Sunday principles of excellent customer service. Readers of TGI Sunday are guaranteed to be motivated, inspired, entertained, and enlightened. "In Thank God It's Sunday, Bernard Smalls delivers an awesome message of true customer service with a new level of excitement and passion. The principles in this book can be applied to any business old or new to help create customers for life! This book is a must read!" -David Martin-New York Life Insurance Companies-Partner, Atlanta, Georgia "I found Bernard's book to provide some really great insight into sales and team building. Really a must read for any aspiring to reach their full potential in either sales or sales management." -William "Bub" Brill-New York Life Insurance Companies-Managing Partner, Greenville, South Carolina "I am a real fan of Bernard Smalls. Bernard is one of the most effective speakers I know. His excellent content and enthusiasm will inspire any audience. Bernard is a real winner." -Dr. Ken Blanchard "So many books are related to special systems to make production and profits in a mechanized way that suits and empowers the corporation. This new book of O. Bernard Smalls focuses in on the only real way of having business permanence: the customer. It is the customer that keeps a business alive, it is the customer that creates employment and it is the customer that is the only way to make a profit. 'Wake up corporations and appreciate and thank God for the customer.'" -Peter J. Daniels, Best Selling Author, Millionaire Real Estate Developer, and Australia's Top Motivational Speaker

In a time when academic theology often neglects the lived practices of the Christian community, this volume seeks to bring balance to the situation by showing the dynamic link between the task of theology and the practices of the Christian life. The work of thirteen first-rate theologians from several cultural and Christian perspectives, these informed and informative essays explore the relationship between Christian theology and practice in the daily lives of believers, in the ministry of Christian communities, and as a needed focus within Christian education. Contributors: Dorothy C. Bass Nancy Bedford Gilbert Bond Sarah Coakley Craig Dykstra Reinhard Hütter L. Gregory Jones Serene Jones Amy Plantinga Pauw Christine Pohl Kathryn Tanner Miroslav Volf Tammy Williams