Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is an organization?

An organization is two or more people who have come together to accomplish a mission.

What is the difference between a multi-generational organization and a single-generational organization?

A multi-generational organization tends to transcend people whereas a single-generational organization tends to be dependent upon a key person or persons.

What is an organizational vision?

Every organization has a vision that provides guidance for the strategic plan of the organization. A multi-generational organization tends to have a vision that transcends technology, ideas, products, services, and people. A single-generational organization tends to tie their vision to technology, ideas, products, services, and/or people.

 How does a management team begin to apply the Beyond Babel Model?

1. The first step is to seek agreement from all team members regarding the model. It is difficult to apply the model without a consensus. 
2. The second step is to develop an objective assessment of the organization against the model. This may require the assistance of a consultant who is knowledgeable in the application of the model.
3. The third step is to develop a prioritized list of action items to begin to address variances between the model and the organization.  Work from the bottom up—start with worldview, then equally yoked leadership, and so forth. 
4. And finally, the team must make a commitment to accountability to both the action items and a regular re-assessment against the model. 

What should you do if no one else on the management team embraces the Beyond Babel Model?

In this situation the one embracing the model is unequally yoked to the team. This is a very difficult situation. The one holding to the model will be under pressure to compromise; hence, there will be frequent conflict. I suggest seeking God through prayer and C4 advisors. Ask the Lord to change the team. If He doesn’t, ask the Lord about moving to another team. Be patient, prayerful, and wise through this process. Validate action items, in advance, with wise counsel. 

How do you define an organization’s worldview? 

An organization’s worldview is the grid or lens through which the organization views and defines reality. The worldview defines the values and operating practices, and shapes the culture. At the most basic level, an organization’s worldview flows out of its presuppositions.  Presuppositions are the assumptions or beliefs that every person and organization, either knowingly or unknowingly, makes to explain reality. For example, most organizations believe that values such as honesty, truth, and integrity are universal. Employees worldwide are therefore expected to practice these values. 

Of the elements of C4 (calling, character, capability, and commissioning), which is most important and why?

In my opinion, the most important one is character.  No organization can build on people who do not have good character.  Character is an expression of one’s worldview—one’s philosophy, values, and principles.   Truly excellent organizations embrace a high value system consistent with a biblical worldview.   Any worker in the organization who does not hold to the values of the organization will create conflict within the organization.  A person’s character is difficult to change, and therefore should be the first issue of consideration in hiring anyone. 

How do you define a Christian and a non-Christian?

A Christian is a person with a theistic worldview who understands that he or she is not worthy of fellowship with the Creator by virtue of his or her individual personal sin.  A Christian also understands that there is nothing that he or she can do to merit God’s favor and acceptance.  Based on this understanding, a Christian accepts by faith the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as the just payment for his or her sin and has received the gift of eternal life.   The evidence of one who has received the gift of eternal life is the work of the Spirit of God in the heart of the person as expressed by gratitude, thanksgiving, and works consistent with the character and nature of Christ.  Everyone is born a non-Christian.  The only way to become a Christian is as stated above. 

Should you hire a non-Christian?

Hiring a non-Christian is challenging.  As a maxim, my opinion is that one should not hire a non-Christian, if at all possible.  Other than people like Cornelius (see Acts 10), non-Christians generally have character issues.   Christians enjoy the grace of God as an operating power in their lives, which enables them to better align with God’s purposes.    Non-Christians do not have this power, and therefore are limited in their ability to act in accordance with God’s philosophy, values, and principles.  The best that non-Christians can do is to operate in common grace, which is only partial alignment with God.   An organization cannot be excellent without a high level of alignment with God, which requires the individuals in the organization to be aligned with God. 

Should you work for someone who does not have C4 for his or her position?

A person who does not have C4 for their job is going to be a challenging person to work with under any circumstances.  Without C4, there is no calling, no heart or passion.  Work becomes mechanical and uninteresting.  Difficulties will block the person.   Without C4, the person’s character is questionable.  Basic essential values such as truth and honesty may be compromised.  A person with a flawed value system cannot be trusted.   Developed capability may be lacking since there is little motivation to grow and develop skills. Commissioning is not possible since there is no trust and confidence in a person who lacks calling (passion), character (high values), and capability (developed skills).  Anyone working with someone who does not possess C4 to do his or her job, will find life difficult.  People without C4 do not develop others and therefore do not contribute to the overall excellence of the organization. People without C4 are a drag on the organization.  Patiently, prudently, but persistently seek to associate with others who have C4, if you work with or for a person who lacks C4 for his or her position.  Personal development, satisfaction, and excellence happen most effectively in an environment with C4 workers. 

  What should you do if you don’t have C4 for your position?

First, you need to identify which of the C4 components is missing relative to your current position. 

If you don’t feel called, search your heart as to why.  Is there sin or a block in your life?  If there is, ask the Lord to deliver you.  If not, seek to find work that you have a passion to do. 

If you don’t have character alignment with your organization, the question is why?  If the organization’s philosophy, values, and principles are more aligned with Scripture than yours, you need to change.  If your philosophy, values, and principles are more aligned with Scripture than the organization’s, then ask the Lord if you are to be an agent to effect change.   If not, seek an organization where you have alignment based on a biblical worldview. 

