22 - June 9 through June 15, 2011 - Edition 51
Columnists The Boca Raton Tribune
FAITH
By: Rick Boxx
Available and Accessible Leadership An editorial in the prominent daily business periodical, The Wall Street Journal,mentioned a surprising trend being practiced by some busy executives. According to the report, they are hiring a “chief of staff.” This consists of someone to deal directly with personnel, freeing top executives to handle broader, more corporate-level responsibilities. It seems interesting that at a time when many CEOs already are significantly isolated from their staffs, they now have resorted to appointing another gatekeeper - one more layer of insulation between them and their employees. Obviously, this makes it increasingly challenging for staff to gain direct access to their superiors. This also leads to greater frustration among those who believe their needs are not being heard and their contributions to their companies are not being recognized. Time management is critical, and I suspect this is one reason for this recent tactic. However, truly effective leadership is about “serving” one’s people, not avoiding them. When we regard having to deal with people as a problem, rather than a privilege, our priorities are seriously misaligned. There are many resources
to consult regarding the importance of leaders staying in close contact with those they lead, but some of the best examples are found in the Bible. For instance, in the New Testament we read, “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:13-14). Anyone familiar with the biblical account of Jesus’ life knows He had a very clear mission and a very short time for its fulfillment. Yet He always found time for people that were clamoring for His attention, as we see in the passage above. If the Son of God was willing to be accessible to children, who were virtually regarded as non-persons during that time, should we not also remain available to our staffs? Here are some other principles from the Bible: Monitor the pulse of your staff regularly. How will you know if major problems are arising if you choose not to communicate consistently and closely with your employees? Being oblivious to significant concerns can put your or-
ganization in jeopardy. “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds…the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field…” (Proverbs 27:2327). Provide clear direction by understanding your team. When people believe their leaders know them and seek their best interests, they are inspired to do their very best work. “When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order” (Proverbs 28:2). Offer the same attention and concern you would like to receive. When we have pressing needs, we like to be able to communicate them to others who can be of assistance. As leaders, we should be just as responsive to the people that report to us. “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31). Copyright 2010, Integrity Resource Center, Inc. Adapted with permission from “Integrity Moments with Rick Boxx,” a commentary on issues of integrity in the workplace from a Christian perspective. To learn more about Integrity Resource Center or to sign up for Rick’s daily Integrity Moments, visitwww. integrityresource.org.
DIVORCE FLORIDA STYLE By Mike Gora
Hidden ‘treasure’ resurfaces after marriage to captain sinks Question: My ex-wife and I have been divorced for about eight years. We had gone on a vacation to the “Romantic Far East,” and she came back in love with the ship’s captain. The two of them were married soon after our divorce, and moved to California. Our divorce was contentious. We fought over every nickel, and child custody. Looking back at that time, I am embarrassed that we put the children through the mess that we did, just because we were aggravated with each other. A couple of weeks ago I got an e-mail from the “new husband,” who is now her exhusband. He’s let me know that during my divorce the ex-wife bragged to him that she, somehow, took about $250,000 of our money and bought a jumbo CD at a bank in San Diego, which I never found. He said that she still has the money, and sent me the name of the bank and certificate number. In their divorce, she listed the money as her separate property, so she would not have to share it
with him. During our divorce, she filed a couple of financial affidavits, and testified both in a deposition and at trial. At no time was the $250,000 CD mentioned. Is there anything that I can do about that now? Can I get my share of that money? Can I have her arrested for perjury? Answer: If the captain’s story is correct, and you can prove that your exwife hid $250,000 of marital funds from you and the court, at the time of your divorce, you should be able to get a court to order her to pay at least half the hidden amount to you. In addition, you may be awarded interest, and reasonable attorney’s fees for the effort, although your attorney will expect payment for his or her efforts up front. Hiding marital assets constitutes a fraud on you and on the court. Under present Florida law there is no statute of limitations barring pursuit of such a
claim, although you should act immediately. If the CD still exists, your attorney should consider filing an immediate claim for an injunction, prohibiting the ex-wife from removing the money from the bank, or doing anything else to interfere with your rights to the funds. If the money is no longer in a CD, but has been spent, or taken a different form of investment, collection may be more difficult. It is always difficult to predict how the police and State Attorney in your county will look at the criminal aspect of your ex-wife’s behavior. On occasion, they tell you to pursue your civil remedies. If you pursue the criminal remedies, it may have an adverse effect on your relationship with your children. Just think carefully about pursuing criminal remedies, as it may have some unintended consequences.
Michael H. Gora has been certified by the Board of Specialization of The Florida Bar as a specialist in family and matrimonial law.
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