Integrity Moments

A significant research project on faith at work was conducted by Professors Denise Daniels from Wheaton College and Elaine Ecklund from Rice University. From the surveys and interviews conducted, Denise Daniels created a Faith at Work Matrix. In this series, I'll address four methods of work Professor Daniels believes can benefit the Kingdom of God. ... The post Faith at Work Matrix: Part I appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In business, one tough decision I've struggled with is whether to quit doing business with an existing supplier due to price. Sometimes, I've received quality service, but over time, vendors increase prices until they're no longer competitive with other similar vendors. This leaves me with a dilemma. Do I stay with the vendor due to ... The post Relationships vs Stewardship appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The advent of cryptocurrency billionaires and successful tech investors can make us feel like everyone else is obtaining untold riches in weeks, if not days. A sense of “FOMO,” or Fear of Missing Out, can make us feel like maybe we're not working hard enough or not taking the right risks to get ahead. But ... The post Slow Growth appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As a manager, Angela advocated that “it's easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission.” Her team loved the mindset of acting first instead of working through a bureaucracy to get approval to move. Effective business leaders find ways to move through or around risks that might stop others. But that penchant to act shouldn't ... The post Seeking Permission appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In the competitive work world, maybe it's inevitable that workers are always monitoring colleagues to see who is moving up the ladder faster than they are. I can recall many times when I was disappointed to see a colleague advance when I felt my career was stalled. Yet, with hindsight, I saw how I was ... The post Promotion Delay appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

John Wanamaker built a famous department store in the 1870s designed to embrace his Christian values. Although Wanamaker was very focused on his customers, he did not overlook his employees. John Wanamaker & Company offered its employees free medical care, recreational facilities, profit sharing plans, and pensions—long before these types of benefits were considered common. ... The post John Wanamaker's Innovations: Part IV appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

I was struggling with a decision about taking on a new work assignment. The project seemed interesting, but the team seemed to be in disarray, there was no clear executive sponsor, and it was unclear if the company was committed to the project's success. I explained my struggle to a Christian friend, and he said ... The post No Confusion appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In the 1870s, John Wanamaker built a famous department store designed to embrace his Christian values. Wanamaker constantly innovated new marketing ideas, but one expensive idea was the Wanamaker Organ. Designed for the St Louis World's Fair, Wanamaker installed an organ into his department store. This organ had over 10,000 pipes and cost $105,000, which ... The post John Wanamaker's Innovation: Part III appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Prior to 1871, America's retail stores relied on individual price negotiations with each customer. In October of 1871, Philadelphian merchant and Quaker, John Wanamaker, instituted the one price system. Wanamaker started his department store with a desire to build his store on Christian principles. He created many innovative ideas in alignment with his faith that ... The post John Wanamaker's Innovations: Part I appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Jason tells of a period early in his work life, when he worked in food service. One feature of that experience was that he frequently came home smelling like the food from the restaurant. Later in his career, he committed that when he went to work, his colleagues would “smell Jesus” on him. Acts 4:13 ... The post Smelling of Jesus appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Even if you're not a CEO, at any level you can still have incredible influence on your team. A recent Harvard Business Review article titled, “Every Team Needs a Super-Facilitator,” highlights longtime NBA player, Chris Paul, as a super-facilitator. Four times he's joined a new team and within two years each team experienced their best ... The post The Chris Paul Effect appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

An online scammer used the email address of one of Phil's customers to order $325,000 of computer equipment. Once the computers had been shipped, Phil discovered that the transaction was a scam. Against the advice of others, Phil chose to pay his vendor rather than file bankruptcy. This left his small business with a huge ... The post Extreme Forgiveness appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

When Kathy and I were younger, we participated in a Bible study on marriage. One point made in the study was that women desire to be loved, while men desire respect. Although that may be true, I believe that all people desire respect. A definition of respect is “due regard for the feelings, wishes, ... The post RESPECT appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Weekly, my wife, Kathy, calls business leaders to ask how our team can pray for them. A common request has become, “Please pray for my son or daughter. They have severed relationships with us over politics.” A recent survey conducted by The Argument asked if having opposing political views is ever an acceptable reason to ... The post Severed Relationships appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Mark owned a chain of dry-cleaning stores. One day Mark discovered a valued employee had been stealing money from his business. His initial reaction was anger and a desire to fire her. But Mark decided to gain understanding first. Mark learned that this employee's husband was an abusive drug addict, forcing her to steal money ... The post A Forgiven Employee appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Occasionally I'm asked, “What do you wish you would have known earlier in your career?” Although I rarely reflect on the past, there is one issue I usually bring up - Investing in others. When I'm totally honest with myself, I spent too much of my career focused on me, and very little time investing ... The post Investing in Others appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In business, many people may betray you, mock you, or cause you pain. This can lead you to consider them as enemies. The world will encourage you to destroy your enemies, but God's ways are different. The story of Jonah is a great example. Jonah viewed Nineveh as the enemy, and he harbored deep hatred ... The post Jonah's Enemy appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Valuable information tends to level the playing field when you are in negotiations.  Recently, I was negotiating a contract. There was one significant item in the proposed contract that didn't seem reasonable to me. This item was going to add significantly to my costs.   So, I typed out my scenario in Perplexity AI and moments ... The post Using AI For Negotiations appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Recently, I was invited to a networking event primarily for CEOs. When I introduced myself to someone the inevitable question would surface, “What is it that you do?”   When I shared that I ran a nonprofit focused on equipping business leaders to integrate their faith into their work, I would get one of two responses.  ... The post Is Anyone Listening? appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

