Biblical Foundations of Flourishing Leadership: Exploring the 8 FLOURISH Drivers

Before coming to Best Christian Workplaces, I worked with missionaries around the world training them as leaders to spread the Gospel. When talking with them about business practices or leadership skills, they’d often come back to me and say “Well this is all great, Jay, but can you support that with the Bible?”

It’s not an unfair question. In all areas of our lives, we encounter “what the world says” and “what God says.” Our roles as leaders are no exception. The business world offers a lot of effective teachings, tools, and techniques, but they don't always align with Scriptural teachings or Biblical principles. Christian leaders need to have a holistic approach to leading and employee engagement - one that cares for the entire employee: mind, body, and soul.

That’s what makes the Best Christian Workplaces' 8 FLOURISH DRIVERS unique. Not only are these drivers grounded in decades of human research, but we can find their roots in Scripture. The Bible is more than just a book about spirituality; throughout Scripture, we can find many principles related to the concept of organizational and human Flourishing.

I hope that as you begin to look at the 8 FLOURISH Drivers through a Scriptural lens, you’ll begin to see the Bible as more than just a book about spirituality but also as a tool full of examples of strong and flourishing leadership principles, given to us by God to help us care and lead others well.

The 8 FLOURISH Drivers

Click the buttons below to jump to each driver.

Fantastic Teams

The power of Fantastic Teams lies in the power of what we can accomplish together. Fantastic teams exhibit a “we” not “me” attitude. They share goals and objectives, have meaningful and effective collaboration, and foster a spirit of teamwork. They embrace the power of unity, which is “good and pleasant” (Psalm 133:1).

In Genesis 11:1-9, we see this in action. In the story of the Tower of Babel, the people were working in perfect unity together to build a tower to heaven. In this case, because the people were not working toward God’s purposes, He thwarted their efforts. But the Scripture suggests that when His people work together as a unified team that is in alignment with God’s purposes nothing is impossible for them.

Fantastic Teams also communicate honestly and handle conflict lovingly. We see this example throughout the Bible as well.

• Jesus calls us to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9),
• We are not to shy away from conflict, but be assertive in expressing to others how their actions have impacted us (Matthew 18:15),
• When others make us angry, we are to be careful to not sin in our responses (Ephesians 4:26),
• In conflict, we can choose to put ourselves in others' shoes (Philippians 2:4),
• We can choose to forgive others (Colossians 3:13).

Fantastic Teams not only achieve their goals but also cultivate environments of trust, respect, and genuine care for one another, embodying the transformative power of teamwork guided by God's wisdom and grace.

Life-Giving Work

In a culture rich with Life-Giving Work, employees can fully use their skills and spiritual gifts in their work (1 Corinthians 12:14). It’s a sense of being a part of something bigger, and employees can experience true purpose, joy, and even fun at work because the culture supports, engages, and motivates them to do their best work.

Jesus tells us that He came so that we may have life “to the full” (John 10:10). Since work is a part of life, it should be something we get joy from! It’s an important call as Christian leaders to create a culture where people feel a significant sense of purpose and have opportunities to use their God-given talents, or as Paul writes to the Church in Ephesus “a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1).

An important part of Life-Giving Work is for employees to see and know the impact of the work. This is because God created us to do “good works” (Ephesians 2:10). As leaders, we can help people see how their work is accomplishing things that serve and support God and His creation.

Outstanding Talent

Outstanding Talent revolves around an organization’s ability to recruit, reward, promote, and retain employees. In cultures where Outstanding Talent is apparent, employees have the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed and have access to growth and learning opportunities. They feel cared for as more than just a cog in a wheel but a valuable member in carrying out the mission.

The Bible is clear that God wants us to be careful when selecting capable people for leadership positions within our organizations (Exodus 18:21). But Outstanding Talent doesn’t just apply to hiring. To retain high-quality employees, we must also treat and care for them well. The Bible is also filled with examples of how to care for others:

• Treat others justly and fairly (Colossians 4:1).
• Treat others the way we would wish to be treated (Luke 6:31).
• Demonstrate care and concern by helping others experience the love of God (John 13:34).

Finally, Outstanding Talent includes rewarding employees for their efforts, which ultimately leads to increased retention. The Parable of the Talents reminds us to reward our people for a job well done - and even to give them greater levels of responsibility and honor for doing so (Matthew 25:14).

Uplifting Growth

Cultures that exhibit Uplifting Growth support, challenge, and empower their employees to reach their full potential. There are plenty of opportunities for skill-building and career development. Employees know when they are doing well and when they need to improve because there are systems for regular formal and informal feedback.

