INTEGRITY IDEA: Take a Walk Our 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 Apologies In 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 Care Every 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...
For any patriotic American, this past Sunday was an exciting day watching the United States men's hockey team win a gold medal--the first in 46 years. When Jack Hughes set aside NHL rivalries to play for Team USA, he showed the power of knowing whose team you are on. A faithful leader can't understand the WHY or HOW of faith/work...
ESSENCE: Everyone who watched the Super Bowl faced decisions--some harder than others. Decisions that flow from identity and conviction--like cheering for the Pats when you are a diehard Pats fan--are "easy" to make. In the pursuit of faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing, hard decisions don’t disappear because leaders get smarter or braver. They become easy...
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: 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...
In our last post, we urged faithful leaders to get more overt about their faith at Christmas. In keeping with our Christmas "reindeer dust" tradition, this post is about going deeper than surface overtness in 2026--because overtness is not a proxy for faithfulness. Sometimes good-intentioned faithful leaders sprinkle faith "reindeer dust"--overt faith symbols and practices--believing it is all that is...
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...
We are continuing our Thanksgiving tradition of "Turkey/Profit" reflections (with a new mashed potatoes twist this year). What would the turkey--the centerpiece--represent if your Thanksgiving celebration were a business? Our conclusion: the turkey is usually profit, but it shouldn't be. Profit should be the oven (or the smoker or deep fryer) and the gravy. The true centerpiece should be Biblical...
Over the last six years, we have been laying out and expanding on a model for moving toward what we call Integriosity®--leading with faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing. It is time to pause, take a breath and look back over the last 300 posts as we did after 100, 200 and 250. We hope this...
ESSENCE: "Faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing." It is by far our most repeated group of words. Particularly for readers new to this journey, that phrase deserves unpacking: what does it really mean? As we reach post #300, it seems fitting to do a little refresher on the three key concepts embedded in that phrase. The word...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Re-Align Loyalty Loyalty 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...
From time to time, it is useful to return to the basics, and the most basic and most important idea in the pursuit of faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing is organizational heart change. In the ancient world, frankincense was a prized trading commodity, yet in Jeremiah 6:20 God rejects it as useless. But it wasn't...
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...
A recent Wall Street Journal article about workforce reductions highlighted the dehumanizing effect of Profit as Purpose. It highlighted leaders boasting about workforce reductions. We suspect that those leaders are not actually proud of eliminating "people". They are proud of eliminating "headcount". Terms like "headcount" and "full-time equivalent" turn people into numbers. Once people are dehumanized into numbers, it is...
When King Josiah’s eyes were opened to the truth of God's commands, he didn’t respond with mild reform or token gestures. He responded with wholehearted action. He "turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might". That same posture is needed today by faithful leaders whose eyes have been opened to the...
When you read the question, "What kind of impact investor are you?", you might be thinking "I'm not one of those people." A truth many faithful investors overlook is that if you invest, you are one of those people, because all investing is "impact investing". The important questions for an investor who professes a Biblical faith are what kind of...
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...
With release of "Wave 1" results from the massive Global Flourishing Study, "flourishing" has been in the headlines. We think that's exciting, because Integrous "helps faithful leaders lead with faithful integrity toward Biblical flourishing". Our belief is that the bigger WHY of an organization aligned with Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities should be to maximize flourishing (rather than profit) by...
The news has been filled with stories about institutions (e.g., universities and law firms) being forced to examine and act upon their priorities. The priorities of an organization's leaders will shape its behavior, which means understanding those priorities should itself be a priority for a faithful leader seeking to lead with faithful integrity through business a better way toward...
Does Easter give you hope for the purpose of your work, business, and investing? Easter should be a source of hope for every worker, business leader, and investor who follows Jesus because it serves as a vivid reminder of a bigger WHY and a sacred relevance for our work, business, and investing rooted in God's Restoration plan for His Kingdom....
Leading with faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing requires getting across four "gaps": Sunday/Monday, Sacred/Secular, Knowing/Doing and Safety/Surrender. Unfortunately, because of business as usual pressure and faith as usual detours, many well-intentioned leaders get stuck, never "hopping" or "leaping". The first three are "wisdom" gaps, and the journey across those "gaps" starts with RENEW--renewing the faithful...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Implement Human AI Although "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...
