Wanted: Christian Disrupters at Work

"...when Christians work in the world, they will either assimilate into their culture and support the status quo or they will be agents of change.   This is especially true in the area of work.   Every culture works on the basis of a 'map' of what is considered most important.    If God and his grace are not at the center of a culture, then other things will be substituted as ultimate values.   So every vocational field is distorted by idolatry"  - Timothy Keller

For many of us, work is a destination - "we go to work".   Or we might think of work as a burden - "I'm swamped with work".   But we seldom think of work as an active cultural hotbed - a set of shared, functional values, goals and beliefs firmly held and practiced by those at our workplace.      

Tim Keller reminds us otherwise.    According to him, we have two choices when we engage our work environment - we can either assimilate or be agents of change.   Assimilation means adopting the values, goals and beliefs of the work environment - acquiescing to what the culture dictates as important or valued.  The workplace culture may teach us to value recognition or money or status.   It may instruct us on how to cut corners as long as no one catches you.  The corporate environment may promote the appearance, rather than the substance of a matter.   It may promote the brash and boastful rather than the meek and humble.  All around us daily, we're confronted by the values of the organizations we serve and we can choose to accept them or to listen intently to God.  

We can choose the alternative path - being change agents or disrupters for the sake of the gospel.  Stepping out as change agents for the gospel starts with watching our own hearts - getting our own functional values and core beliefs aligned with biblical truth. Keeping at the forefront of our hearts, the treasuring of Christ as the source of our joy.   Being change agents also means boldly stepping out to shape the cultural workplace by bringing to bear our beliefs and values formed in the hot furnace of biblical conviction.  What does this look like?   How about exemplifying grace by extending kindness to our co-workers when they deserve no such kindness.  On occasion, it may mean taking a stand on a biblically informed ethical issue when others see it differently.   Most of all, it means summoning the courage to speak gospel truth - calling our friends to turn away from their current course to follow Christ.  

As Keller succinctly concludes - every vocational field is distorted by idolatry.   We would be wise stewards of our vocations if we identify these false gods, disrupt the status quo and point the way to true satisfaction in the Eternal God.

The Wisdom and Folly in Planning

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”  Proverbs 21:5

The Bible encourages planning as wise living and that’s a good thing since we seem plan all the time.  We plan our projects, we prepare for vacations, we strategize our next career moves, we make plans for the weekend.   You could say that it’s impossible to live responsibly without planning and preparation.

However, the Bible also issues warnings related to planning as well.

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”- yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.   What is your life?   For you are mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.   Instead you ought to say “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”   As it is, you boast in your arrogance.   All such boasting is evil.

James 4:13-16

James warns us of a certain folly in our plans.   A very real problem with our planning is that it can too easily drift into godless presumption.  This is easier to do that you might imagine since the very essence of planning is to identify work items, assign resources, set schedules and mitigate risks - all of which can be done without God in view.  

We can plan without praying.   We can prepare without trusting in God.   We can strategize without taking God’s sovereign hand into account.  This kind of planning is not commendable no matter how well executed.   Instead, God calls this type of planning - arrogant and evil. 

God calls us to a different kind of planning - dependent planning.   We are to hold onto plans that are malleable before God.  God-centered plans may be well thought through but are always subject to and dependent on God’s providential will,   Godly planners know well their need for God and plan accordingly.  They understand that success rests not in their plans but in God Himself. 

May we strive to be such godly planners.

Regaining Trust When Trust is Lost

 Trust – it’s a necessary ingredient to any fruitful relationship but it’s of particular importance to a leader.   The essence of leadership is about influence, not authority. You can make someone comply by force of authority, but to lead, you must have influence – and influence requires trust between the parties.  

Unfortunately, in this broken world we live in, trust is often compromised.   Spouses betray each other, politicians lie, public figures disappoint.  

As leaders, we may find ourselves in a place where trust has been compromised.  Perhaps we’ve disappointed others by our behavior or words.   What can we do to restore trust when trust is broken?   

Before we get to that, let’s explore what it means to trust.   There are two dimensions of trust – character and competence.  

Character speaks to the attributes, values and motivations of the person or institution.    It raises questions like the following -

“Is the leader humble?”

“Is she kind?”

“Is he a man of integrity?”

“Does the institution pursue truth?