If you don’t have the capability to do the job, the question is why?  For example, is it because you don’t have the basic aptitudes? If you have the aptitudes, are the aptitudes sufficiently developed to perform the job well?  

Finally, if you have not been commissioned to do the job, why?  Does management trust you?  Or is management incapable of trusting anyone?   Are you trustworthy?

The bottom line is that one can never be world-class without C4; hence, if you don’t have C4 for a given job, find out why and be about either gaining C4 for the job or finding a new job.  

What should you do if you are a member of an unequally yoked team?

If you are unequally yoked, make it a priority to become equally yoked.  As long as you are unequally yoked, there will be conflict and stress that leads to inefficiency.  Don’t be impulsive, however, in your reaction.  Prayerfully, with C4 advisors, seek out God’s plan for you to address the situation.   Always remember that God leads though alignment with His values and principles.  

How do you determine your organization’s value proposition?

The value proposition of any organization is the monetary value of the product or service offered.  The ultimate judge of the proposition is the customer.   Wise management teams work hard to develop an accurate understanding of reality (needs) from which they work to develop the value propositions.  The value propositions are evaluated by carefully listening with humility to C4 customers.  C4 customer input provides the requisite perspective needed to fine-tune the value propositions.

What does prosperity mean?

According to the dictionary, prosperity is to greatly succeed at what one intends to do.  The Bible teaches that one can prosper in both the tangible (physical) and intangible (spiritual) realms, but the intangible is superior to the tangible A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth (Proverbs 11:16 niv).   Christians prosper in the intangible by virtue of their relationship with God: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. … In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding (Ephesians 1:3; 7–8 niv).   Prosperity in the intangible realm, which comes from alignment with God’s purposes, is the predicate for prosperity in the tangible: You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me."  But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth (Deuteronomy 8:17–18 niv). 

Why do the wicked prosper?

If the wicked prosper, it is only for a short time. Notice what the psalmist said: "I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil, but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found" (Psalms 37:35–36 NIV). God may grant short-term tangible prosperity to wicked people for His own sovereign purposes, but in the end, the wicked perish and their wealth is redistributed to the righteous. …but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous (Proverbs 13:22 NIV). 

Does God equally value the spiritual and physical dimensions of reality?

God is spirit (John 4:24); hence, a spirit being created a physical universe.  Man was created to reflect God and to rule over the physical universe (Genesis 1:26–28); therefore, man is the only created physical being that relates to God in accordance with God’s nature and can function, to some degree, as God does.  Nevertheless, God is spirit and requires that we worship Him in spirit and truth.  If the worship of God is the highest form of glorifying God and we can only worship Him in spirit, the spirit must be superior in some way to the physical.   Notwithstanding this reality, God still values the physical as evidenced by the fact that He called His creation good numerous times in Genesis 1 and created man to rule His creation. 

Does God give us strategic plans to solve problems in the spiritual and physical dimensions? 

Because both the intangible (spirit) and tangible (physical) dimensions are under His sovereign control (Isaiah 46:9–11), no plan or strategy of man can thwart God’s will. He must therefore be actively and strategically involved in both dimensions, accomplishing His purposes.  Even seemingly random events such as flipping coins or casting lots are under His control. The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord (Proverbs 16:33 niv).

What do the actions of Jesus in expelling the merchants from the temple say about His view of business?

Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.  "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'"  (Matthew 21:12–13 NIV) 

The merchants appear to be more interested in the worship of money than the worship of God.  Even worse, Jesus may have perceived that the only reason the merchants were in the Temple was to make money.  While there is nothing inherently evil about doing business, the worship of money is sin.  Jesus appears to be reacting to the merchant’s worship of money, which is idolatry. 

Does the Beyond Babel Model work for screening investments?

If indeed the Beyond Babel Model is valid, it should be a useful tool for analyzing investments in companies. The model asserts that alignment with the principles of the Creator brings blessings from the Creator. 

Anecdotally, the following article from an Australian financial journal suggests that socially responsible investing produces superior returns. The article is titled “Good Corporate Citizens Outperform the Bad”: “A study of 204 companies by Integrative Strategies found that investments in the top 20 most socially responsible companies performed better than those in the 20 least responsible. An investment of AUD20,000 in July 2002 would now be AUD20,311 if the money was in a portfolio of top 20, and AUD18,303 in a portfolio of the bottom. The study also found that the companies at the top and the bottom of the list performed roughly the same over the past three years, which Integrative Strategies said suggests that socially responsible investments perform well not only in good times, but also when the market is less stable. Eighteen months to two years ago, many companies were seen to be in “leadership” positions on environmental and social issues, but the proportion of companies that are leaders dropped by 3.5% over the last year, and the percentage of “laggers” and “levelers” increased. Australian companies are seen as particularly poor on corporate governance, with the number of “exemplary” companies falling by 36.4 % last year.” (Australian Financial Review, 2 September 2003, from the Corporate Library 27 August–2 September 2003, vol. 5, no. 37.)

Although socially responsible investing is only partially aligned with the Beyond Babel Model, it does provide some insight into what the Creator seems to be blessing. This is certainly not a definitive argument regarding the validity of the model for guiding investment decisions; it clearly suggests, however, that socially responsible investing seems to produce superior performance. If partial alignment with the Beyond Babel Model yields superior results, what would full alignment produce?