The Challenge of a Conflict of Interest

Scripture — Nehemiah 7:2 (NRSV)

I gave my brother Hanani charge over Jerusalem, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel—for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many.

Devotion

I have worked for Fuller Seminary’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership for almost ten years. Every year I have been asked to review Fuller’s “Conflict of Interest Policy.” Then, I have been required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest as well as to acknowledge my commitment to live according to the policy. Fuller’s concern reflects, in part, the requirements of any not-for-profit organization. It also testifies to Fuller’s expectation that all of its employees act ethically in full support of Fuller’s mission.

I doubt that Nehemiah had to fill out a “Conflict of Interest Policy and Disclosure Form,” such as I have done each year while working at Fuller. But it’s quite clear that Nehemiah was aware of the dangers related to conflicts of interest. You may recall that in Chapter 5 he describes how he did not receive income from the Jewish people to pay for the meals he provided for various officials. Nehemiah wanted to avoid any hint of profiting personally from his leadership position. Or, we might say he avoided a potential conflict of interest.

Chapter 7 of Nehemiah begins with a report that the wall-building project had been completed successfully. The wall was up and the doors were installed. Mission accomplished! Then, Nehemiah mentions a couple of people he appointed as leaders over Jerusalem: “I gave my brother Hanani charge over Jerusalem, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel—for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many” (7:2). The Hebrew original of this verse is somewhat ambiguous. We don’t know for sure whether the “faithful man” who “feared God more than many” was Hanani, Hananiah, or both.

I have a suspicion that Nehemiah was referring to Hanani in this description. Why? Because Hanani was Nehemiah’s brother. He was introduced in the second verse of Nehemiah as one who came from Jerusalem to tell Nehemiah about the dire state of the city (1:2). We don’t hear about him again until Chapter 7, where we learn that Nehemiah gave his brother “charge over Jerusalem” (7:2). We know that Nehemiah was an astute and wise leader. Surely he anticipated that his critics might accuse him of a conflict of interest when it came to his appointment of Hanani. After all, Hanani was Nehemiah’s own flesh and blood. Perhaps he was given his position, not because he deserved it, but because of his relationship with Nehemiah. Yet, Nehemiah knew his brother well. In particular, he knew that Hanani was “a faithful man who feared God more than many” (7:2). I think Nehemiah included this description to fend off any criticism related to conflict of interest.

As leaders, we are charged with seeking what is best for our organization and its mission. This means, among other things, that we need to hire the best people for jobs that need to be done. If you are hiring someone, however, it can be very tempting to hire a relative or a friend, even if that person is not the best person to do the job. And if you’ve been in a position to hire someone who was not your relative or friend, you know how hard it can be to tell your relative or friend that they didn’t get the job.

Concern for conflict of interest can sometimes work the other way, making it difficult for us to hire someone excellent but concerning whom there is some potential conflict of interest. For example, when I was Executive Director of the De Pree Center, I had an employee who needed some spiritually sensitive leadership coaching. I knew someone who would be perfect as her coach, a woman of spiritual depth and extensive coaching experience in non-profit settings. This woman would also give us a good price. And she had done lots of excellent coaching at Fuller. Perfect, right? Well, not quite right because this woman was my wife, Linda.

I considered other potential coaches for my employee but still felt strongly that Linda would be the best option. I knew, however, that Fuller would be concerned about conflict-of-interest matters. After all, I would be hiring my wife, thus enriching my family. So, I talked first with my boss about it. Then he talked with some of Fuller’s senior leaders. They came up with a solution that made sense to all. I would not hire my wife in this instance. Rather, she would be interviewed by my boss. If she seemed to be the best for this work, then my boss would hire her. I was “out of the loop” as it were.

Now, I realize this might seem like a whole lot of bother. But, even at the time, I recognized the importance of living by the high ethical standards established by Fuller. Plus, I didn’t want anyone to think that I had hired my wife for selfish reasons. More than anything, I wanted my employees to have the best coaching possible.

If you don’t work in a not-for-profit environment, you won’t confront some of the legal and ethical conflict-of-interest issues that come with non-profit work. But even if you’re the boss of the company you own, you would do well to consider how others view your leadership, especially those on your team. Do they see your decisions as guided by moral commitments? Do they know that you want what’s best for the organization and its mission? Or do they see you as someone who seeks personal gain or advantages for family and friends?

In a day in which leaders are often seen as greedy and motivated by self-interest, we who lead would do well to follow the example of Nehemiah. We should pay attention to issues of conflict of interest. We should always seek what is best, not for ourselves and our family or friends, but for the organization and its mission, and for the people we serve through our work.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: The Conflict of Interest That Saved David’s Life.