The Moral Law and Your Hiring Decisions

Feb 26

If C.S. Lewis were sitting across from me this week, I imagine he would begin with a question.

Why do we all know when something is unfair?

In the opening chapters of Mere Christianity, Lewis argues that across cultures and centuries, humans appeal to a common standard. Fair play. Unselfishness. Courage. Good faith. Honesty. Truthfulness. We argue about whether someone broke the rule, but rarely about whether the rule exists.

Lewis calls this The Moral Law. He insists it is not merely instinct or social convention. It points to a Mind behind the universe. A standard written into us.

And as I read those first five chapters through a business leader’s lens, I kept thinking about one thing: This is exactly what we are looking for when we build a team.

A coach once told me that every employee must have three things: integrity, intelligence, and motivation; and that integrity is the most important of these three.

I have found that to be true.

Without integrity, intelligence becomes manipulation.
Without integrity, motivation becomes self-promotion.
Without integrity, trust disappears.

And as Patrick Lencioni reminds us, the absence of trust is the first dysfunction of a team. Lewis would likely say that when integrity collapses, it is not merely a performance issue. It is a violation of The Moral Law we all secretly depend on.

How Do You Test for Integrity?

Frankly put - it is difficult.

You cannot measure it on a resume. I screen for it by listening to the stories prospective employees share with me…Moments when the harder right was chosen over the easier wrong; examples of selfless service; times when values held firm under stress.

I also listen carefully when someone describes their ideal future.

Is it entirely about personal gain?

Or does it include contribution, community impact, and service?

In other words, do they acknowledge and live by an internal moral law that will strengthen the team?

When you seek to grow your team, you are not just hiring for skill.
You are inviting someone into a shared moral ecosystem.

What About Lapses?

Even when we hire well, integrity will be tested.

When it comes to mistakes or trespasses, I am not a zero-tolerance leader by nature. I believe it is our team, not my team. When a lapse happens, the team should be heard. Alignment matters. Buy-in matters.

Personnel decisions are rarely simple. But that is the burden that comes with saying ‘yes’ to leadership.

Lewis reminds us that none of us fully live up to The Moral Law. We all fail it at some point(s). The question is not whether failure exists, but how we respond to it. And this is where leadership must be both firm and gracious.

Forgiveness and love are not optional for Christian leaders.

Forgiveness means releasing the hurt and anger from your own heart.
Love does not always mean allowing.
Sometimes love requires discipline.
Sometimes love requires separation.

But even in separation, we hope for the person’s future good. While the team may need protection, the individual still deserves dignity.

A Final Reflection

If there truly is a Moral Law written into us, and a Mind behind it all, then leadership is not merely strategic. It is moral.

We are stewards of culture.
Guardians of trust.
Builders of environments where fairness, courage, and truth can flourish.

This week, I challenge you to ask yourself:

Am I building a team that honors The Moral Law?
Am I hiring and leading in a way that strengthens trust?
And when integrity is tested, am I responding with both clarity and love?

Great leaders do not ignore morality. They build upon it.

Stay steady.