It surprises some to hear this but character alone is not enough to secure trust.   You also have to be competent.   When you trust someone, you are confident, not simply in their intentions and motivations toward you, but also in their advice and their ability to help you.   For example – when you invest trust in your car mechanic, you’re counting on his character - that he will not cheat you by billing you excessively – and on his competence – that he will be able to fix the problem at hand.

So back to our question – what can you do to restore trust when trust is lost?  Here are 4 things to consider:   (Disclaimer: nothing original here – it’s a combination of things I’ve learned from reading, observing and painfully experiencing)

Talk straight – speak honestly and openly.   No spinning the message, no sweeping under the rug.   Invite others to do the same.   Trust cannot be restored when we’re afraid of expressing ourselves to each other.  A leader can facilitate straight talk is by being vulnerable.  Lead the way by letting your guard down.  This is step one in the road to restoring trust.

Confront the brutal truth - acknowledging the truth about a situation is essential to fixing the fundamental problem of mistrust.   That’s why a common complaint about politicians that have lost the trust of the public is that they “just don’t get it”.  One way to face the truth is to let those you’ve wronged to openly give you feedback without retribution or correction.   I’ve been in situations where I’ve lost the trust of individuals even though I haven’t explicitly wronged them.   Yet, in both humility and care for others, I needed to put aside the temptation to defend myself but focus instead on how they have been affected by my leadership.  

Make It Right (as best you can) - Making it right starts with bearing the burdens of others.  Understanding how our leadership (or lack thereof) has affected them.   Sometimes when trust is lost, it’s due to an irreversible situation but if possible, you need to make amends and offer reparations.  It also means proactive mitigation - making the kind of changes that prevent the same situation from occurring again.   Regaining trust requires us answering the question – “what assurances can you offer me that this won’t happen again?“.

Follow Through - Actions speak louder than words.   Those whom you may have wronged - your constituents, followers and friends are looking for results.   Placating them but not following through with actual results will compromise everything else.   It will further disillusion them.    This means both fulfilling commitments made to them and continuing to be accountable to them.   Here’s what I mean - it’s not enough to simply address the problem in the current moment but to continue to humbly inquire if you’re on the right track.   Leaders that restore trust willingly make themselves accountable to those they lead on an ongoing basis.

Final word on this - I've seen good leaders demonstrate this in many different settings and I've tried to practice the same.  I don't know they do it but for me, the impetus and strength to do so is rooted firmly in gospel truth.   

Speaking openly and honestly comes from knowing that there is such a thing as objective truth and that it proceeds from a God of truth for our good. ( Psalm 119:160 , John 17:17 )

Confronting the truth in any situation is easier once you've confronted the cosmic truth that you're a sinner before a holy God.   ( Romans 3:23 ).   

Having the strength to act humbly and courageously emanates from the gospel - that God humbled himself by sending his Son in human form to bear our sins.   ( Philippians 2: 5-8 )

We become motivated to bear the burdens of others when we consider the burden Christ bore for us on the cross and walk in love toward them.   ( Galatians 6:2 )

Should We Celebrate the Death of Osama Bin Laden?

A week ago, media channels were abuzz - broadcasting the news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. The news was met in many quarters by celebration in the streets and in the social media world – Twitter and Facebook lighting up with updates.

Almost immediately, many Christians felt uncomfortable about rejoicing over anyone’s death, even someone as universally opposed as Bin Laden. Others experienced no such internal conflict of conscience.

Christian leaders and influencers were just as varied in their responses. Check out their varied responses here.

Bible verses like Proverbs 24:17 seem to call for restraint in our jubilation over Bin Laden’s demise - “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles"

Yet, Proverbs 11:10 tells us that “when it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of gladness”

What do we make of this seeming contradiction? How should we respond when our enemies are crushed? How does this square with our Savior’s command to love our enemies?

From the collective wisdom of the best biblical scholars and pastors we can draw the following insights –

1. Celebrate justice, not death

We may have to kill for just cause but we do not delight in the death of another because it means taking the life of one made to be an image bearer of God. It is perhaps why God says in Ezekiel 18:23 – “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?”

