Ridley Hall, Cambridge

Faith in Business: Latest Programme

Motivation in Business - March 30th to April 1st, 2012

"Motivation in Business" will be held at Ridley Hall, Cambridge on Friday March 30th to Sunday April 1st. See below for more information, or download a conference flyer.

To book your place now and take advantage of the early bird prices, complete the conference flyer booking form or simply book here using our secure online payment processing system.

Quick links on this page:

• Conference rationale
• Conference format
• Speakers and topics
• Online booking

Conference rationale

What motivates us at work?

Is it the size of our pay packet and – depending on the sector we work in – the lure of a bonus for outstanding performance? Is it intellectual stimulus, joy in teamwork, or that mysterious entity we call job satisfaction? Is it the belief that we can make a positive difference to the quality of people’s lives through our work? What, if anything, gets us out of our bed on Monday morning with a spring in our step and a glint in our eye?

Closely linked to the question of motivation is the issue of ambition. What are our ambitions in business? Do we want to get to the top, and what methods are we prepared to use to do so? Are we simply ambitious for ourselves, or are we ambitious for our organisation? Do personal and corporate ambitions mesh together, or are they in tension?

Christian faith impinges on motivation and ambition...

...But how exactly? Does it encourage Christians to be mild and self-denying, to be followers rather than leaders? Or does it incite a passion to use our gifts and talents to the full? If we seek ‘the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God’ (Colossians 3:1), what bearing does this have on our earthly ambitions? What are appropriate Christian ambitions in the business world?

This conference will address in depth these and related questions. Its aim is to clarify delegates’ motivation and sharpen ambition in positive directions. It will draw on the accumulated wisdom of personal experience, while addressing the concerns and questions of younger participants who have recently embarked on their business career. It will have a cross-cultural dimension, exploring attitudes to motivation and ambition in Scandinavian and Chinese cultures as well as the UK.

A rich diet of inspiring talk and candid sharing lies in store for you. Attending this conference could be a life-changing experience…

Conference Format:

The conference will begin with registration at 5.30pm on Friday and close with lunch at 1pm on Sunday, and will offer a varied and stimulating palette of input from key speakers against a backdrop of prayerful worship. The weekend will include:

• opportunities to share personal experiences
• time to explore the city of Cambridge
• presentations on six key topics

Conference Speakers and Topics:

Adventuring with God: Beverley Shepherd, Management Training Consultant

Jesus invites us to join the great adventure of working with Him. He calls us to be fruitful, which may include success, but is wider and more lasting, and to be a blessed people who are a channel of blessing into the business world. Beverley speaks from her dual role as a consultant with a secular client base and responsibility for PrayerWorks at LICC.

Running a Social Enterprise: Andrew Tanswell, CEO, ToughStuff

Andrew Tanswell tells his personal story of motivation and inspiration which led him to co-found and lead ToughStuff, the remarkable social enterprise which is selling innovative solar-powered energy solutions to the very poorest people in Africa, lifting them out of poverty and protecting the environment.

Mind the Gap - Motivational Differences: Graeme Codrington, Founder, TomorrowToday

In a fast-changing world, the differences between older and younger generations are increasing. Today’s young people have different attitudes and expectations from their parents, and therefore different ambitions and motivators. An expert on global trends shows what makes us tick, and how to make the most of a multi-generational world.

Big Business and the Kingdom of God: Jim Wright, Consultant, Soterio

Multi-national public limited companies appear to run along predetermined lines set by shareholders’ demands. Can Christians influence such companies for the good? The former Human Resources director of a global pharmaceuticals company argues that they do have a significant contribution to make on major corporate issues.

Success and Significance - the Second Half: Harald Holt, Chair, Noroff AS

Today our working span can be close to 60 years, retirement can be productive and many have more than one career. Perspectives may change from a focus on success to concern for significance and impact. A former director at Telenor shares his experience of a career with ‘two halves’ in a Scandinavian context.

Motivation in China: Richard Higginson, Director, Faith in Business

The emergence of China is the major global event of the twenty-first century. The Chinese economy is growing apace, as is the Chinese church. Can Christians play a positive role in the workplace as the country faces the challenges ahead? The Director of Faith in Business draws on recent visits to reflect on what is motivating China today.

