Leadership Integrity Circles
Leadership Integrity Circles are for organizational leaders who, as followers of Christ, desire to practice Christ-centered leadership in their workplaces, and want help making their leadership more in line with their faith values. Open to Christian leaders from any sector — including business, industry, education, healthcare, law and beyond — each circle brings together six experienced organizational leaders.
Grow as a wise and effective leader
Leadership Integrity Circles provide space for leaders to grow in their vocation as wise and effective leaders who are deeply shaped by their faith commitments. Leaders will learn through self-reflection, peer support, conversation, reading and spiritual practices.
In a confidential environment, you will be invited to share specific leadership challenges you are facing. This may include troubling situations, ethical dilemmas and other theological, spiritual and moral questions.
Leadership Integrity Circle goals
Participating in the Leadership Integrity Circles will encourage you:
- to lead others with integrity in accordance with your spiritual calling and faith commitments
- to discover the values at the heart of your own identity as you reflect intentionally on your own experiences
- to live within the tension between your acknowledged giftedness and your limitations and weaknesses
- to draw on and become adept in spiritual skills and theological thinking to accompany your more technical, managerial and organizational skills
Intentionally reflect on your stories and practices
As part of a Leadership Integrity Circle, you will read chapters or articles ahead of each session to provide a conceptual framework for that session’s reflection. When the group gathers virtually, you will be invited to share your personal stories and to reflect on the leadership challenges you and other participants face. Discussions will draw on biblical, theological and spiritual themes as well as the required readings, to enrich the reflection.
You will practice spiritual disciplines in which you would like to grow stronger, including practices to increase awareness of personal limitations in order to achieve greater wholeness. Alongside others, you will learn to embrace shared humanity and return to your leadership role with more grace, honesty, humility, courage, power and integrity.
Learn from seasoned leaders
Two seasoned leaders will guide our first Leadership Integrity Circle. and provide input on leadership practices. They will seek to create hospitable and trustworthy spaces for each participant to speak freely.
Betty Pries, PhD, is a leadership specialist who has over 20 years’ experience with coaching, mediating, facilitating, training, consulting and speaking. Learn more about Betty Pries.
Rick Stiffney, PhD, is an organizational advisor who recently completed a long term of service as CEO with MHS Alliance. Rick has consulted with CEOs and boards on leadership, governance and strategy from many different organizations across the U.S., Canada and beyond. Learn more about Rick Stiffney.
Leadership Integrity Circles logistics
The early registration cost is $2,000 USD per participant if you register by Oct. 1. After that the cost will be $2,500 USD with a final registration deadline of Oct. 15. This will cover the cost of the entire program, November through May.
If you would like to join with specific friends and colleagues, please provide us their names on your application form and invite them to apply. You are welcome to identify up to five others to participate in your circle and we will do our best to honor requests for specific group members to participate together.
Learn more
Have questions? Email Julia Schmidt, Program Administrator, at [email protected] or call 574-296-6245.
“There are a plethora of leadership development programs available, but very few that are designed to help participants connect more deeply with their values and spiritual calling. Leadership Integrity Circles does just that, inviting professionals to approach their leadership not just as a mindset or skillset, but as a way of living. This program came at a time when I deeply needed more intentional self-reflection, peer support, and focus on my calling as a leader.” —Madalyn Metzger, Vice President of Marketing, Everence, Bristol, IN
“Connecting with other Anabaptist leaders in the Leadership Integrity Circles program was so wonderful. The most valuable part was being able to talk through situations we’re facing as leaders today.” —Steve Brenneman, Founder, ATC Trailers, Goshen, IN
“Leadership can be lonely and it is helpful to have a network of supporting people. Leadership Integrity Circles fostered solidarity as we shared our experiences and heard from other leaders that are facing the same challenges. We explored scriptural, leadership and organizational knowledge to help equip us as leaders.” —James Gunden, Retired IT Executive serving on several Anabaptist organization boards, Sellersville, PA
"What I appreciate about Leadership Integrity Circles is the intentional weave of professional insight with personal inspiration. It's nice to not feel isolated as a leader within the wider Mennonite world." —Ted Lewis, Restorative Justice Consultant and Trainer, Duluth, MN