In his book Love in Hard Places, D.A. Carson makes reference to Osama Bin Laden and says this –

“He is an evil man, and he must be stopped, but he is a man and we should take no pleasure in destroying him. Vengeance is the Lord’s alone “

2. Celebrate justice humbly

Even as we celebrate justice, we do so as ones forgiven much. We resist the subtle temptation to favorably comparing ourselves with Bin Laden. We know better – we deserve judgment but have received grace and mercy. So we celebrate justice humbly as ones who have received mercy rather than justice.

Sentiments from the Resurgence blog – “So we can be thankful that God is just and we can be very thankful that God is gracious"

3. How God feels about Osama’s death isn’t single threaded

John Piper offers a helpful, nuanced thought on how God might “feel” about the demise of Bin Laden. He starts by reminding us that God’s emotions are complex - like ours often are. Quoting Ezekiel 18:23, he makes the point that “in one sense, human death is not God’s pleasure” but citing Ezekiel 5, also reminds us that “the death and judgment of the unrepentant is God’s pleasure”

“Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself. And they shall know that “I am the LORD – that I have spoken in my jealousy when I spend my fury upon them”.

Both are true. God is vehemently opposed to wickedness while lovingly and patiently calling image bearers to repentance.

How a Christian Leaves His Job

For the past two weeks, sports media outlets like ESPN have been filled with incessant talk and angst about Lebron James' free agency decision - will he leave the Cleveland Cavaliers, his hometown team? Who will have the benefit of his considerable skills - Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls?

It's "over the top" and resulted the unthinkable - eclipsing coverage of the World Cup Finals! On Thursday night, Lebron James announced in an ESPN special show that he was going to the Miami Heat. It was followed by a heated response from the Cleveland Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert. Gilbert characterized Lebron's actions, in particular, the manner in which he made and announced his decision as "a several day, narcissistic, self promotional buildup...". While Gilbert's response was particularly edgy, he was not alone - many others in the media found it distasteful.

The point of this post isn't about Lebron's character or his choice to leave Cleveland Cavaliers. Most of us won't be playing professional sports anytime soon and when we leave our place of employment, it won't be as public. However, I'm wondering if there are lessons to learn from Lebron's actions that can apply to how our own employment opportunities. In this high paced, transient, corporate world we live in, many of us will have more than 10 jobs in our lifetime. Sometimes we're forced to leave our place of work due to a termination, but often, we'll have opportunities presented to us. What's the right way to leave a job that happens?

I'd like to suggest that "love for neighbor" is one of the primary issues we should consider when we are presented with our own "decision". Unlike marriage, we're not expected to stay in a job "for better or for worse" or "till death do us part". However, as Christians, we're called to act in a loving manner, not simply in the context of the church and family, but in all of life... including our place of work. This means that when we are considering to leave our place of employment, we should do so with kindness and care toward those we work with.

We should ask ourselves the following questions and wrestle with the answers-

"Is this a good time to leave?" - if you're in the middle of a project, your role is critical and people are counting on your contribution, it's probably not the right time. Trust that God will make an opportune time for your departure such that you won't alienate your fellow workers and cast a bad light on the reputation of Christ.

"How will my departure affect those who remain and how can I make that transition easier?" - if you choose to leave, then do so in way that can makes it easy for the organization to transition your departure.

"How can I be sure not to demonstrate respect for those who remain - fellow employees and management" - hint: no gloating about your new wonderful job (... and no ESPN special show to promote yourself and publicly humiliate the team you're leaving)

"How can I recognize the good things about the current place of employment and how I've benefited from it" - think about all you've gained in experience, friendships that have enriched you, help that you've received over the years .

Anything I've missed here - what are your thoughts?

Integrity - Does It Matter Without God?

I recently read an interesting interview with Michael Jensen, a Harvard Business School professor who has written on the topic of integrity. In the interview, I liked how Jensen defined integrity, not simply as a set of values but as wholeness.

"An individual is whole and complete, when their word is whole and complete, and their word is whole and complete when they honor their word."

Jensen also speaks highly of the importance of integrity, especially for optimal performance or effective "workability". In other words, without integrity, nothing works.

"Integrity is important to individual, groups, organizations and society because it creates 'workability'. Without integrity, the workability of any... person, group or organization declines; and as workability declines, the opportunity for performance declines. Therefore, integrity is a necessary condition for maximum performance"

All good stuff - if there's anything I applaud, it's promoting the high value of integrity in the workplace. Every great organization is built on integrity and Michael Jensen is right - integrity is essential for optimal performance. That's because integrity fosters trust.... and trust is the basis for great collaboration, creativity and teamwork.

