Integrity Moments

The Biblical story of Nehemiah is a powerful reminder that our integrity affects our testimony.  As the Old Testament civic leader was working to rally people to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, opponents continually tried to derail his efforts. A man named Shemaiah tried to convinced Nehemiah to hide in the temple for Nehemiah’s own ...

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Mark was a technical expert who was promoted to manager of the engineering team. His experience had given him great insight into common company challenges. Whatever the issue was, chances are good that Mark had seen some version of it.  Unfortunately, that knowledge became a blind spot in his leadership. Too often, when a team ...

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Years ago, my wife, Kathy, and I interviewed Sheri, a high school coach, about her faith at work experiences. We discussed several students whom she loved despite their past poor decisions.   Kathy asked Sheri, “How hard is it to love these kids when they make such poor choices?”  Sheri’s response was profound. “I’ve learned,” she ...

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Years ago, a University of Kansas researcher referenced in Harvard Business Review, discovered that people asked to sell their personal coffee mug wanted 2.2 times more than potential buyers were willing to pay. Their personal connection to the coffee mug caused them to overvalue the mug.  Small business owners have a similar problem. The first ...

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Christopher Columbus was passionate about his dream. He had a desire to find a new and quicker route to the Orient, but he needed financial backing.  In 1485, Columbus pitched his idea to the King of Portugal. His plan was rejected, but Columbus persevered.   For the next seven years, he approached multiple nations and potential ...

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One of the kindest comments a colleague once shared with me is that I am open about my failures.   He was troubled by Christians who proclaim to be challenge-free, even though their struggles are just as evident as anyone else’s.   I jokingly responded that my shortcomings are so visible, it would be a sin to ...

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New to his manager role, Steve made a mistake common for newly promoted team members; he wanted to keep everyone happy, even if that wasn’t best for the entire group. Over time, team members caught him saying one thing, only to later take actions that contradicted his words. Soon, team members lost trust in him.  ...

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A great leader not only has concern for those they employ, they also have compassion. One business owner I know agonized, prayed, and cried as he wrestled with how to reduce his payroll. Due to his compassion for others, I believe God provided a solution different than he expected. Rather than terminating several jobs, his ...

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An executive of a financial organization shared with me recently that his company’s CEO, and most of his executive team, are Christians. But anytime my friend has encouraged the Executive team to be more forward with their Christian values his ideas get dismissed.   Fear of getting sued, or a fear of upsetting employees or customers, ...

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The Air Force Thunderbird pilots are the ultimate high-performance leaders. In September, Kathy and I attended an Air Show where the Thunderbirds performed.  Their Diamond Formation was amazing with four jets flying 18 inches apart in a diamond shape, while traveling between 400-500 miles per hour.  A simple sneeze, momentary distraction, or engine flaw could ...

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