Integrity Moments

In his book “Second Wind for the Second Half,” Patrick Morley describes a high school teacher who proclaims, “I am an ordained math teacher.”  We should seek to seamlessly integrate our faith and our work, doing our work as a form of our worship. There are many ways to do that. We can choose jobs ... The post Ordained Worker appeared first on Unconventional Business Network .

Once, I found myself working for the person who received the promotion I was recommended to receive. My jealousy turned into disdain for my new boss and damaged our working relationship.  King Saul had similar feelings about David when Saul allowed seeds of jealousy to take root. After Saul returned from a victorious battle, the ... The post The Seeds of Jealousy appeared first on Unconventional B...

While meeting with an entrepreneur named Mark, I asked him about his greatest challenges. Mark shared, “When I started this business eight years ago, I never would’ve imagined that marijuana usage would be one of my biggest problems. It’s pervasive, and a constant safety and productivity challenge.”  A recent New York Post article claims that ... The post A Growing Workplace Problem appeared first...

Organizational psychologist, Goh Hong Yi, wrote a profound online article for Salt and Light on barrenness that relates to business.  Abraham was told that God was going to make him into a great nation. However, his wife, Sarah, was unable to conceive for decades.   The author wrote, “The lineage of Abraham reminds us that ... The post The Fruit of Barrenness appeared first on Unconventional Busin...

Linda was crushed when she lost her job. In the midst of worrying about how to survive the economic hit until she found a new role, she struggled to respond to how the traumatic change impacted her self-esteem.  But she found comfort in the words from the writer of Hebrews.  “Let us then approach God’s ... The post Drawing Near appeared first on Unconventional Business Network .

In President Ronald Reagan’s autobiography, he shares a story about his college football days. Before a big game, President Reagan’s football coach asked the team if they prayed.  Out of fear that he would be ridiculed by his peers, Reagan did not admit that he was someone who prayed, even though he did regularly.  Reagan ... The post President Reagan’s Prayer Life appeared first on Unconventional...

The Industrial Revolution’s technology, rather than eliminating jobs, created jobs for railroads and related industries that dramatically increased labor demands. This led to abuse and overwork, not leisure, as some expected.  In 1894, the Labor Day holiday became a response to that abuse and overwork. The laborers demanded a day to rest and celebrate their ... The post The Roots of Labor Day appe...

Vanessa Van Edwards, a Harvard behavioral researcher, shared at the most recent Global Leadership Summit many great workplace insights.   One insight, backed by research, was that if you sit people near high performers, those people’s performance will increase 15% on average. But if you sit them next to low performers, their performance will decrease ... The post People Placement Matters appeared...

Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, shared at this year’s Global Leadership Summit that only 53% of Benjamin Franklin’s accomplishments happened by the age of 60. Collins’ point is that age is not a good indicator of future achievements.   Prior to Social Security’s beginning, most people concluded they would work as long as they ... The post Rethinking Retirement appeared first on Unconventiona...

Harvard Professor, Arthur Brooks, points to four pillars of happiness that include faith, family, friendship, and work that serves others.  Regarding faith, Professor Brooks says, “A religious, spiritual, or even philosophical outlook allows us to transcend the self and see the bigger picture, admitting our smallness in the grand scheme of things and reminding ... The post Finding Happiness appear...

According to Harvard Professor, Arthur Brooks, there’s an annual survey that asks men and women if they feel their life is meaningless. Prior to 2008, the percentage of people typically affirming that belief was just 15%.  In 2008, however, the numbers increased significantly each year. For women, a meaningless life response reached 30%, and ... The post Is Life Meaningless? appeared first on Unco...

According to the Wall Street Journal, Brian McClain, a Kentucky rancher, ran a Ponzi scheme that cost investors and bankers $170 million. The fraud could have been caught many years earlier.  Lending on livestock, done properly, requires periodic livestock inspections. Rabo AgriFinance was McClain’s primary lender, but Rabo loaned McClain millions without any cattle inspections for four years.  In...

My wife, Kathy, was paired with another woman to lead a vacation bible school. While Kathy loves having fun, it’s often unscripted.  The first time Kathy spoke with her new teammate, Kathy told me, “She is very structured and scripted. We may drive each other crazy.”  Personally, I think God chose the perfect pair. Some children learned from Kathy’s fun, free form style, but other kids needed the...