Online booking

Booking more than one place

If you wish to book places for several people, just enter the number of places needed in the 'quantity' box during the checkout process. You will also be given the opportunity during checkout to give the names of those you are booking in.

Special requirements

During the booking process you will have an opportunity to give details of any special dietary requirements, or any special mobility requirements which might help us in the allocation of your room.

Payment options

You can opt to pay in full now or to pay a non-returnable deposit now and the balance by March 16th. To pay your balance simply return to this webpage and click the appropriate payment link below. All payments are processed securely by WorldPay's online payment system, or via PayPal - both options are offered on checkout. You will receive an email confirming your booking. Refund policy

HOW TO BOOK

To book your place now on the conference, choose whether you would like to pay in full now or by deposit. Then simply choose whether you would like to be residential (standard or en-suite) or non-residential, and click the relevant link below.

Paying the full fee now (early bird prices until 13 February 2012)

To pay in full now, at the early bird price, click the appropriate link below:

• Residential standard place (full payment £240 - increases to £265 after the early bird deadline)
• Residential en-suite place (full payment fee £280 - increases to £305 after the early bird deadline)
  (en-suite places are still available but limited - book now to avoid disappointment)
• Non-residential place (full payment £170 - increases to £195 after the early bird deadline)

Paying a deposit now (for early bird rates book by February 13th)

To pay a deposit only now, click on the appropriate link below:

• Residential standard place (£50 deposit)
• Residential en-suite place (£50 deposit)
  (en-suite places are still available but limited - book now to avoid disappointment)
• Non-residential place (£50 deposit)

Paying your outstanding balance (by March 16th)

If you have paid your deposit and wish now to pay your outstanding balance, please choose the link below according to whether you paid your deposit before or after the early bird deadline of February 13th.

If you paid your deposit before or on February 13th:

• Residential standard place (outstanding balance £190)
• Residential en-suite place (outstanding balance £230)
• Non-residential place (outstanding balance £120)

If you paid your deposit after February 13th:

• Residential standard place (outstanding balance £215)
• Residential en-suite place (outstanding balance £255)
• Non-residential place (outstanding balance £145)

Sustaining a Business Recovery

Faith in Business conference - March 26-28 2010

'Sustaining a Business Recovery' was held at Ridley Hall, Cambridge on Friday March 26th to Sunday March 28th. See below for more information, or download a conference flyer.

Conference rationale

To talk of a business recovery may seem premature. After all, during July-September 2009 the UK economy shrunk for the sixth successive quarter; GDP fell by 4%. Yet stock markets are slowly recovering, and the cyclical nature of economic events suggests that a business recovery will indeed come. The challenge which we face is how to make that recovery sustainable. For all Gordon Brown’s rhetoric about boom and bust belonging to a past era, the global financial crisis of 2007-8 showed that claim to be illusory. The preceding ten years of dynamic growth were based on shaky foundations; deep-seated weaknesses and imbalances lay at the heart of the global economy.

To produce a sustainable business recovery it is therefore crucial to attend to systemic issues. We need to analyse what went wrong, not with a view to castigating scapegoats, but in order to learn constructive lessons. Although the primary responsibility for the crisis has been laid on bankers, since the seizing up of the financial markets triggered its outbreak, many others in society were implicated in the practices, trends and strategies which exacerbated the crisis: governments, regulators, investors and consumers. It is appropriate for all of us to do our share of soul-searching and fault-confessing, but then - believing in the power of forgiveness and hope - to move on, convinced that business still has a crucial role to play in God’s purposes for the world.

The conference, which will take place at Ridley Hall from March 26-28 2010, provides an opportunity to share some of the thinking that arose from the recent Consultation at St. George's House, Windsor and take it a stage further. It is likely to be of interest to anyone who cares about the recovery of business and the nature of that recovery – both people who work in business and those involved in business as customers and investors.

Faith in Business, directed by Dr Richard Higginson at Ridley Hall, has a proven record of running enjoyable, participative and productive conferences on topical and important workplace issues. These take place in the attractive setting of the college, within the context of Christian worship.

Where Now?