During most of my career, I held a basic belief in God and his power. But it was only when I was faced with the loss of my job and the frightening prospects of what would come next that my faith truly developed.   Scripture calls us to continually examine the depth of our faith. It ... The post True Belief appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In his book, Soul Keeping, John Ortberg writes that we are created with souls that crave to be loved, secure, and significant. Given the time and energy we spend at work, it can be easy to turn to our work to meet those needs. But Ortberg writes that only God can satisfy the needs of ... The post Soul Filling appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

If you've hired a plumber recently you've probably discovered that service calls are sometimes three times more expensive than before Covid. Currently, there is more work than workers.   With a decreased immigration population this won't likely get better. This makes for a significant opportunity for young people to consider the trades as their career choice.   ... The post Called To the Trades appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

I was angry when a vendor's invoice was nearly twice what I was expecting. The vendor documented the higher costs, but I objected so strenuously that the group vice president had to intercede. After hearing both sides, she decided we should pay the invoice. Now I was angry with her!   My response was not only ... The post Respecting Authority appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

No one was surprised when Darrell was promoted to lead the team. He had been a subject matter expert and go-to guy for years. But he quickly discovered that his technical skills weren't as helpful when it came to leading people.   Darrell realized he needed to find ways to engage, motivate, and encourage the team ... The post Empathy Over Solutions appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As I reflect on my career, I realize that early on I made some poor decisions out of my lack of maturity. One time, after working a grueling 70-hour week, I was reprimanded by a supervisor I didn't respect, and one of our partners, for something I felt was unwarranted.   Later that day, that supervisor ... The post Lack of Maturity appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

When I was a young professional, I was blessed to work for companies that valued training. Whether I worked for a CPA firm or a large bank, I was allowed to enroll for all sorts of training in business practices, and even graduate school of banking.  The learning was valuable, but it also included, at ... The post Professional Training appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

According to Pew Research, the percentage of female managers in the workplace has increased from 29% in 1980 to 46% in 2023. In part, this happened due to a significant increase in the numbers of women who have completed college, and due to relational skills becoming more important to the workplace.   During Jesus' time on ... The post Woman Are Moving Up appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In this series we're addressing root problems of struggling businesses and how to respond. The final reason your business may be struggling may be due to a spiritual attack.  Although I try not to give the enemy too much credit, there are times when God will allow the devil to sift us. Job is the ... The post Why Is My Business Struggling: Part V appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In this series we're addressing root problems of struggling businesses and how to respond. The next reason your business may be struggling might be that God is testing, training, or refining you.  Early in the ministry there were times when God tested and refined my faith. When payroll was nearing and there was no money ... The post Why Is My Business Struggling: Part IV appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In this series we're addressing some root problems of struggling businesses and how to respond. The next possible reason for your struggles is because God is disciplining you or your company for sin.  Years ago, I served on an advisory board for a ministry leader who was struggling to produce any tangible fruit. Something didn't ... The post Why Is My Business Struggling: Part III appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In this series we're addressing some root problems of struggling businesses and how to respond. The second common problem is when the economy, or your industry, is in decline.  When you're experiencing an economic downturn, you can assume that your only response is to persevere. But a proactive response is critical.   Managing expenses is important, ... The post Why is My Business Struggling: Part II appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Business struggles can become overwhelming at times. There are many possible reasons for troubles in business, so discerning the root problem can be difficult, but necessary.   In this series, we'll address some of the root problems of a struggling business and how to respond. The first is, asking, “Am I being a poor steward?”  It's ... The post Why Is My Business Struggling: Part I appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Prior to the Jewish people entering a period of about 400 years with no new written words from God, Daniel was given a vision of what evil was to come. But the Jews had to know God to have the wisdom to resist the evil that was coming, not just know of God.   In Daniel ... The post Knowing God appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

When I was young, I remember shopping for school clothes. With five kids needing clothes, my mother often used a “layaway” program.   We selected the clothes we liked, then she paid a deposit to hold them. From each paycheck, she made payments until we could take our clothes home.   This was a debt-free way to ... The post The Layaway Plan appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The United States Office of Personnel Management recently issued a memo to all federal department and agency heads about religious freedom.   According to the memo titled "Protecting Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace," federal employees are allowed to display religious items at work and engage in prayer during non-duty hours. They also can discuss their religious ... The post Religious Freedom for Government Workers appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