Many entrepreneurs focus on one business and struggle to excel, while others, like Elon Musk, can create multiple businesses in vastly different industries. Some business leaders have a higher level of creativity and innovation than most.   But for many of those innovators, they would have trouble admitting that without God they would have nothing.  Colossians 1:16 says, “For in (the Son of God) a...

When I owned a fledgling consulting practice, I met with a ministry leader named Ken. To my surprise, Ken changed the conversation by asking me when I was going to hire a salesperson.   When I explained my concerns about affording a new hire, Ken reminded me that being a good steward often requires us to take a step of faith.  After Ken’s prompting, I prayed and courageously ... The post Courageou...

In a Christianpost.com article, Michael A. Youssef, pastor of Church of the Apostles, emphasized that a Lifeway study reveals that 53% of Protestant church goers admit that many who know them do not know that they are Christians. Pastor Youssef highlights that “a silent Christian is not a neutral Christian; a silent Christian is a weakened witness. Because truth that is never spoken will eventuall...

As a banker, I was once asked to make a loan to a businessman who owned nothing except one stock worth $2 million, but he owed $1 million against that stock.  I was surprised by his lack of diversification. I declined his loan request.   Later, that stock plummeted and he was forced to sell with a deep loss.  Jesus began a parable by stating that a master entrusted his wealth ... The post Wise Div...

The stories of the Biblical prophet Elisha in the Old Testament book of 2 Kings offer relevant wisdom for our work today.  Seeking a cure for his leprosy, the army commander Naaman offered gold, silver, and clothing to compensate Elisha for healing him. Yet Elisha refuses to accept any payment.   Seeing an opportunity for himself, Elisha’s servant Gehazi follows after Naaman and makes up a story t...

The book of 2 Kings offers Biblical wisdom for our work today. The king of Syria seeks to capture the prophet Elisha. One morning, Elisha’s servant sees that an army has surrounded the city. The servant fearfully asks Elisha what they are to do.   “‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’” (2 Kings 6:16)  Elisha prayed that the servant...

The Old Testament book of 2 Kings tells of the Biblical prophet Elisha, whose leadership lessons have relevant wisdom for today’s workplace.  Suffering from leprosy, the army commander Naaman asks Elisha for healing. Although Naaman is expecting some dramatic invocation of God’s presence, Elisha’s prescription is simpler: Naaman is to wash himself seven times in the Jordan River.   Naaman is incen...

Florence Chadwick’s 1952 effort to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast is a favorite motivational story.  The day was so foggy she could barely see the boats that accompanied her. Exhausted after swimming for more than 15 hours, unable to see her destination, she gave up.   She learned later that she was less than half a mile from the coast.   She told reporters, “All I could ... The...

If you’re part of Unconventional Business Network, it’s possible you’ve received a prayer card signed by our staff. My wife, Kathy, has led this effort for years.   Someone recently asked Kathy why prayer is so important to her.   When Kathy had breast cancer three decades ago, dozens of people showed up at our house during a blizzard to pray. The next morning, the hospital filled with people pray...

Employers could wind up in court if they outright dismiss workers who request a faith-based exemption from using AI. In a businessinsider.com article, Ashley Herd, a former McKinsey counsel and head of North American HR, emphasized this newer risk for businesses.  According to the article, one Unitarian Universalist has already received a religious exemption from her employer because of her ... Th...

Ray had a busy day scheduled at work. But soon after he arrived, he encountered an employee who entered the building after being physically assaulted.   As you might imagine, the employee was very shaken and upset. Ray needed to decide where to spend his time. He could have decided that this was a personal problem that should be dealt with personally.   Instead, Ray cleared his schedule. He spent ...

Keith was doing a great job of growing sales in a retail chain of stores and was highly trusted by the CEO. When the company lost their controller, the CEO appointed Keith as the new controller.    When I entered as a consultant, Keith had two offices full of unopened bills and accounting records. Unfortunately, the IRS forced them into bankruptcy shortly thereafter.  Stewardship is often equated...