Is the leadership crisis really about a lack of skill—or is it something deeper? In this powerful post, Dr. Rob McKenna makes the case that the true crisis in leadership is a crisis of trust. Drawing on insights from the WiLD Trust Index, he shows how many leaders are unknowingly surrounded by low-trust environments—and why trust can’t be built without doing the personal work first.
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being whole. Whole leaders lead with clarity, courage, and care—and it’s this kind of leadership that fuels real trust, high performance, and lasting impact.
If you care about growing as a leader or shaping the next generation of leadership in your organization, this is a must-read.
Every person you know has a story occurring at the center of their identity and their progress that is too often expressed as an unanswered question: How do I connect my driving purpose to what I am doing every day? We ask it in different ways, but at the core of who we are as human beings is the question that connects the invisible pieces of our hearts with the visible pieces of our actions.
True leadership requires the courage to let go of what’s good in order to receive what’s better. Whether it’s possessions, positions, or plans, holding loosely allows us to lead with open hands, ready for transformation, collaboration, and God’s greater purpose.
You did it! You started a business with nothing more than a dream and a willingness to roll up your sleeves. You worked hard, really hard, and the business grew. You didn’t know what you were doing half the time, but you figured it out. You made it up as you went, and now you’re leading your very own multi-million dollar business.
The fastest way to lose sight of your business is to stop listening to your customers. What you think is happening inside your company and what your customers are actually experiencing might be two completely different stories. Too often, leaders rely on assumptions instead of real feedback—and that gap can cost you growth, loyalty, and trust.
In this post, Convene Chair Mike Edwards shares how to check in with your customers in meaningful, non-intrusive ways—and how to turn their insights into quick, high-impact improvements.
‘Do not worry.’ We’ve read Matthew 6:25-34 in the Sermon on the Mount, but what does that look like on a day-to-day, minute-by-minute basis? God knows our every worry, fear, and concern – and He can handle it. Many thanks to Darrell Passwater, Convene Forum Team leader, for his encouragement to think about how our lives might be different by truly living out this scriptural principle.
The flexibility of the summer months provides us with much-needed moments to rest, relax, and have a bit more fun. It’s important to embrace these moments as participating in joyful activities can inspire confidence in God’s care and help us discover happiness in His company. These moments are the perfect opportunity to incorporate generosity into engaging activities you can enjoy with your family and friends. Below are a few ways you can enjoy generous rest and play this summer:
1. Generosity Caper—As a group, prayerfully pick someone from your church or community to bless with an unexpected gift. Maybe it’s a spa day or a meal. Maybe it’s paying off someone’s debt or funding a special program or project at a local ministry. Whatever you choose, keep it a secret. Giving the gift anonymously highlights God as the provider and greatest giver.
2. Day of Service—Coordinate with a local ministry or your church to give a day of your time. Then work to meet a need or complete a special project for the church or organization. Be creative! You may find yourself organizing a busy young mom’s home, cleaning a garden or courtyard space, making and delivering meals, or something different.
3. Discover Family Values—Invite your spouse to discuss values. Then do an exercise with the mindset of family values. Remember, there aren’t good values or bad values; values are guidelines for how you want to live. If you need a resource for this, contact info@womendoingwell.org
4. Planning Retreat—Take a night away for intentional conversation, prayer, reflection, and planning to move forward in your giving.
5. Sponsor a Child—Sponsor children the same age as the children in your life. Encourage your children to be generous with their words and prayers in the regular correspondence.
6. Make a Word Cloud—Generosity is more than just giving money. We can be generous with our time, our words, our ears, and our attitudes. Take time to brainstorm with your kids and put together a word cloud listing all the ways they can be generous. Put it on display and refer to it regularly as a way to encourage wholehearted generosity
7. $2 Tuesdays—Go to the bank and get $100 worth of $2 bills. Each week, give each child a $2 bill to give to someone unexpected every Tuesday. Prepare for lots of fun reactions!
8. Give Them Generosity—Give teens $20 and challenge them to listen to God’s prompting. Encourage them to give it away spontaneously and then report back to you.
9. Do Vacations Differently—Plan your family vacation to be on a mission with your giving goals. You could be part of a medical mission trip, meet a child your family sponsors, or see firsthand the work of an organization you support.
10. Intentional Dinner—Invite your family to dinner and ask, what’s one area of society that you’d like to impact for good? Where have you been involved that you feel you are making a difference? Then ask how you can support them in their efforts.
In business, our success is often measured by profit margins or growth metrics, but many leaders find themselves searching for purpose that is deeper than financial prosperity. This deeper purpose can be found by integrating your professional success with your faith. Convene’s members are proof that integrating your faith with your business practices can lead to better results both in business and life. Do your employees and customers know God’s hand in your life? Can you deepen your impact in God’s Kingdom by bringing your Christian values to work?
The Power of Purpose-Driven Leadership
Leading with a sense of purpose that aligns with your Christian values and beliefs can offer newfound fulfillment you may be searching for in your work. Have you intentionally incorporated values like integrity, compassion and stewardship into your everyday business practices? Is your company culture tethered to your faith? By integrating your faith with your business practices, leaders can create a work environment that fosters trust, respect, and long-term success.
Throughout many stories In the Bible, we learn that integrity is rewarded. Joseph, Job, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s stories bring the value of integrity to light. Despite being sold into slavery by his brothers and then wrongfully imprisoned, Joseph remained faithful to God and his unwavering integrity in his faith eventually led to him becoming an extremely powerful man in Egypt, who would save many people from famine.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image. They chose to maintain their integrity, and so they would only worship our God. The three were thrown into a fiery furnace but were miraculously protected by God. Because of their faith and integrity, He saved them.
The Book of Job tells the story of Job’s unwavering integrity in the face of severe suffering. Despite losing his wealth, health, and family, Job maintained his faith in God. In the end, we learn that God restored his fortunes and blessed him with even more than he had before in recognition of his steadfastness and integrity.