Reassessing Values and Direction in an Economic Downturn

Ethical Finance Consultation 2009

Meeting in the wake of the international financial crisis of the past eighteen months, a residential consultation took place on November 2-3, 2009, at St. George’s House, Windsor. Where Now? Reassessing Values and Direction in an Economic Downturn, was jointly sponsored by Faith in Business.

The gathering of twenty-two eminent leaders from the world of finance, business, government, academia and the church gave significant time to in-depth discussion of the economic issues challenging the world. It was organised by Dr Richard Higginson, Director of Faith in Business at Ridley Hall, and Gary McKeone, Programme Director at St George’s House.

Among the topics examined from a Christian perspective were the breakdown of trust – reward and responsibility; values and virtues; credit and debt; the shift of power from West to East; the change in the ethos and practice of banking; and hope for the future. A variety of opinions were shared in a frank, open, but friendly atmosphere. A fair measure of agreement was reached in identifying initiatives that could contribute significantly to a healthier future in coming years. In particular, participants agreed to work together on a new statement about the social good of banking.

While it is anticipated that this consultation will bear significant long term fruit, it is a precursor to a week-end conference on Sustaining a Business Recovery which will take place at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, from March 26-28 2010. Thinking from the Windsor consultation will be shared with a wider public so that Christians might take the conversation and actions flowing from it a stage further.

Download press release

Entrepreneurship - Faith in Business/Transforming Business Conference

Entrepreneurship is the practice of starting new organisations or revitalising mature organisations, particularly businesses, as a result of identifying opportunities. In one way or another (and frequently several) entrepreneurship involves innovation: the development of a new idea, product, technology, system, source of materials, capital resource, market or industry. It is often associated with the qualities of vision, passion, risk-taking, persistence and decisiveness.

Entrepreneurship is an ongoing social necessity, even – arguably especially – during times of economic downturn. This conference, which took place in March 2009 was intended for anyone interested in entrepreneurship: proven entrepreneurs, budding entrepreneurs, frustrated entrepreneurs, and people wanting to understand and encourage entrepreneurs. It drew richly on the experience of those who have practised entrepreneurship and thought deeply about the subject. Many thanks to all those who attended and contributed to what was a fascinating and enriching weekend.

Social Enterprise Workshop 2008

Combining Profit with Social Impact: Holy Grail or Viable Business Model?

From the provision of school meals and waste management in urban areas to the installation of low-cost solar energy systems, social entrepreneurs have been behind many of the most innovative developments in contemporary business.

Social enterprise is generally associated with not-for-profit organisations, but increasingly it is the explicit aim of some profit-making companies. What marks these out from other companies is that the business has primarily a social purpose, and the profits are reinvested in the business or the community. Products and services are usually aimed at poorer members of society.

This workshop held in May 2008 focused on two important questions.

First, the viability of social enterprise as a business model. Can it raise the finance and deliver the profits necessary to make it sustainable? Most investors are – understandably - hungry for financial returns, while some want their money used to build a better society. Is this a climate in which social enterprise can flourish? If so, is there any prospect of it becoming the dominant business model?

Second, the contribution of the Christian church. It is striking how many individuals involved in social enterprise are Christians. But could the church be doing more to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit in order to achieve social and spiritual goals? Often the church’s attitude to business is one of indifference, suspicion or hostility. Does the model of social enterprise have a better chance of eliciting the church’s blessing and support for enterprise in general?

The workshop consisted of several short 15-20 minute contributions, followed by discussion, and was highly participative.

Wholeness at Work - 2008 conference

Conference Papers

Papers from the Wholeness at Work Conference held in 2008 are available for download by clicking on the link below:

Wholeness at Work conference papers (pdf file, 1.18Mb)

For more information on Faith in Business Quarterly - the publication in which these papers appeared - see the FIBQ website.

Information

We live in a world which feels very fragmented. Many people experience a sharp segmentation between different parts of their lives, such as work, family and involvement in the local community. Work often appears as a series of thinly connected events, lacking a cohesive thread to pull them together. The notion of teamwork is apt to be used negatively – ‘don’t let the side down’ – rather than to foster, nurture and encourage. Attacks on religion in the public realm add to the already existing pressures for a sharp divide between the sacred and the secular. All this makes for a sense of disintegration, adding to people’s stress and contributing to a breakdown of their physical and mental health.