However, I think Jensen whiffs on a critical point when he sharply delineates between integrity, morality and ethics.

"Integrity is a purely positive proposition. It has nothing to do with good vs bad. Morality and ethics, on the other hand... deal with matters of good or bad, right vs wrong."

In the interview, he draws comparisons between the law of gravity and the "law" of integrity, insisting that it is devoid of moral component. The problem with Jensen's view is that it simply isn't true - you cannot separate integrity from its moral component and when you do, you're left with a hollow shell. It's the kind of "integrity" that's shaped by pragmatism but devoid of value. It's ultimately weightless and insignificant. If the primary reason for integrity is simply because "it works", we miss the very point of integrity altogether.

There are two primary reasons why I think Jensen has it wrong -

1. First and foremost, the Bible in fact, draws a clear, straight line from God to the very notion of integrity. God is described as a God of integrity. Integrity makes sense for men and women because it radiates from our Creator, who is Himself full of integrity. Integrity is an essential component of who God is. The fact that God keeps promises and deals justly with His Creation are all evidences of His integrity.

God also demands integrity from us. God is deeply interested in just, honest business dealings - "a false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight". He is in fact so committed to integrity that He blesses those who walk in integrity - "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them." (Proverbs 11:1, 11:3)

2. If integrity is truly about wholeness of the individual, as Jensen says, then wholeness has to involve more than just keeping your word in one particular area of your life. What would Jensen say about a business man who keeps a high standard of integrity in his business dealings but unfaithful as a husband? True integrity is more than just a collection of actions/decisions, it's about the whole person in all of life.

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Can integrity be separated from morality, ethics or accountability to God? What do you think? What does living a life of integrity mean to you?

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Are You Living in Abundance or Scarcity?

It's a question of perspective - how do you view the world around you? Do you see a world limited by scarce resources or overflowing with abundance? This is a matter of huge importance for most of us. Living under the rule of scarcity can lead us to a hording, selfish mentality If we believe that success, wealth, ideas and valued resources are limited, we can be tempted to think "me first" and be less inclined to share.

But the Bible paints a picture of God as loving and generous to His creation.

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights

Psalm 36:7-9

This is fundamentally important to us - if we believe that God created this world to be overflowing and abundant, our approach to life changes dramatically. We can rest knowing that God has provided this world with more than we need. Seeing God as gloriously generous and ultimately creative, shifts our perspective from hording to sharing. We can imitate our Creator by being generous with our time, our money or our success. Imagine the kind of life we would live as a result of believing in a loving and generous God who has created a world of abundance -

We would share accolades with others.
We would give generously to those who lack.
We would volunteer our time to worthy causes.
We would rather serve than be served.
We would value community more than privacy.
We would rather give than receive.

Getting It Done But Doing It Right

My friend Alex, a software executive recently shared his approach to evaluating his team. Alex assesses each person in his organization along two axis - "getting it done" and "doing it right".

"Getting it done" pertains to performance. Is the individual achieving the objectives of his job? It is a reality of our working lives that performance does matter. In most jobs, there is an explicit expectation of results to be achieved, tasks to be completed and objectives to be met. We cannot escape this fact - God has placed us in the "garden" of our lives to tend, cultivate and bear fruit.

But "getting it done" isn't the whole story - it's also about "doing it right". We're called to work to the glory of God. This means both working in the right way and doing the right things. It is insufficient for us to simply complete the project on time and within budget. We're also called to do it in a way that cultivates teamwork and joyful labor. Doing the right thing means redefining what it means to succeed. Succeeding in business isn't simply about increasing revenues or profits - it's also about ethical business.

I think this framework can be doubly beneficial - not only for managers in evaluating team members but also for each of us to conduct a little self assessment as well. Are we succeeding in meeting the objectives of our job? Are we "getting it done"? How about "doing it right?" Are we working in way that brings joy and peace to our workplace? Is the way we work not only effective but life giving? I also like it because it ties in with an assertion I made recently that a culture of performance and a culture of encouragement are not contradictory but rather complementary.

What do you think? Does this approach make sense? How are you doing along each of the two axis?

What Do You Do When You "Screw Up"?

