INTEGRITY IDEA: Harness Parking PowerFor organizations that provide parking, "Harness Parking Power" is about a faithful leader prayerfully discerning ways to use choice spots to recognize, honor, reward, or support stakeholders. It is not about saving the best spaces for the most senior staff, as is sadly common in both corporations and churches. Nor is it about virtue signaling by...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Ask for an Autograph"Ask for an Autograph" is about faithful leaders implementing practices that make the people behind an organization's products visible. It is about finding ways to allow customers to learn about the humans whose skill, care, and labor went into the creation of a product they purchased—not as a marketing gimmick, but as an act of...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Faithfully "Applefy" Your CultureFollowing the announcement that Tim Cook would be stepping down as CEO of Apple, the Wall Street Journal asked him what advice he would pass down to his successor. Cook’s answer offers two leadership principles that are worth receiving—but also worth redeeming. "Faithfully Applefy Your Culture" is about a faithful leader taking steps to implement...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Don't Fake It to Make It"Don't Fake It to Make It" is about faithful leaders resisting the pressure and temptation to mimic, adopt, or rationalize business as usual practices in order to "succeed" personally in their career or for the organization they lead to "succeed" in the marketplace. It recognizes that fear and wisdom are very different motivators,...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Banish the BurnRecently Fast Company published a series of articles on a growing crisis of manager "burnout". "Banish the Burn" is about a faithful leader putting in place practices to identify potential manager burnout, understand its sources, care for managers experiencing burnout, and cultivate an organizational culture designed to minimize the causes of and proactively protect against burnout. ...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Pour a FoundationA few people have asked if we were planning something special for the 100th Integrity Idea. We weren't. What arrived, though, may be the most important of all 100. Integrity Idea 100 is about when a faithful leader should ignore the first 99 Integrity Ideas–at least for now. "Pour a Foundation" is about pouring a foundation...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Take a WalkOur last two posts focused on communications by faithful leaders that prioritize relationships, community, human dignity, and flourishing—saying "Good Morning" and "I'm Sorry." "Take a Walk" is an equally free way to facilitate informal communication. It is about a faithful leader taking the time to walk around the workplace—whether it's a store, office, or factory—to listen,...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Ace ApologiesIn our last post, we talked about faithful leaders taking the time to say, "Good Morning". This post is focused on an equally free and even more important communication. "Ace Apologies" is about a faithful leader saying, "I'm Sorry." A sincere apology is not as simple as a sincere greeting, and the consequences of a bad apology...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Morning Manners Matter"Morning Manners Matter" is about as simple—and free—as an Integrity Idea can get. It is about a faithful leader taking the time to say "Good Morning" to employees they encounter when arriving at work. "Morning Manners Matter" recognizes the power of words and embraces the power of encouragement. It says to people, "I see you", "I...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Choose Counselors with CareEvery leader receives counsel. The only question is whether that counsel reinforces conviction or erodes it. "Choose Counselors with Care" is about ensuring that a faithful leader is getting advice and counsel from people who have the wisdom to offer sound judgment, the integrity to give disinterested guidance, the courage to speak hard truth, and...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Flip the Tip"Flip the Tip" is about faithful leaders changing their business model to "flip" tipping, returning it to an opportunity for customer generosity rather than an expected customer subsidy for inadequate wages. It recognizes that it is the employer's Biblical obligation to ensure that employees are fairly compensated and that the current model of tipping in the...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Be a Barnabas"Be a Barnabas" is about a faithful leader prayerfully and intentionally looking for opportunities to encourage those they lead. Encouragement says, "I see you," "I see something in you," and "I see something beyond you." It recognizes the power of words to lift people past circumstances, over fears and doubts, and out of discouragement, to help...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Listen to the Silent Screams"Listen to the Silent Screams" is about a faithful leader putting in place practices to understand how employees really feel about their work and their jobs. At a time when hashtags like "Great Resignation", "Quiet Quitting", "Great Detachment", "Quiet Cutting", "Job Hugging" and "Resenteeism" have filled social media--and U.S. employee engagement and wellbeing is...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Celebrate Lives"Celebrate Lives" is about a faithful leader implementing practices that intentionally remember, honor and celebrate members of the organization who have died. It recognizes the Imago Dei in those departed--dignity that does not end at death--as well as the importance of relationships built in the workplace. In doing so, it reflects and reinforces a business a better...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Adopt One Small Beautiful Act in 2026"Adopt One Small Beautiful Act in 2026" has nothing to do with what you might be thinking. It is the start of a new Integrous tradition--a January reminder that "beautiful" doesn't require "big". In fact, "big" can be intimidating and lead to doing nothing--which isn't "beautiful". "Adopt One Small Beautiful Act in...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Go Beyond a Tree at Christmas"Go Beyond a Tree" is about faithful leaders displaying tasteful faith-inspired objects, such as a nativity scene or Advent wreath, in the workplace at Christmas rather than just a Christmas tree. It recognizes that the Christmas has been widely secularized and neutralized, symbolizing a season of consummation rather than contemplation. It also recognizes...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Goldplate Your Offboard Auto-Replies"Goldplate Your Offboard Auto-Replies" is about applying the Golden Rule when creating policies for the form of e-mail auto-reply used when a human being is "offboarded"--leaves an organization, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. A simple auto-reply may feel trivial, but small acts accumulate into a culture. It recognizes that faithfulness in little things matters, and that...