Proverbs 27:23 reminds leaders to “know the condition of your flocks.” Strong leaders know how their employees are doing. Are they growing and learning? What is their potential and capacity? How can the organization support its ongoing development?

Similarly, Jesus calls us to encourage one another and build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11). As leaders and supervisors, we can support our employees by leading in this way.

Rewarding Compensation

Though money isn’t everything, having a fair and competitive compensation package not only attracts high-quality candidates but is key to creating a culture that values and rewards employees for their contributions and retains them. Rewarding Compensation includes a transparent and equitable pay structure, competitive compensation, supportive benefits, and flexible and adequate time off.

In a highly competitive workforce, it’s more important than ever to pay your employees fairly and not take advantage of this. And, believe it or not, it’s Biblical!

Fair compensation aligns deeply with principles of justice, compassion, and ethical conduct. For instance, James 5:4 reminds us that failing to pay workers fairly does not escape God's notice. Fair pay embodies the divine principle of treating others as you would want to be treated, fostering trust, dignity, and the promotion of human flourishing.

As Christian leaders, we must treat our employees with dignity, respect, and compassion. In a world where people in power may at times use and abuse others, Rewarding Compensation provides another opportunity to be different and to deeply care for our employees tangibly and practically.

Inspirational Leadership

Effective leadership goes beyond giving orders. Inspirational leaders have a clear vision, empower others, and lead by example. They show humility, compassion, and integrity, and connect with employees in meaningful ways.

Inspirational Leaders pair character with competence, a set of skills we also see in King David (Psalm 78:72). He shepherded his people with integrity (character) and skillful hands (competence).

Like David, there are countless examples of strong leaders in the Bible. Of course, the most obvious is Jesus himself. Jesus was a humble servant who put the needs of others before himself. He served others and was not authoritative. His leadership style was radically different than anyone before him and He calls us to lead in the same way (Mark 10:42-44).

As Christian leaders, we have the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), which allows and equips us to lead in such a countercultural manner. Since God freely gives us His Spirit, the fruits of the Spirit should be evident in our lives and through our leadership if we are to bear true witness to Him.

Sustainable Strategy

A strategy is sustainable if the organization can meet the needs of those whom they have set out to serve in a high-quality manner over time. This requires a deliberate and effective approach to carrying out the vision and mission of the organization. The goals and outcomes of the organization must be clear to everyone at every level.

The book of Nehemiah illustrates many examples of effective, Godly leadership and emphasizes the importance of having an effective strategy. Nehemiah had a clear vision from God - to rebuild the wall. He communicated it clearly to the people, created a strategic plan, and then involved others in implementing the plan. Each step of success along the way in rebuilding the wall gave the people hope, faith, and inspiration to continue the work.

As the writer of Proverbs so poignantly reminds us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). Leaders must continuously communicate a compelling vision to their staff, or their energy, commitment, and passion will soon wane.

Healthy Communication

In cultures with truly Healthy Communication, you’ll see more than just leaders talking. You’ll see vibrant two-way communication being used as a means of building trust, fostering collaboration, and facilitating open dialogue. Leaders prioritize communicating the “why” to decisions and are respectful in receiving constructive feedback. They embrace the diversity of the workforce and value mutual accountability, innovation, and unity.

God created every person with unique talents, perspectives, and experiences. Because God values all people equally we can emulate His character by treating people and communicating with them with this in mind, knowing that it is in the unity of our diversity that we are most like Christ and most effective (Galatians 3:28).

In Paul’s letter to the Church in Corinth, he addresses this concept of unity within the body. We all represent significant parts of a bigger whole. Every part/person has value (1 Corinthians 12:27).

Leaders can show interest in hearing and learning from all the unique perspectives and experiences that each staff member may bring to bring greater effectiveness to the whole team, department, or organization. This starts by giving staff opportunities to give input and share ideas freely, and then by prayerfully considering that input when making decisions.

The Challenge to Leaders

In my role today, I get the privilege of presenting Employee Engagement Survey results to leaders and teams nationwide. I often start the presentation by reading Proverbs 27:23 - “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks.” This sets the tone for the entire presentation and helps leaders to receive the results with a posture of curiosity.

What is the condition of your flock?

Throughout Scripture, God calls us to care for others and promote human flourishing. As Christian leaders, we are held to a higher standard. God commands us to take care of the people He has entrusted to us, but we can only do this when we know how they are doing. The best way to know is to provide them with a safe place where you can ask about and listen to their feedback. The Best Christian Workplaces Employee Engagement Survey helps you do just that.

Best Christian Workplaces is here to walk alongside you on your Road to Flourishing. To learn more and request a Sample Report, click here.