What do you do when you make a mistake,  either in private or in full view of others?   Two weeks ago, President Obama offered a refreshing response to his rather public, humbling mistake - "I screwed up".   He nominated Tom Daschle for Secretary of Health and Human Services,  only to discover that Daschle failed to pay all his taxes.   It's major oversight in the early days of his Presidency and certainly not the way he wanted to start off.   Yet, he chose to take responsibility for his mistake in a very public way.

Let's understand what happened here - this kind of owning up to a mistake - up front, no excuses or qualifications is unusual for most public figures.  It is exceptionally rare for the POTUS.   Regardless of what you think of Obama's politics, I think most non-partisan observers would regard his admission as a display of both principled honesty and bold humility.   

It takes a certain principled honesty to own up to a mistake especially if you're in a position of power.   It's often easier for those in power to blame someone else or perhaps sweep the mistake under the rug.   

This kind of public admission also takes bold humility.   It requires a kind of courageous humility to do the right thing regardless of the consequences.    Unless you have a measure of humility,  owning up and apologizing even if others might think less of you. isn't something you're inclined to do.

I don't know anything about Obama's faith but here's what struck me -  as Christians, we are uniquely equipped to display this kind of bold, yet humble confession when we make mistakes. The gospel of Jesus Christ equips us by allowing us to view our mistakes through a completely different perspective.  We can be brutally honest about our errors because despite our gravest mistakes, we have been mercifully forgiven and graciously accepted.   We can do this without overriding concern the opinions of men, because God has rendered His opinion of us and His is the only one that matters.  Yes, I know we don't always think this way but without the gospel perspective, I'd have no hope of owning up to my mistakes - I'm far too proud and insecure to do so.

How does the gospel help you when you make mistakes?   What if you make mistakes that have negative consequences but do it in private where no one is around to call you out?    What difference does the gospel make in that situation?   

Sanctity of Life

This coming Sunday, January 18, 2009 is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. Since Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision legalizing abortions, there have been over 49 million abortions performed.

We've become so accustom to these kinds of statistics that it's easy to overlook of the scope of this atrocity. Even today, we're still horrified by the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center as we should be - 2,752 deaths in a single day is terrible indeed. But in 2003, there were over 3500 abortions performed every single day. Somehow as a nation, we're not as troubled by this.

We're sympathetic to the tsunami victims - approximately 169,000 lives were lost in this natural disaster. Yet, 49 million deaths since 1973 doesn't seem to affect us quite as much. 49 million is about the size of South Korea or Spain - an entire nation of babies has been lost.

As a nation, we no longer view life from a biblically informed perspective and we are lost because of it. The high value of a human life is ascribed by God himself in Genesis 1 -"Then God said, 'let us make man in our image, after our likeness". Imago dei -the image of God in us means that every life has value outside of our utility or function or viability. It means that human life is sacred.

This week, especially this Sunday, pray for God to be actively at work in our courts, our homes and our hearts so that life is regarded as holy and the wicked practices of abortion might be no more. Let's also pray for National Right to Life and other newer groups like Abort73 as they continue to labor on behalf of the unborn.

Does it Matter if the President is a Christian?

Here's why I ask - it's been rumored that Obama is a closet Muslim.   It's also been debunked but the false rumors persist.   As a result, there has been significant interest in his "spiritual journey".  

McCain, typically private about such matters, has referred to his Christian faith in speeches and on the campaign trail.   Sarah Palin has excited the conservative evangelical wing of the Republican party, in no small part because she unashamedly a professing Christian, upholding Christian values.

It seems to be a political tradition for Presidential candidates to tout their "street cred" as Christians.   I don't necessarily blame the candidates - they are playing the sandbox we've all created for them.   I have to admit, in some ways it makes me sad when the name of Christ is leveraged as a political tool rather than compelling worship. 

So it made me wonder - does it really matter if the next President is a professing Christian?  If so, why?  Does it matter if the next President ends up being Muslim or Mormon?   Also, if an authentic Christian faith becomes a litmus test, how can any of us be an adequate judge of such matters?   I have enough trouble discerning my own heart, how can I be equipped to test the heart of another?

I'm not saying that ethics and morality are unimportant.  On the contrary, I think they are highly important but looking for the Christian label before we vote doesn't seem to be wise or biblically sound.    Using our best judgment, we ought to vote the best person for the job, taking into account - qualification, experience, character and ethics.   And, we ought to pray for wisdom.

