Integrity Moments

At the conclusion of the national championship football game, Indiana University quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, was interviewed. He proclaimed, “I want to give God all the glory and thanks to God.” Some reporters noted that moments later Mendoza surprisingly dropped the F-bomb as well. Mendoza is a vocal Catholic, so hopefully his faith  is sincere and ... The post Praise and Cursing appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Erika was widely respected as a manager because she had a track record of excellent work and commitment to results. Employees were eager to be on her team because she also had a sincere and compassionate heart for others. She valued both purpose and people. In his letter to the Romans, Paul reinforced that love ... The post Truth and Grace appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Aaron measured his career progress by the results of his annual reviews. His hard work throughout the year all felt worth it when he read what his boss wrote in the year-end assessment. Aaron treasured the feedback from his boss, both for the praise he would receive, but also because that praise generally translated to ... The post Misplaced Glory appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The modern workplace often puts a premium on individual performance. Organizations build infrastructure to hire people with the talents and skills they need to succeed. Employee performance evaluations tend to focus on individuals’ accomplishments toward the organization’s goals. But concluding his letter to the Romans, Paul lists by name more than two dozen people to ... The post Join the Team appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

When a salesperson cares about what’s best for me, instead of for themselves, it can be so refreshing. Last year, I was speaking to the CEO of a software company about our software needs as a ministry. He owns a well-respected software company that serves nonprofits. After he listened to our needs, this CEO said, ... The post Loving Others in Business appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In the book, “Founding Fathers,” Alexander Hamilton and George Washington reportedly had a volatile relationship. Hamilton was known for his brash ambition and his hot-headed ways. On one occasion, Alexander Hamilton and George Washington had a petty argument that resulted in Hamilton resigning angrily. But, within an hour, Washington “sent an aide to tell Hamilton ... The post Washington and Hamilton appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

According to Gallup research, managers account for over 70% of the difference in employee engagement levels. Stated differently, the relationship your employees have with their direct supervisors will have the biggest impact on how well your employees engage in their work. Many leaders are masterful at deceiving their boss about their true performance. One major ... The post Seeking Candid Insight appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As our plane was deboarding, people were leaving row by row in an orderly fashion until it came time for us. Suddenly four young men pushed me aside and forced their way off the plane. They didn’t apologize or give a reason, they pushed through ignoring everyone else’s needs. This prompted my wife, Kathy, to ... The post Civility and Common Decency appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

There’s nothing like a bad day to derail our best efforts at acting faithfully. As humans, we naturally turn our attention inward when challenges at work upset our plans and priorities. Knowing this, it’s important to keep our hearts tender and moldable, and encourage others to do the same. The writer of Hebrews wrote, “See ... The post Soft Hearts appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Pondering President’s Day, as a reminder of great leaders and their past struggles, is a helpful way to inspire and shape the culture of a nation. Businesses have a similar opportunity! Hebrews 11 highlights several heroes of the faith like Abraham, Moses, and Noah. The author chronicles these heroes experiences and victories as an encouragement ... The post President’s Day Reflections appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As I finished talking with a friend who built a $500 million company, I was reminded of my own shortcomings. I sometimes make decisions based on my perceived limitations rather than on reality. It’s easy to believe that others are more successful because they have access to more cash or better people. It may be ... The post Unlimited Resources appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In God’s worldview, the strength of a leader is one who embraces humility rather than power. Abe Lincoln once said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” In my opinion, one character trait undervalued is humility. The craving for power and control can consume ... The post Abe’s Character Test appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In the book of Malachi, God criticized the Israelites for the ways they dishonored Him. They were no longer tithing or bringing unblemished sacrifices, just to name two of the ways God was disrespected. Despite the majority of Israel treating God poorly, there were those who esteemed God enough to be noted in what God ... The post Book of Remembrance appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

If you think about all the large companies in America, many may be led by Christians, but few customers would ever know. A few like Chick-fil-a, Hobby Lobby, or Coca-Cola Bottling are distinctly different because of their faith, but unfortunately the numbers of bold examples seem small. In Malachi, God praised those people who were ... The post Distinctly Different appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Graham Walker, former CEO of Fibrebond, refused to sell his company unless the buyers gave 15% of the proceeds to his employees. Due to Walker’s generosity, the average employee received over $440,000. Mr. Walker had no obligation to bless his employees in this way, yet he did. Writing about the rich, Paul wrote in 1 ... The post A Benevolent Employer appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A bank I audited as a young man had a bank president named Ron. Ron had one of the most profitable and respected banks in our system. Ron cared deeply for his team members, and for his community. Ron watched over each teammate, protecting them from verbally abusive customers and loving and serving them in ... The post The Shepherd appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In this series, we’re talking about leadership lessons I learned from banking. One bank I examined had a bank president named Ken. While reviewing a past due loan report, I was surprised to discover a large loan that was one year past due but not listed on their problem loan list. When I asked Ken ... The post The Ostrich appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In this series, we’re talking about leadership lessons I learned from banking. Mike was a bank president who I would label as a Squeezer. He had a bank that appeared very profitable, resulting in Mike being promoted to a bigger role. When we examined the bank after Mike’s promotion, however, we discovered that he had ... The post The Squeezer appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In this series, we’re talking about leadership lessons I learned from the many bank presidents I observed early in my banking career. My first example is Tom. Many bank presidents wanted a favorable audit, so they typically were somewhat courteous. But not Tom. He came across as aloof and too important to be bothered. ... The post The Arrogant Leader appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The Barna research organization recently reported that only three in 10 Christians (31%) strongly agree that they have a personal responsibility to share their faith. The workplace can be a challenging place to share our faith. We can find many barriers, both real and imagined, to discourage faith conversations at work. Yet the workplace also ... The post Sharing Faith appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.