Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Shrinking the Camel

Home
Careers, Workplace and Religion
Four Ways That Your Spiritual Life Can Affect Your Business Decisions

Four Ways That Your Spiritual Life Can Affect Your Business Decisions

Last updated on: August 31, 2010 at 5:31 am by JBW

Four Ways That Your Spiritual Life Can Affect Your Business Decisions 2010-08-31T05:31:24-05:00 JBW

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

When I hear the term “Faith in the Workplace,” I sometimes cringe a little bit.

I don’t like that term. Or, I should say, I don’t like the brand.

Mostly because it conjures up images in my mind of one-dimensional, self-absorbed Christians quoting scripture and tearing up their workplace on a warpath of conversions and “sharing your faith,” even if others don’t really want to hear it. Which, in my opinion, is inappropriate. And rude. It’s like having business autism.

I don’t necessarily want to associate with that.

I know, that’s harsh. And for sure, probably 90% of those who identify themselves with the Faith in the Workplace movement are not like that at all.

So although I was not interested in this particular kind of faith in the workplace movement, I wasn’t about to abandon my faith at work, either.

I had another approach altogether to living my faith at work. It involved tapping into my spirituality to be a more effective leader, to help others through the work I was doing, to acknowledge the fact that God was working out his purposes through whatever I was doing every day in my job. And that God actually cares about the work that I am doing, that it is worthy of His approval in and of itself.

But I don’t know what to call my particular approach to expressing my faith through my work.

Then last week I saw an interesting study from Rice University that explores the question of how business leaders engage their personal faith in their decision-making.

D. Michael Lindsay, a sociologist at Rice, and Bradley C. Smith of Princeton University conducted personal interviews with 360 American leaders who are considered “evangelical” Christians. These include CEOs, presidents, and chairs of large companies, government and non-profits.

Interestingly, they found four different categories when it came to decision-making:

1. Pragmatic. These leaders do not believe their faith gives them all the answers. They make decisions based on experience, facts and analysis, knowing that they may or may not get it right. Their faith does not give an explicit direction on any particular business decisions, but, of course, they hope they end up making good decisions.

2. Heroic. These leaders view their decisions as the right ones, regardless what anyone else thinks. Sometimes this actually works (think of the Enron whistleblower, Sherron Watkins, for example). It’s about standing up for moral justice in the face of opposition.

3. Circumspect. This is a leader who is deeply spiritual, but doesn’t make a big show of it. The authors of the study cite John Aden, a senior vice president of Walmart International, who cares about a workplace that aligns with his values, but does not vocalize his faith. He does, however, make personal business decisions based on his faith.

4. Brazen. You already know what this is. These are the unabashed, flaming evangelicals who feel that their job and their position is simply a vehicle for them to promote their faith. Or, their faith is so entwined with their job that they find it difficult to separate.

These categories offer a more multi-dimensional approach to integrating faith in our leadership roles, acknowledging various personality types and spiritual philosophies.

What a relief, to see a broader framework for viewing the subject of Faith in the Workplace.

I fall in to the Circumspect category. Definitely.

Which one are you?

Photo by Nancy Rosback.

Career

Faith in the Workplace

Leadership

Expressing faith at work

Making business decisions

Previous Post

August 25, 2010

The Down Side of Networking: Trading Up

Next Post

September 3, 2010 When Jesus Was a Consultant

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Ambition Blogging Career Culture Executive Career Development Failure Faith in the Workplace Family Feeling Stupid Leadership Managing People Purpose Reviews Spirituality Uncategorized Work-Life Balance

Select a Month November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Levi" (as in the tribe and the priesthood) mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Firstborn Attached/Joined Strong Blessed