What do you think?  

 

Quote of the Week

"Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world"

Francis A. Schaeffer (1912-1984)

The Right Time to Quit Your Job

Recently a friend of mine called me up, seeking advice about a new job opportunity. He hadn't been looking for new work but opportunity came knocking. We talked about the substance of this new position - the pros and cons but then we touched upon this point - is this the right time for him to leave?

Is it disloyal for an employee to pursue a better opportunity? I don't think so. Is leaving your current job for a better one always the right thing to do? Well, I'm not sure about that either.

Some think that in a capitalistic society, an employee has no obligations to the employer other than to do specified work for specified pay.... until someone else offers a better deal. But is that really the right way to approach our jobs? Let's turn the tables - what if you hired an employee, paid a fair wage, invested months in training, only to have him quit for 5%-10% more in salary. Does that seem right to you?

Others hang on to the idea that loyalty to your company is core value to be upheld. Yet in an environment where most individuals have numerous jobs in a lifetime, the idea of loyalty to company doesn't seem to ring true. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report that baby boomers typically hold 10.5 jobs from the age of 18 - 40. Furthermore, corporations typically aren't making decisions about your future employment based on loyalty so I'm not sure about playing that loyalty card. It sounds good but is the idea of being loyal to an employer, biblically supported?

What's the right way to think about this? Let me offer a couple of thoughts here that may guide the decision making process.

1. Love for Neighbor - I think the issue isn't really about loyalty. I'm not sure there is any biblical mandate to extend loyalty to a corporate entity. But I do think there is an issue of love for those you work with, for your supervisor, your customers, or other stakeholders. There is such a thing as a "bad time to leave your job"... not because it's bad for you but because it's bad for everyone else. If you're in the middle of critical project where others count on you, that's a bad time to leave. It's not loving to leave people in a lurch. Or like the scenario we discussed earlier - where an employee leaves after being trained but before really contributing, simply because he's been offered a better paying opportunity.

2. Fulfilling to Our Explicit Commitments - no company should expect you to stay until you retire but if you've given your word that you'll stay for some duration, you ought to live up to your commitments.

3. Honoring the Reputation of Christ - the timing and manner by which we leave our current employment can either bring honor or disrepute to Christ. Why and how we leave a job often speaks to others about what we value. If you value financial gain above all else, then leaving your current job for a better paying one is always the right choice. If pursuing fulfilling work is the greatest value, then you may be worshiping before the god of self actualization. Valuing the reputation of Jesus Christ means that your motives and actions will befit one who considers fame or fortune lightly when compared to the opportunity of magnifying Christ as your treasure.

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What do you think? Please share your thoughts on this.

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Assuming Positive Intent

Earlier this year, Fortune magazine featured 25 leading public figures from all walks of life, sharing "The Best Advice I've Ever Got". Frankly, not all of the advice was particularly inspiring or even interesting, but one did catch my attention.

Indra Nooyi, CEO of Pepsi Co., shared advice she received from her father - "assume positive intent" in your interaction with others, especially when they don't agree with you. Here's an excerpt -

My father was an absolutely wonderful human being. From him I learned to always assume positive intent. Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different...In business, sometimes in the heat of the moment, people say things. You can either misconstrue what they're saying and assume they are trying to put you down, or you can say, "Wait a minute. Let me really get behind what they are saying to understand whether they're reacting because they're hurt, upset, confused, or they don't understand what it is I've asked them to do."

Seems like good advice, doesn't it?

I've also heard this principle phrased differently as the "assumption of goodwill". Regardless of what you choose to call it, I've found this to be a helpful practice in business/work interactions, especially in situations where there is great opportunity for misunderstanding. If I'm tempted to react negatively to something someone has said or done, it's often because I've judged their intentions to be negative, malicious or even hostile. When I make that leap, I've erred. Regardless of their true intentions, I've judged them and started down the slippery road that leads to conflict.

I have no reason to believe that Ms. Nooyi is a Christian but I was just wondering - is there any biblical basis for this "assumption of goodwill" principle or is this just another example of the "power of positive thinking" run amok?

Yet, of all people, shouldn't Christians extend the assumption of goodwill towards others in the workplace? If so, why? Please share your thoughts.