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Encourage "Pinocchio Marketing"Confused? Don't worry--we are not advocating deceptive marketing that causes a faithful leader's nose to grow. "Encourage Pinocchio Marketing" is about faithful leaders cultivating a marketing culture with a heart for the qualities that allowed Pinocchio to become a real boy--bravery, truthfulness and unselfishness--and a nose capable of detecting potentially deceptive or manipulative marketing before it...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Whisper, Just Don't Dilute"Whisper, Just Don't Dilute" is about a faithful leader being courageous in sharing as TRUTH (and not merely as "wisdom" or "tradition") the faith that informs their leadership and inspires the bigger WHY of the organization, even if the leader has discerned that it is wiser stewardship for the organization to "whisper"--operate at the covert...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Re-Align LoyaltyLoyalty is usually seen as a virtue, but the brokenness of business as usual can misalign loyalty--attaching allegiance to the wrong objects, the wrong purposes and the wrong priorities. "Re-Align Loyalty" is about implementing practices to ensure that the overriding allegiance of leaders, managers and employees is to principles rather than people--toward the bigger WHY of the...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Support the Supporters"Support the Supporters" is about implementing practices to support, care for, and recognize the employees who keep "stars" looking good, keep initiatives moving forward, and keep teams working together. They are the account managers, program coordinators, team leaders, service partners, mentors, encouragers and connectors who may never seek the spotlight but without whom the lights would...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Purge Profanity"Purge Profanity" is about implementing policies and practices that discourage employees from using vulgar, obscene, or profane language while working or representing the organization. The Bible is very clear in warning against profanity, but this is not about purity, prudishness, or legalism. It recognizes that words have power to bless or curse--the power to give "life" or...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Nurture NathansWhile many Biblical characters remain obscure, Nathan is pretty well known. He was the friend who courageously spoke truth to King David and held him accountable. But Nathan served several other important roles in David's life. "Nurture Nathans" is about a faithful leader identifying and empowering trusted friends and advisors who will speak truth to them--holding them...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Start a "Relevant" Bible StudyWhile all studies of the Bible are "relevant", because the study of God's Word is always relevant for the lives of his image-bearers, some can be more relevant for guiding us in certain aspects of life. "Start a Relevant Bible Study" is about faithful leaders starting, facilitating or encouraging a Bible study that is...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Shun Sorcery in Business"Shun Sorcery in Business" is about faithful leaders looking to prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in making decisions, including hiring decisions, rather than turning to modern "sorcery". We are not talking about consulting Ouija Boards and Magic 8 Balls in the boardroom. The temptation to rely on astrology, numerology, handwriting analysis, psychics,...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Provide Praiseworthy Packaging"Provide Praiseworthy Packaging" is about delivering your products and services in packaging that glorifies God. It’s about making packaging more intentional. It recognizes that how you deliver your product or service can speak as loudly as what you deliver. "Provide Praiseworthy Packaging" recognizes that one of the most straightforward commands in Scripture is to do everything...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Start a Bank (a "Leave Bank")"Start a Bank (a Leave Bank)" is about creating a "leave bank" into which employees may deposit unused PTO (and the organization may make matching or supplemental deposits) either to be drawn by co-workers facing an emergency or disaster or donated to charity. It recognizes that many workers do not fully utilize their...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Don't Settle for "Gold""Don't Settle for Gold" is about cultivating an organizational culture in which people are motivated and equipped to go beyond the Golden Rule in human interactions. It is helping people recognize the Imago Dei in others and live the commandment to love others as God has loved them, not merely as they would like to...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Color Your World (With Intention)"Color Your World (With Intention)" is about enhancing the wellness of employees through the intentional use of color in their workspace. It recognizes that color is powerful and, in workspaces, can have a positive impact on employee well-being. It also recognizes that an organization pursuing faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Let There Be (Better) Light"Let There Be (Better) Light" is about enhancing the wellness of employees by taking steps to improve the quality of the light in which they work. It recognizes that the light in which people work can have a positive or negative impact on their health and well-being and that an organization pursuing faithful integrity...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Whisper, Just Don't Hide"Whisper, Just Don't Hide" is about a faithful leader being willing to share and explain the faith that informs their leadership and inspires the bigger WHY of the organization, even if the leader has discerned that the organization's pursuit of faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing is best done at the...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Implement Human AIAlthough "Implement Human AI" may sound like an oxymoron, we recently learned about a type of "AI" that appears to be both humanizing and consistent with the pursuit of faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing. It doesn't involve powerful computer chips, large data centers, massive energy consumption, or the threat of robots...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Be Quiet"Be Quiet" is about a faithful leader of an organization setting aside quiet time each day to listen for God's guidance in how to faithfully steward the organization in alignment with Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities. It is also about encouraging others in the organization to set aside quiet time and putting in place practices to facilitate...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Seek Moses Managers"Seek Moses Managers" is about implementing promotion, recruiting, hiring, selection, and training practices for managers that prioritize the qualities Moses used when recruiting chiefs in Exodus 18:21-24. It is about prioritizing Biblical excellence, Biblical diversity, cultural fit, and character. "Seek Moses Managers" recognizes the importance of good managers to employee engagement and flourishing, to the implementation...