Integrity Moments

In my twenties, our audit department hired a supervisor I’ll call Mary. She reminded everyone of her college degrees and constantly complained about our boss. Mary promoted her credentials as making her better qualified...

As a teenager, I spent summers working on my uncle’s farm. We planted soybeans and watched them grow, but summer always ended before harvest. I found it disappointing to invest labor without seeing the final results. My...

Max DePree, former CEO of Herman Miller, once discovered factory workers discussing his compensation. They believed he deserved more than they earned, but felt the disparity had become excessive. Rather than reacting...

When Kathy and I married, we held our reception in a facility owned by a wealthy man. Before the reception, I found a man in overalls setting up the tables and chairs alone. Assuming he was hired help, I asked why no...

The Biblical story of Nehemiah is a powerful reminder that our integrity affects our testimony. As the Old Testament civic leader was working to rally people to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, opponents continually...

Mark was a technical expert who was promoted to manager of the engineering team. His experience had given him great insight into common company challenges. Whatever the issue was, chances are good that Mark had seen...

Years ago, my wife, Kathy, and I interviewed Sheri, a high school coach, about her faith at work experiences. We discussed several students whom she loved despite their past poor decisions. Kathy asked Sheri, “How hard...

Years ago, a University of Kansas researcher referenced in Harvard Business Review, discovered that people asked to sell their personal coffee mug wanted 2.2 times more than potential buyers were willing to pay. Their...

Christopher Columbus was passionate about his dream. He had a desire to find a new and quicker route to the Orient, but he needed financial backing. In 1485, Columbus pitched his idea to the King of Portugal. His plan...

One of the kindest comments a colleague once shared with me is that I am open about my failures. He was troubled by Christians who proclaim to be challenge-free, even though their struggles are just as evident as anyone...

New to his manager role, Steve made a mistake common for newly promoted team members; he wanted to keep everyone happy, even if that wasn’t best for the entire group. Over time, team members caught him saying one thing...

A great leader not only has concern for those they employ, they also have compassion. One business owner I know agonized, prayed, and cried as he wrestled with how to reduce his payroll. Due to his compassion for...

An executive of a financial organization shared with me recently that his company’s CEO, and most of his executive team, are Christians. But anytime my friend has encouraged the Executive team to be more forward with...

The Air Force Thunderbird pilots are the ultimate high-performance leaders. In September, Kathy and I attended an Air Show where the Thunderbirds performed. Their Diamond Formation was amazing with four jets flying 18...

In a recent Journal of Social and Personal Relationships report, University of Kansas Professor, Jeffrey Hall, discovered that it takes roughly 50 hours of time together to move from mere acquaintance to casual friend...