At the same time, there is a widespread longing for wholeness, a desire to live and work in a way which is integrated, where all the different parts interconnect consistently and meaningfully. This is felt both individually and corporately. More and more people want to work for organisations that treat them as if they really are ‘the company’s most valuable asset’ and which make a product or service of which they can feel proud. They want to work for organisations that respect them as individuals, which utilise their decision-making abilities and recognise the fact they have a life beyond work. Companies often encourage them by talking this sort of language but then belie it by the actual policies they implement.

So what can be done? How can we become more holistic – as individuals and through our work in society? How can we discover wholeness for ourselves and create wholeness in the organisations which we influence? And what have Christians to say or offer about all this?

This conference drew together those concerned with the quality of life experienced in organisations today. Planned by the Christian Consultants Group, it was of special interest to people who work in consultancy.

Consulting Christianity - Serving the Lord in an Advisory Capacity? A Report

The Crucial Insights Conference held at Ridley Hall Cambridge from 30 March to 1 April 2007 had three distinct aspects, which may be conveniently categorised under the sessions led by three pairs of speakers.

Ethical Challenges

The first was to examine the work that consultants do, the ethical dilemmas it raises and the perspective that Christian faith provides. The two sessions which took place on Saturday morning, led by Andrew Mayo and Philip Taylor, were devoted to this. Both entailed a combination of input from speakers and group discussion.

Andrew Mayo raised issues about the industry or type of organisations that consultants work for, viz:

• Is this an industry I am prepared to support in terms of their products/services?
• And in terms of the way in which it operates?
• If there are just some aspects I am unhappy with, would that preclude me from every part?
• Could I distinguish helping the employees from helping the organisation?

Andrew raised similar questions about the actual organisations we work for and the type of work that we do.

Group A took quite a demanding moral stance, saying that it was important to look at means as well as ends, to beware of self-justifying stories, and to ask whether we are being called or tempted into situation. Group B asked how we can make a difference, offering something that may be different from what the client asked – the values of the kingdom of God. Group C offered a quadrant with four different combinations of godly/ungodly and purpose/behaviour – with perhaps the most common being an organisation that has a good or godly purpose but behaviour that is ungodly or inconsistent with it. Group D thought that consultants were often in the business of ameliorating (or reducing the pain in) unsatisfactory situations, and that ‘you have to believe the work you do can be redemptive’.

Phil Taylor offered a similarly structured approach to the three issues of intellectual property, marketing and pricing. Intellectual property raises issues of what we create and how we share it; marketing issues of what we offer and how we promote it; pricing issues of what we charge and how we value it. In each case he posed the question ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ and made pertinent observations. The overall thrust of his remarks and the comments made in groups was to recognise our responsibilities as stewards and commend generosity (re intellectual property), truthfulness (re marketing) and fairness - not incompatible with highness - (re pricing) but we recognised the nuances and complexities of each issue.

The overall feeling with both Andrew and Phil’s sessions was that they offered a valuable way into the issues but that we only got so far in our group discussions. There was therefore a strong sense of unfinished business!

Inspiration

The second aspect of the conference was an inspirational, devotional and conscience-raising dimension. This marked the sessions led by Prabhu Guptara and Beverley Shepherd on Saturday afternoon and evening. Although very different in content and style, Prabhu and Beverley actually complemented each other superbly.

Prabhu Guptara, from his distinctive vantage-point at UBS Wolfsberg where he draws on and interacts with many leading businesspeople, asked the question: why are so few Christian consultants top-class? Why are they not better-known, leaders in their field, and charging top-level fees? He challenged the consultants present to raise their game and spur each other on to do so, developing ‘brands’ whereby they are known for the excellent product or service they offer. Christian consultants should be agents of the kingdom of God, bringing healing, blessing, justice, good news, greater corporate social responsibility… No industry is ‘OK’; all are tainted; but there is scope for working to change for the better across the business spectrum.

Believers need to deploy their resources more effectively, working in co-operation. This may entail pursuing a variety of strategies. Some consultants may work more in a prophetic mould, offering radical critique; others more in the role of ‘moles’, working to change organisations and systems from the inside. (Richard Higginson later suggested a biblical parallel from 1 Kings 18, where Elijah the prophet and Obadiah the palace manager represent two different modes of response to the Israelite king Ahab.) The different types need to appreciate each other.