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Grow Gratitude "Grow Gratitude" is about implementing practices to help employees experience feelings of gratitude. It recognizes that feeling gratitude has been shown to enhance flourishing and wellness in people, which should be a priority in an organization pursuing faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing. In a world filled with negativity that promotes...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Set Some Ebenezers"Set Some Ebenezers" has nothing to do with Ebenezer Scrooge. It is about the faithful leader of an organization following the example of Samuel and creating tangible reminders of times God has helped the organization and its people. It recognizes that most people easily forget (and some people never even know or comprehend) God's interventions and...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Share the Spoils"Share the Spoils" is about prayerfully considering compensation and recognition practices that recognize the contributions of all employees to the success of the organization. It is following the example of King David when he defeated the Amalekites, following their raid of the city of Ziklag. "Share the Spoils" recognizes that senior executives, top salespeople and big...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Develop a "Daniel Plan" for Decisions"Develop a Daniel Plan for Decisions" is not about dieting. It is about putting in place practices to ensure that important decisions and responses to critical or sensitive situations are made with "prudence and discretion" by an organization's leaders, following the example of Daniel when King Nebuchadnezzar ordered all of the wise men...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Plant a Tree in 2025"Plant a Tree in 2025" is not about literally planting a tree. It is inspired by a quote frequently (and apparently inaccurately) attributed to Martin Luther. It is about a faithful leader committing to make one change or take one initiative in their organization that "adds to the beauty" of the world. One of...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Stop the Rot"Stop the Rot" is about putting in place practices and procedures to identify and address behavior by stakeholders that undermines the organization's Re-Imagined Values and Re-Imagined Culture. It recognizes that one toxic employee, customer or vendor can begin a corrosive effect that spreads like the rot on a bad apple in a barrel. It also recognizes...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Strengthen Your Cord"Strengthen Your Cord" is about joining groups or organizations that gather faithful leaders to support each other in pursuit of faith/work integration, in navigating faith/work integration in an increasingly secular culture or in protecting the religious freedom to pursue faithful integrity through business a better way through Biblical flourishing. It provides a source of counsel from...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Seek Horizontal Counsel"Seek Horizontal Counsel" is about a faithful leader actively seeking counsel from faithful advisors as well as from the people they lead. It is rooted in humility and requires a leader to understand who they are in relation to others and to recognize that that they do not have all the answers. "Seek Horizontal Counsel" affirms...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Seek Vertical Counsel COVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): Prayer COVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Very Covert STAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Employees, Customers/Clients, Owners, Suppliers/Vendors, Community, Kingdom "Seek Vertical Counsel" is about a faithful leader praying, either privately or with a small group of other leaders in the organization, for wisdom and guidance in every decision. It...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Cultivate Customer KindnessCOVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): PracticesCOVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Highly CovertSTAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Employees, Customers/Clients, Community"Cultivate Customer Kindness" is about implementing practices that create opportunities for customers to engage in acts of "kindness" toward employees and the community. It recognizes that "kindness" is an expression of the "first-order beliefs" God...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Choose the Better "T" of Trust (vs Track)COVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): PracticesCOVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Highly CovertSTAKEHOLDERS SERVED: EmployeesIn a world that has shifted to increased remote and hybrid work, "Choose the Better 'T' of Trust (vs Track)" is about cultivating an organizational culture in which employees can be trusted...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Prioritize EmployeesCOVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): PracticesCOVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Highly CovertSTAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Employees"Prioritize Employees" is about recognizing the importance of caring for employees for the right reasons. It is grounded in Imago Dei, the Golden Rule and the commandment to love your neighbor, both in its application and its results. ...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Recognize "AvoDay" (not Labor Day)COVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): PracticesCOVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): OvertSTAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Employees"Recognize AvoDay (Not Labor Day)" is about using the U.S. national holiday of Labor Day as an opportunity to speak life into work by referencing the work-affirming word "Avodah" rather than the work-devaluing word "Labor". It...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Foster Financial FitnessCOVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): PracticesCOVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Highly CovertSTAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Employees"Foster Financial Fitness" is about adopting practices and benefits that are specifically designed to encourage and support the financial literacy and fitness of employees and their families. It recognizes that financial instability, difficulties and stress can negatively...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Waken Wellness COVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): Practices COVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Highly Covert STAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Employees "Waken Wellness" is about adopting practices and benefits that are specifically designed to encourage and support the total wellness of employees, including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness. It recognizes that an organization pursuing faithful integrity through...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Fortify FitnessCOVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): PracticesCOVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Highly CovertSTAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Employees"Fortify Fitness" is about adopting practices and benefits that are specifically designed to encourage and support the physical fitness of employees. It recognizes that an organization pursuing faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing should...