Integrity - A Core of Servant-Leadership

Proverbs 11:3 (AMP) The integrity of the upright [righteous] shall guide them, but the willful contrariness and crookedness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

“Integrity,” here meaning not only complete, but also ethical straightness and perfection, is from a Hebrew word used only in this verse in Proverbs and four times in the book of Job - notably when God challenged Satan that Job would continue to “hold fast his integrity,” and Job’s wife challenged him by asking, “Do you still cling to your integrity? Curse God and die.”

Leaders who are driven by integrity make a difference – they are the ones who manage change well. Completeness I believe, has at its core an obligation of each leader to “know self” and this is a journey of three, interconnected phases:

Understanding Purpose:

• Do you know why you are here?
• What is your purpose? Have your written your personal vision statement?
• Why were you created?

Establishing Personal Ethics:

• What are the guidelines that direct your intentions and behavior? Do you have a list of words that you hold fast and dear?
• Do you believe that personal truthfulness, accountability and respect for the individual are without variation even in the face of changing circumstances?
• Have you written your core beliefs? Do you read them?

Developing a Worldview

• Why are humans on earth? How did we get here? Have you thought this through in a way that will help you motivate, inspire and challenge followers?
• What is the human condition? Are we just blank slates imprinted by environment and DNA? Are all humans sinners?
• What is the answer - the solution - to the human condition? Is our salvation a good education? Riches? Government? The Lord Jesus Christ?

Job apparently wrestled well with these questions. Even in the midst of horrific circumstance, he knew who he was, what guided him and how that fit into his worldview. He was an authentic leader.

Who and what guide you?


Copyright ©2009 by P. Griffith Lindell

The Heart of Ethics

Proverbs 9:10 (NIV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

A recent study from the IABC found that over 65% of their membership had no training on ethics – and it is this group that advices senior management on ethical decision-making!

It has also been my experience that, for the most cases, those who ran their business with the application of ethics were people who had grounding in the Word. Interestingly, many have rejected Christianity, per se – but all had experienced religious training in school.

Today, ethics training that focuses on company values, internal and external relationships is certainly needed; however, the rules, regulations and process that often flow from that training are generally “head” issues.

For example, how people are treated is an ethical issue. It was Will Tuttle (Ph.D – composer, musician, author) who mused: “Compassion is ethical intelligence.”

Consistent application of ethics is based on a clear understanding of a human's purpose: the verse above points out that our purpose (to be in reverential awe - a healthy fear - of God) - or wisdom - and our understanding (the foundation of ethics) is a heart issue – if the heart is right with God, then the ethics will follow.
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Is your heart “right?”


Copyright ©2009 by P. Griffith Lindell