Integrity Ideas are practical actions toward implementing a bigger WHY for the organization.  We believe some are critical (and necessary) steps in the RENEW/RE-ALIGN/RE-IMAGINE/RESTORE process.  Others are just ideas to be considered if they feel like a good fit based on what leaders prayerfully discern is best for stewarding the organization toward its WHY.

“Onboard with Intention” falls into the “necessary” category because living out and reinforcing an organization’s Re-Imagined Purpose, Re-Imagined Values and Re-Imagined Culture is central to the pursuit of faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing.

Integrity Ideas are specific actions a leader can consider during the Re-Align step of Integriosity^®–actions that will begin to Re-Align the organization with Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities.  You can find more Integrity Ideas at Integrous | Integrity Ideas (integriosity.com)

INTEGRITY IDEA: Onboard with Intention

“Onboard with Intention” is about designing an onboarding process for new employees that introduces, reflects and reinforces the most important elements of the organization’s Re-Imagined Purpose, Re-Imagined Values and Re-imagined Culture.

It recognizes the importance of first impressions, particularly when the culture of the organization is counter cultural.  It is an opportunity to show through actions, “This is who we are, you are now one of us, we want you to flourish here, and this is how we do things.”  As social commentator and author Seth Godin observes:

When you hear a boss say “people before profits”, you’re likely to hold back before baring your soul and sharing your fears. “Trust me” is easy to say, especially when you mean it, but hard to hear.  Showing tends to beat telling, and it takes a very long time to earn trust when you’re running counter to culture.

There are so many great quotes about the importance of first impressions.  Here are two that capture the two sides of a first impression:

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. (Will Rogers)

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. (Maya Angelou)

Just as every organization will have a culture, whether intentional or unintentional, the onboarding process for new employees will reflect and reinforce a culture. “Onboard with Intention” is about a faithful leader ensuring that the first impression of the new employee is of a redemptive culture that prioritizes human dignity, relationships and flourishing rather than, for example, the business as usual culture communicated by an onboarding process that feels like an impersonal, bureaucratic indoctrination.

In post #79 (Real Culture, Purpose and Values), we talked about the difference between the purpose, values and culture described on a website and a real culture that reveals the organization’s real purpose and real values.  If the onboarding process is not reflecting and reinforcing the Re-Imagined Culture, then it is eroding it.  The employee will believe what they see.  Again turning to the wisdom of Seth Godin:

People might hear what you say, but they always remember what you do.

After the interview process, onboarding is the first opportunity for a faithful leader to humanize or dehumanize–the first opportunity to beautify or uglify–the work experience of a person whose God-given gifts of productivity and creativity are coming under that leader’s stewardship.

“Onboard with Intention” is part of the ongoing Re-Align step of Integriosity–continuing to cultivate a Re-Imagined Culture that reflects the organization’s Re-Imagined Purpose and Re-Imagined Values.  Here is one last nod to the writings of Seth Godin on culture:

[Culture is] corroded by shortcuts and by inattention, and fed by constant investment and care.

CONTINUUM: Practices

The Integriosity model organizes “heart change” along six Covert-Overt Continuums.  There is nothing magic about these categories, but we believe they are helpful in thinking about practical execution of a Re-Imagined Purpose, Re-Imagined Values and a Re-Imagined Culture.  The Continuums are Prayer, Proclamation, Policies, Practices, Products, People.

Each Continuum represents an area in which leaders can begin to think about, plan and institute Re-Alignment changes to the heart of the organization.

“Climb a Hill” is on the Practices Continuum. It involves practices the organization can adopt to affirm its commitment to cultivating a culture that aligns with Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities by valuing, promoting and prioritizing human dignity, relationships and flourishing.

COVERT-OVERT RATING: Highly Covert

The Integriosity model breaks the Covert-Overt Continuums into six gradations–from Highly Covert to Highly Overt–that we believe are helpful in beginning to pray and think about what is most appropriate for an organization at a particular moment in time.

Most Integrity Ideas will have one place on the scale.  Some can vary depending on how they are implemented.  “Onboard with Intention” is Highly Covert (an action that would be taken by a secular company).  Even secular businesses should be intentional about the first impression they make on new employees, even if that first impression is one that aligns with business as usual.

For an organization that has aligned its purpose, values and culture with Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities, the onboarding process itself may be Overt (An overtly faith-based action known generally within the organization) if those purpose, values and culture are explained in terms of those Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities.

STAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Employees

When we categorize faith-based actions, we also consider the stakeholders principally impacted by the action: Employees, Customers/Clients, Owners, Suppliers/Vendors, Community and Kingdom.

“Onboard with Intention” principally serves Employees by helping them understand from the very start the heart of the organization and what is expected of them in an organization pursuing faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing.