ESSENCE: Fasting is one common Lenten practice, and Pope Francis has written "Fasting involves being freed from all that weighs us down." "Give Up Sinatra" is about faithful leaders (and the employees they steward) being freed forever from the burdens and brokenness of business in accordance with the lyrics of Sinatra's famous song "My Way". "Give Up Sinatra" is about...
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...
Integrous Founder Paul Michalski was interviewed by Preston Poore on his P³ podcast. The episode was released on February 25, 2025, and the topic was "Rethink Your Priorities"....
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: 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...
We have emphasized in many posts that simply doing the right thing is not enough. Faithful leaders pursuing faith/work integration must continually examine their hearts to ensure they are doing the right thing in the right way and, most importantly, for the right reasons. WHY matters. As 2025 kicks off, it seems like a good time to remember the right...
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...
Sometimes good-intentioned faithful leaders sprinkle faith "reindeer dust"--overt faith symbols and practices--believing that it is faith/work integration. It isn't bad, and it can be very good, but by itself it falls into the category of what we call "religious stewardship"--incorporating faith activities into work and making positive cultural changes but stopping short of true heart transformation. It is not the...
Gallup recently announced that we are in the middle of what they are calling "The Great Detachment". Like the Great Resignation, we believe at the heart of the Great Detachment are organizational cultures that are dehumanizing. God made us to flourish through work, and we are less fully human when not reflecting our God-given creativity and productivity through work that...
Over the last five years, we have been laying out and expanding on a model for moving toward what we call Integriosity®--leading with faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing. It is time to pause, take a breath and look back over the last 250 posts as we did after 100 and 200. We hope this is...
You could call this post the third in a "Safety/Surrender" series. It is about encouraging faithful leaders to trust God enough to answer the call of stewardship, and embrace fully the potential, of the Creation Mandate by crossing the Safety/Surrender Gap. We believe it is a call to lead with faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing,...
In prior posts, we have talked about three "gaps" a faithful leader must cross in the journey toward leading with faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing. These are "wisdom" or "knowledge" gaps. There is a fourth, and it is arguably the most important of all. We call it the Safety/Surrender Gap, and it is a "heart"...
Is the word "integrity" enough to guide a faithful leader on the ancient path to aligning the purpose, values and culture of an organization in a way that leads the organization and its people to do the right things, in the right ways, for the right reasons, without even thinking? There are two key aspects to the meaning of "integrity"--one...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Choose the Better "T" of Trust (vs Track) COVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): Practices COVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Highly Covert STAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Employees In 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: Recognize "AvoDay" (not Labor Day) COVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): Practices COVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Overt STAKEHOLDERS 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...
Leading with faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing should include implementing policies about when the organization will "speak up" or "shut up" about controversial social and political issues. A recent news story highlights the importance of having policies in place before situations arise that the policies are intended to address. We believe leading in alignment with...
With an increasing number of organizations and leaders pulling back from, abandoning, or coming out "against" worldly DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) initiatives, the search for an alternative acronym to embrace and be "for" has led to some highly visible leaders promoting MEI--"merit, excellence, intelligence". They argue that diversity will be a natural by-product of MEI. For leaders...
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...
ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) initiatives remain in the news, but most recently it has been because organizations are dismantling (or at least disguising) their ESG and DEI programs. "Keep the ESG/DEI Baby (and Your Nose)" is about faithful leaders retaining a Biblical vision of "environmental, social and governance" and "diversity, equity and inclusion" matters...
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...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Climb a Hill COVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): Proclamation COVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Highly Overt STAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Kingdom "Climb a Hill" is about faithful leaders accepting, seeking and even creating opportunities to share publicly about their organization's pursuit of faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing. It is based on the Biblical...
INTEGRITY IDEA: Energize External Generosity COVERT-OVERT CONTINUUM (six Continuums for action): Practices COVERT-OVERT RATING (several levels from Highly Covert to Highly Overt): Highly Covert STAKEHOLDERS SERVED: Employees, Customers/Clients, Community, Kingdom Generosity is such a foundational Biblical principle to operating with faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing that it is embedded in our word Integriosity®, which combines integrity and generosity. "Energize...