Faithful integrity is more than "doing good". In fact, "doing good" is not enough for a faithful leader. It is not enough because "doing good" is always a WHAT. God also cares about HOW and WHEN, but God particularly cares about WHY. Sometimes "doing good" is not enough because it has no substance. Just as the emperor in the fairy...
It is time for people who profess a Biblical faith to Re-Imagine Labor Day. One problem with "Labor Day" is that it was created to celebrate what has now become a minority of U.S. workers. Flowing from the first problem is a bigger problem--the meaning of the day has been all but lost to the average person. It is less...
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,...
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...
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...
ESSENCE: We trained ChatGPT on Integriosity® and asked it to write a short story about the journey of Faithful Leader in the spirit of The Pilgrim's Progress, focusing on the seven Side Road detours of what we call faith as usual. Here is ChatGPT's summary:Faithful Leader’s journey is the call of every leader entrusted with work under the reign of...
This is the third and final post in our theme of "turning". The first message was to turn with all your might to God when your eyes have been opened to the truth of God's purpose for work and business. The second was about not getting turned back to business as usual or faith as usual by the forces of...
When a faithful leader's eyes have been opened to the truth of God's purpose for work and business and that leader turns with all their might to transform the heart of the organization they lead through the pursuit of faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing, the forces of the kingdom of the world will try to turn...
On July 16, Integrous Founder Paul Michalski taught a Masterclass for Corporate & Christian, a U.K.-based faith/work ministry. The title of his talk was "Working with Faithful Integrity (Probably Without Getting Fired)"....
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...
After last week's post about horses (and chariots), you might be wondering if we are starting an animal series. We aren't. This post is about choices, and it is inspired by Jesus casting demons into a herd of pigs and then being asked to get out of town. Faithful leaders of today can learn from the business choices found in...
"Don't Bet on Horses (or Chariots)" is not about the Kentucky Derby or the Roman Coliseum. It is about faithful leaders aligning with the declaration in Psalm 20:7, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." The world and business as usual teach organizational leaders to trust in what...
"Slippery slopes" are rarely considered a good thing to be sliding down unless you are skiing or sledding (in control). An organization can face various slippery slopes, but we are talking about the slippery slope of a "Can We" culture. This is an organizational culture in which ends justify means and ethics or the law are seen as the only...
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...
In our most recent post, we urged faithful leaders to cultivate an organizational culture in which people are motivated and equipped to go beyond the Golden Rule in human interactions. We believe Jesus raised the bar with the "new commandment" in John 13:34 to love others as God would love them. The Golden Rule and the New Commandment are "do...
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...
The FTC's new "Junk Fee Rule" went into effect this week. Although originally proposed with a broad scope, the final rule applies only to live event tickets and short-term lodging. Although all other industries are effectively "exempt" from the rule, it should be irrelevant to the faithful leader seeking to lead with faithful integrity. The pursuit of...
Integrous Founder Paul Michalski was a guest speaker at the second annual Flourishing@Work Summit held May 1-2, 2025, at the Harvard University....
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...
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...
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....
In prior posts we have emphasized that leading with faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing requires a continual balancing of the call to be courageous and the need to be wise in determining "HOW" to integrate faith and work, with the most faithful balance being courage tempered by wisdom. "Wait, Just Don't Delay" is about the...
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: 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...
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: 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...
In the words of the Wall Street Journal, a recent Presidential Executive Order "put the brakes on a law that forbids U.S. companies from bribing foreign officials" as a matter of national security. For faithful leaders of organizations operating internationally, the bait has been placed and the trap has been set. An organization pursuing faithful integrity through business a better...
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...
We have written about the cultural phenomena dubbed the "Great Resignation" and "Quiet Quitting" and how they were reactions to the de-humanizing effect of business as usual. Recently, a new "quiet" hashtag was born--"Quiet Cutting". We believe it is de-humanizing in its own way and reflective of the "heartless hustle" of business as usual--business in the way of the kingdom...
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...
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...
Recent headlines have highlighted a number of organizations that we think have been operating "in the Twilight Zone" of business as usual--business in the way of the world. (Our reference is to a famous TZ episode in which aliens were exposed as wanting people for an entree rather than as dinner guests.) In God's design, work is a vehicle for...
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...
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...
We are continuing a tradition with a silly but hopefully meaningful analogy. If Thanksgiving was your business, what would represent the turkey--the centerpiece of the table? In business as usual aligned with the beliefs, principles and priorities of the kingdom of the world, the turkey is usually profit. In business a better way aligned with the beliefs, principles and priorities...
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,...
A faithful leader seeking to lead an organization with faithful integrity through business a better way toward Biblical flourishing must remember "DDD"--"Don't Do a Demas." You might be asking, "Who is Demas?" The better question is "What's 'doing a Demas'?" The best question is "How do I avoid 'doing a Demas'?" Demas was a Biblical character who didn't finish well. ...
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"...
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...