Kingdom At Work
Break the Bias, Build the Kingdom: What CEOs Can’t Afford to Ignore
Let’s be honest—bias isn’t a fun topic. But when we bring it into the light, transformation begins.
What if we, as CEOs, could influence the building of teams that are not only high-performing, but also reflective of the Kingdom? That starts by confronting both our explicit and implicit biases—and creating a culture where our teams are invited to do the same.
The Moneyball Mirror
Think back to the movie Moneyball. Brad Pitt plays the GM of a failing baseball team. The scouts around him are evaluating players with statements like:
“The ball just flies off his bat.”
“He’s got a great build.”
“He’s got an ugly girlfriend.”
None of it had anything to do with the actual goal: scoring runs.
Now shift that scene to the boardroom. How often do we make hiring or promotion decisions based on gut feelings?
“He’s a great guy.”
“She’s fun to be around.”
“They just don’t feel like a culture fit.”
That’s not discernment. That’s bias. And that’s not how the Kingdom operates.
Bias Has a Seat at the Table—Unless You Kick It Out
Explicit bias is easy to spot – conscious, known, or verbalized preferences or prejudices that influence decisions, even when they’re not tied to actual performance or outcomes.
But implicit bias is sneakier—and far more dangerous. They’re the quiet, automatic judgments we make about people—often based on familiarity, comfort, or stereotypes—that shape our decisions without us ever realizing it.
It doesn’t just shape who we see as “leadership material.” It shapes who gets mentored. Who gets invited into inner circles. Who gets opportunities that stretch and grow them—and who gets left out.
This isn’t about political correctness. It’s about Kingdom clarity.
When we allow bias to guide us, we’re not just making poor decisions. We’re missing God’s design. We’re essentially saying,
“I know better than God who should be elevated.”
And that’s a dangerous place to lead from.
Bias Doesn’t Shout—It Whispers
One of our leaders recently sat in on an interview. Afterward, the hiring manager said:
“I just really liked her. She felt like one of us.”
But when asked for specifics? They couldn’t name a single example tied to the candidate’s core values, job performance, or problem-solving. It was just… a vibe.
How often do we confuse charisma with competence?
How often do we hire ourselves—a more charming, polished version?
The scary part? We don’t even realize we’re doing it.
Be Intentional, Not Biased
As Kingdom leaders, we don’t fight bias with guilt—we fight it with intentionality. Here are five principles that can help us pursue Kingdom clarity in hiring and development:
1. Stories Over Sentiment
Avoid vague praise like “great guy” or “natural leader.” Instead, ask: What stories did I hear that show alignment with our core values? If you can’t point to a story, you may be relying on intuition over truth—and intuition is often where bias hides.
2. Invite Diverse Voices to the Table
The Kingdom of God is richly diverse. When we invite people who don’t think, look, or lead like us into hiring and promotion conversations, we reflect more of His design—and begin building teams that look more like the Kingdom. This isn’t about checking a diversity box. It’s about humbly recognizing our blind spots and trusting that God speaks through all kinds of people—not just those who look or sound like us.
3. Name It
Start people decisions with prayer and awareness: Let’s be mindful of our biases. Let’s ask God to show us what we can’t see. That’s not weakness—it’s spiritual maturity. Naming bias disarms its power and invites God’s clarity into the process.
Use this Harvard assessment as a tool to see what race-biases you might unintentionally be holding. This assessment must be completed on a desktop. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/Study?tid=-1
4. Kingdom Lens
We’re not just hiring team members—we’re stewarding image-bearers. These aren’t roles to fill; they’re callings to nurture. When we evaluate people with reverence for their God-given design, we stop building teams in our image and start building them in His.
Pray this prayer as you prepare your heart to see others as God does:
Abba,
You created me in Your image, and I confess that my heart is prone to bias—often unseen and unspoken. Forgive me when I choose charisma over character, comfort over calling, or familiarity over faithfulness.
Open my eyes to see people as You see them. Give me courage to name my biases, humility to learn from voices unlike my own, and discernment to steward well the callings of those around me.
Holy Spirit, remind me that leadership is not about my preferences, but about Your purpose. Help me follow the example of Jesus, choosing the overlooked and leading with grace, intentionality, and Kingdom clarity.
In Your holy name, amen.
Download this prayer, here.
5. Check the First Five
Research shows most managers decide how they feel about a candidate in the first five minutes—and then spend the rest of the interview confirming that bias. Fight that instinct. Don’t trust your gut alone. Ask deeper questions. Look for fruit. Discern calling over chemistry.
CEOs: You Set the Tone
The culture of bias or breakthrough begins with you. If you make decisions based on comfort and chemistry, your team will too.
But if you lead with spiritual discernment—elevating people not because they feel familiar, but because they are called—you’ll build teams that look more like the Kingdom and less like a mirror of yourself.
Ask yourself:
- Who do I instinctively “click” with—and who do I avoid?
- What kinds of people do I consistently promote?
- Where might my impact be blocked by my own bias?
Jesus didn’t choose His disciples based on charisma or credentials. He chose the overlooked. The underestimated. The unexpected. Let’s follow His example.
This topic was originally taught at a Betenbough Companies Leaders Summit—a monthly gathering where our leaders engage deeply with a Kingdom principle. We don’t just talk theory; we wrestle through real examples, challenge one another, and leave changed.
If your leadership team is hungry for similar depth, consider exploring Action Groups—CEO-level roundtables that go beyond surface conversations to dive deep into Kingdom principles, peer accountability, and real transformation.