250. BaaM & WaaM - At The Table with Patrick Lencioni Recap

Podcast: At The Table with Patrick Lencioni

Published: 2025-09-02

Duration: 19 min

Guests: Mike Sherrow

Summary

The episode explores the concept of businesses acting as ministries, emphasizing love and service over mere profit. It discusses how this approach can transform workplaces, even in public companies, and improve employee satisfaction and company performance.

What Happened

Patrick Lencioni introduces the concept of Business as a Ministry (BaaM), inspired by his meeting with Mike Sherrow from C12, an organization for Christian CEOs. The idea is to treat businesses as ministries, focusing on service and love, rather than just transactional relationships. Lencioni argues that even non-religious businesses can adopt this mindset to benefit employees and customers alike.

The discussion also touches on Work as a Ministry (WaaM), suggesting individuals can see their roles as opportunities to serve others, regardless of the company's stance. This personal approach can transform one's work experience and the impact they have on colleagues and clients.

Tim Sanders' book, 'Love is the Killer App,' is cited as a key influence on these ideas, highlighting how love and faith can drive better business outcomes than fear and greed. This approach is contrasted with fear-based management, which often leads to toxic work environments.

Anecdotes from companies like Jersey Mike's and personal stories are shared to illustrate how a ministry mindset can lead to more fulfilling work experiences and stronger corporate cultures. These examples show that when employees feel valued and cared for, they are more likely to thrive and remain loyal.

Lencioni also addresses the potential challenges in implementing these concepts in public companies, where shareholder expectations can be a significant factor. However, he argues that even shareholders appreciate companies that do meaningful work, alongside providing good returns.

The episode concludes with a call for leaders to be the first to adopt a ministry mindset in their organizations, regardless of industry. This can lead to a more engaged and committed workforce, ultimately benefiting the company's bottom line.

Key Insights

• Business as a Ministry (BaaM) encourages companies to focus on service and love rather than transactional relationships, which can benefit both employees and customers, regardless of the company's religious affiliation.
• Work as a Ministry (WaaM) suggests that individuals can view their roles as opportunities to serve others, potentially transforming their work experience and enhancing their impact on colleagues and clients.
• Tim Sanders' book 'Love is the Killer App' argues that love and faith can drive better business outcomes than fear and greed, contrasting with fear-based management that often leads to toxic work environments.
• Implementing a ministry mindset in public companies can be challenging due to shareholder expectations, but companies that do meaningful work alongside providing good returns are often appreciated by shareholders.