IMPLEMENTATION

“Onboard with Intention” can take many forms, but the essential element is developing a process that introduces, reflects and reinforces the most important elements of the organization’s Re-Imagined Purpose, Re-Imagined Values and Re-Imagined Culture.

Because faith practices and beliefs must be “optional”, it is important to distinguish between onboarding “this is how we do things around here” and “this is why we do things the way we do around here.”  Generally speaking, it is permissible to require the “how” (i.e., you must adhere to our values) and talk about a faith-based “why” (i.e., explaining the Biblical basis for the values), as long as the organization does not try to require an employee to embrace a faith-based “why”.

Introduces.  The onboarding process should tell the new employee about “who we are”.  Handing a person a thick employee handbook with a section on purpose, values and culture is unlikely to be effective.  If purpose, values and culture are important, then they deserve to be the subject of a dedicated portion of the onboarding.

This is particularly important because an organization pursuing faithful integrity in alignment with Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities toward Biblical flourishing is likely to be unlike any other organization the person has experienced.

Coca Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated includes a presentation on purpose, values and culture in there onboarding.  Back in post #213 (Create a Cue Card) we shared specific examples of leaders who created and shared with employees pocket-sized cards that contained values, principles or practices critical to ensuring that the organization’s behavior aligns with its purpose.

Reflects. This is about the power of actions over words.  We believe faithful leaders should pray about ways to demonstrate the heart of the organization to employees in the onboarding process.  Treating the new employee in a way that demonstrates the organization’s commitment to its purpose and values and its commitment to aligning with Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities that prioritize human dignity, relationships and flourishing says, “you are now one of us, we want you to flourish here, and this is how we do things.”

In post #149 (Listen to a Life), we talked about leaders taking the time to listen to the life “story” of a work colleague. In an onboarding process, it might be taking the time to learn about the new employee’s family, history, passions, interests, struggles, goals or dreams.  What are their dreams for their family?  What are their career goals?

Taking the time in an onboarding process to “listen to the life” of the new employee says, “I care, you matter, and we want you to flourish here“.  It brings relationship into a place where the world usually only experiences transaction. It recognizes the Imago Dei in others and reflects the commandment to love others as God has loved you.

Compare that to an onboarding process that uses the “fill in the blanks” templates provided by this Forbes article on welcoming new employees.

In one creative example, Booster (a company that provides fundraising services for schools) welcomes each new employee with a “tunnel entrance”, complete with smoke machines and confetti canyons.  It says in a way unique to their culture, “you are now one of us, and this is how we do things.”

Reinforces.  This is about emphasizing to a new employee from the start that the purpose, values and culture of the organization are important–not just nice slogans on a website or wall.

A powerful way to reinforce “this is who we are, and this is how we do things” is to have it come from the top.  For example, the onboarding of employees at Coca-Cola Consolidated includes a message from Frank Harrison, Chairman and CEO, about the importance of purpose, values and culture.  Likewise, as CEO of International Telesystems Corporation, Bob Varney personally handed a “cue card” with the company values to every new employee.

Reinforcing purpose, values and culture during onboarding could also be taking time to explain how the organization lives out its WHY through various policies and practices.  It is conveying to a new employee what Seth Godin has described as “a commitment, from the top, that this place is going to be different.”

Whatever form it takes after prayer discernment by faithful leaders, “Onboard with Intention” is about ensuring that each new employee sees, understands and experiences the heart and bigger WHY of the organization before engaging in its WHAT.  It is part of being intentional about pursuing faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing.

PERSONAL NOTE (from PM):  This post was inspired by a Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast interviewing Chris Carneal, the founder of Booster.  I just loved his description of the “tunnel entrance”. It is something they do for new clients as well as employees, which gives it a “you are now one of us” meaning unique to their culture.

ESSENCE:  Integrity Ideas are specific practical actions a faithful leader can consider in leading faithfully through business a better way.

INTEGRITY IDEA: Onboard with Intention

COVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action):  Practices

COVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Highly Covert

STAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Employees

“Onboard with Intention” is about designing an onboarding process for new employees that introduces, reflects and reinforces the most important elements of the organization’s Re-Imagined Purpose, Re-Imagined Values and Re-imagined Culture.  It recognizes the importance of first impressions, particularly when the culture of the organization is counter cultural.  It is an opportunity to say, “This is who we are, you are now one of us, we want you to flourish here, and this is how we do things.”  After the interview process, onboarding is the first opportunity for a faithful leader to humanize or dehumanize–the first opportunity to beautify or uglify–the work experience of a person whose God-given gifts of productivity and creativity are coming under that leader’s stewardship.  “Onboard with Intention” is about ensuring that each new employee sees, understands and experiences the heart and bigger WHY of the organization before engaging in its WHAT.  It is part of being intentional about pursuing faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing.

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Photo credit: Original image by Alex Shute on Unsplash
(photo cropped)