According to the Dallas Express, a lawsuit against the software company Workday may establish significant precedent regarding the use of AI for hiring practices. Workday's AI hiring software called, Hired Score, is reportedly being used by over 11,000 companies and has processed over 1 billion job applications.  In his lawsuit, Plaintiff Derek Mobley claims that ... The post AI Discrimination appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As much as I enjoy the summer months, summer feels to me like my routines and rhythms are disrupted at times. But when Labor Day arrives it feels somewhat like a fresh start.   Kids are back in school, families settle down into routines and rhythms, and there seems to be more consistency at work. September ... The post Rhythms and Routines appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

One of the many gifts that God has given us is the ability to remember. In the business world, remembering our career wins and the losses gives us wisdom and discernment. Remembering past experiences gives us insight into navigating future challenges.  But perhaps the greatest value of remembering comes when we remember where we are ... The post Remembering appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In its 2025 Life@Work Report, Barna Group research company identified three main elements that determined whether work was meaningful to employees: people, purpose, and impact.   The report encourages leaders to build strong communities at work and help team members connect their work to larger, meaningful outcomes. The report encourages workers to find meaning by investing ... The post People, Purpose, and Impact appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

When I was about to take on my first significant leadership role, a friend in Human Resources offered to help me in the transition. She implemented a process to gather insight about the department I was about to lead; the team's fears, frustrations and proudest achievements. She used her strengths to position me for success.  ... The post Partner for Progress appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Artificial Intelligence is fraught with ethical dilemmas, especially for those with a Biblical worldview. Without Christian voices speaking into those ethical concerns, we're likely to regret the direction Silicon Valley drives us toward.  According to Christianity Today, Bryden Eastman, an applied mathematician, had significant ethical concerns about his part of launching ChatGPT. He wasn't sure ... The post AI Challenges appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In a Harvard Business Review article titled, “How the Busiest People Find Joy,” the authors discovered that a factor in maximizing our joy is to diversify your activities. Finding areas of passion is important, but research also reveals that there is a risk in having one singular focus.  Investing our time in only one passion ... The post Finding Joy: Part V appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In a Harvard Business Review article titled, “How the Busiest People Find Joy,” the authors discovered that a factor in maximizing our joy is to follow our passions. The author's research discovered that when we pursue activities that align with what we find personally rewarding, our life satisfaction can soar four times greater than when ... The post Finding Joy: Part IV appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In a Harvard Business Review article titled, “How the Busiest People Find Joy,” the authors discovered that it's important to avoid passive pursuits to experience higher levels of joy.  After a long day at work, many people watch tv, explore social media, or spend time gaming. These activities are passive pursuits.   The authors discovered that, ... The post Finding Joy: Part III appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

According to Harvard Business Review, research reveals that to live a satisfying life, achievement, meaningfulness, and joy are needed. They discovered, however, that the most elusive of those three was joy.  In this series, let's address a few research-based insights to better understand and experience more joy.  The first insight to note is this: How ... The post Finding Joy: Part I appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, joy is the most elusive attribute required to experience a satisfying life. A key finding in the article titled, “How the Busiest People Find Joy,” is that people get more joy from doing activities with others than from doing them alone.  This should not be a surprise ... The post Finding Joy: Part II appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In its annual State of the Global Workplace, Gallup reported the global percentage of engaged employees fell from 23% to 21% in 2024, nearing the recent low levels of engagement experienced during the pandemic.  Digging deeper, the data revealed that manager engagement drove the decline, falling three points from the prior year. Engagement of managers ... The post Manager Engagement appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Dan couldn't believe how much could go wrong in a day. From oversleeping, to missing a meeting invite, to the boss's demand to redo the quarterly report, it felt like everything that could do wrong did.   We all have days like that. How do you respond?   In Psalm 109:22, David cried: “For I am poor ... The post Low Point appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

The prophet Samuel told King Saul that because the Amalekites had treated Israel poorly when they exited Egypt, that God wanted Samuel to destroy all the Amalekites and their animals.  But 1 Samuel 15:9 says, “Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals...”  Saul thought that ... The post Partial Obedience appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A study conducted by the Harvard Graduate School of Education discovered that 58% of young adults claim their mental health is being negatively impacted due to a lack of meaning or purpose in life.   Personally, I remember feelings I had in my 20s when I achieved my only goal of becoming a CPA. In that ... The post The Purpose of Youth appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Rick Altizer, CEO of Earnnest, wrote about Servant Leadership on thegospelcoaltion.org. One of his points was this: To go up, the way may be down.  Rick wrote of a time when he was in a McDonald's executive training program. Even though he was a CPA and MBA, Rick spent two years working inside a McDonald's ... The post Serving At the Lowest Levels appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.