Paul Clark

Can an MBA instill ethics?

Having earned an MBA at a school with a nationally-ranked MBA program, I was interested in the Fortune article, “MBAs Get Schooled in Ethics.” With the problems in big business and Wall Street mounting, many people are looking at the training of individuals responsible, and concluding that their education ill-prepared them for making good, ethical decisions. As if Harvard Business School is somehow at fault for the ethical collapse of so many corporate icons.

Is it the job of a secular university to instill ethics and morality in the hearts of its' students? Can a business-school curriculum accomplish heart transformation? What is at the core of a person’s soul that allows him or her to do the right thing even when it’s unpopular, difficult or goes against self-interest? Let’s be honest, capitalism is founded on every person doing what is in their own self-interest. Although Adam Smith called it “enlightened self-interest,” it’s self-interest none the same.

The truth is that the great cultural divide between a God-centered world view and a man-centered world view is coming home to roost. People with no religious anchor in their life will have a much more difficult time making “enlightened” choices that are in the common good, rather than their own. “Love your neighbor as yourself,” isn’t on too many walls in corporate America.

I would guess most professors would find themselves unprepared to teach a course on ethics, not because they themselves are unethical, but because the very nature of ethics and morality is underpinned by religious beliefs. We do the right thing because we love God, because God tells us to love our neighbor and because we hold ourselves up against a divine measuring stick—the Bible. As western civilization moves farther from Judeo-Christian values, it’s going to struggle more with questions of ethics and morality in everyday life. Wall Street is symptomatic of a much greater problem.

It’s the people of God--the Church-- that should lead the way. We have the Truth that can set people free from the greed and self-interest that so easily controls us. We won’t do it by a corporate takeover, but by capturing one person at a time through the Good News of Jesus Christ. The vision is the same as it was over 2,000 years ago:

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:13-16)

Is it time to build? Some important questions...

In early 2008, we made the decision to move forward with an $8M construction project even as the signs of recession were popping up everywhere. Reports of other churches delaying or canceling plans for expansion were easy to find. We concluded that we should move ahead carefully, yet confidently. Why? What questions did we wrestle through that led us to conclude that moving forward was the right decision? Below are 10 questions to help you galvanize the issues that are important in balancing the uncertainties of the economy with the need for building expansion:

1. Is the vision for the project clearly understood and can it be clearly articulated in the context of church mission? If the vision is not crystal clear in the minds of the staff and leadership and cannot be articulated easily and clearly, then more work needs to be done.
2. Is the church leadership in favor of moving forward? There must be consensus among the Board--those who will be ambassadors throughout the church community.
3. Is current giving strong? If giving toward the general budget is not strong, it is difficult to make the case that additional giving will be available to support a capital project.
4. Has God already shown His favor in some way to indicate a reason to move forward? God often gives us indications of his favor through extraordinary circumstances that can form a basis for trusting him for moving ahead: land or funds that suddenly become available, zoning obstacles that unexpectedly fall in our favor, etc.
5. Is there some bubbling of support among the church family to move forward? It's often more important to count the "yes" votes than the "no" votes. When significant opinion leaders and other committed laity express their support for moving forward, that can be a good indicator that action will be viewed positively by the congregation at large.
6. Are costs of construction going to increase at a rate where our ability to afford what we need will be in question? If for example, construction costs are expected to increase 20% over the next year, a $10M project suddenly becomes a $12m project, with no additional scope. That can be a compelling consideration.
7. Will church momentum be lost if we do not act now? This is an abstract consideration, but an important one.  Delay can often take the wind out of the momentum of exciting opportunities to expand our outreach and impact.
8. Do we expect the economics of the decision to change dramatically in the near future? For instance, if there will be the potential for greater contributions in the future that are not possible today, then delay may be attractive. But if the economics are not likely to change, then what would be the compelling reason to delay?
9. Are there incremental steps that can be taken which will move the process forward while still allowing points of course correction? There are often significant steps that can be taken which will require incremental commitment, but allow the opportunity for points of reevaluation.
10. What would life and ministry be like if we do nothing? If ministry will be choked, people discouraged, opportunities lost, then those costs must be carefully weighed. On the other hand, if there are not serious costs to the ministry and mission of the church through delay, then it could be wise to wait until the economic situation becomes more clear.

Now boarding on the red carpet

My wife and I just returned from a week in Maui. The things we saw and the fun we had is another story in itself. What an awesome time away. I took my computer, but did not do any work—only fun stuff like downloading pictures from my camera.

It was a long journey there, sitting more than a few hours in gate areas waiting for boarding. I couldn’t help but smile at how far airlines have gone to try to differentiate their customer base to make extra money. The airline we were traveling on had a red carpet aisle at the turnstile which only elite premiere club members could walk on. They lined up at the red carpet long before boarding began, anxious I guess to take their stroll down the red carpet. They, of course, boarded first.

Then there was the call for “somewhat less” elite members, not quite as elite as the ones getting to walk the red carpet. They boarded second and did not get to walk on the red carpet. Then there was a call for other specially-named groups, none of which included the word, “economy.” All the while my wife and I were sitting there wondering if they would require us to board the plane with a brown paper bag over our head, somehow knowing that we had purchased our tickets on a discount travel website.

I thought about how wonderful the church of Jesus Christ really is. We actually go out of our way to make sure that everybody feels special, that nobody gets preferential treatment over another and that as little as possible, at least within the church, separates the haves from the have-nots. In the sight of God we are all premiere club members. I love the church!

Read James 2 and take special note of v.9, “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” It was a gaudy color of red anyway.