Prabhu encouraged the audience to be more ambitious: Beverley did not dampen our ambitions but warned us to be wary of attempting great things in our own strength. She based her talk on Proverbs 3:5: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding’. She noted several symptoms of trusting in one’s own understanding:
Self-reliance, which actually breeds insecurity, and is revealed in perfectionism, people-pleasing, activism, a saviour mentality and striving. The admission of an activist is: “I relax on the treadmill at the gym’.
Being bruised – whereby we get shattered rather than shaken by the events of life e.g. redundancy, a loss of business, etc
A consultant mentality – which leads to an attitude of ‘God is rather lucky to have us on his team’, and presumes to act on God’s behalf without nurturing a relationship with him.

Beverley Shepherd argued that for consultants to be truly effective, and used by God, there need to be three movements. These are from self-reliance to the practice of being sons and daughters of the living God; from being bruised to being blessed; and from a consultant mentality to a child mentality, rightly understood in relationship to God. The end result will be a change from wimps to warriors!

Re-forming a Group

The third aspect of the conference concerned the history of the Christian Consultants Group (which has met at Ridley Hall for ten years) and its possible reconstitution with a fresh aim and objectives. Calvert Markham on Friday evening and Richard Higginson on Sunday morning both addressed this issue. Calvert showed how the idea of a Christian consultants group is rooted in notions of professional loyalty, a community of practice and common interest groups. It raises the question of how Christian faith ‘adds value’ rather than simply specifying ‘no go ‘ areas. Richard outlined the initial thinking of the group which had organised the conference, that a re-formed group should be a force for good, perceived as relevant, more structured than hitherto and a place of scholarship. His talk led to a period of group and then plenary discussion that emerged with the following conclusion.

There was unanimous support for a re-formed Christian consultants group which would have a twofold purpose. The first would be that which had strongly characterised the previous group: the provision of mutual support, fellowship and nurture – an aim which can be summed up in the word ministry. The second would be along the lines indicated by Prabhu, in terms of making a significant impact on the world of work in which consultants operate: changing, adding value in and redeeming the world of work – an aim which can be summed up in the word mission.

It is notable that the phrase ‘redeeming the world of work’ was preferred to the more general ‘being a force for good’. The former is seen as bringing the world into line with God’s intentions and building the kingdom of God; it also recognises the costly element entailed in transformative change. Note also that the two aims are interdependent. The nurture/support dimension is essential for redeeming the world of work to happen.

Other significant suggestions to emerge from the plenary session were:

• The idea of developing satellite groups meeting in different places and concerned with different issues
• Developing a group specifically for growth-oriented consultancy businesses
• Holding an annual conference for Christian consultants – some participants who could not commit to being involved in a more ongoing way expressed enthusiasm for that

The re-formed Christian Consultants Group has met twice since the conference, on 8 June and 15 October 2007. The next meeting is scheduled for 4 February 2008. For more information on the group see www.crucialinsights.org.uk

Richard Higginson

Past, Present and Future: Christian Faith and Business Practice

The conference which we held at Ridley from 7 to 9 April 2006 fitted into our recent pattern of holding our main annual Faith in Business event around Easter. In that sense there was nothing unusual about it. However, we gave the conference a special 125th anniversary feel by entitling it Past, Present and Future. Over 40 people attended, and as usual there was an excellent mix of stimulating input, lively discussion and enthusiastic networking.

First, we considered the Past, in that we looked back over Ridley’s history and charted the changing relationship between business and Christianity. Peter Heslam surveyed the college’s early years under Handley Moule, when the British Empire was at its peak, and noted that a high proportion of early Ridley ordinands became overseas missionaries. Christianity, commerce and civilisation were seen as inextricably woven together. While there were dangers in that approach, there is a curious sense of history having come full circle in that some of the best opportunities for overseas mission currently lie in the jet stream of Christian businesspeople facilitating local entrepreneurs and finding business solutions to Third World poverty.

Next stop was the post-war era, when Ridley produced so many gifted ordinands who went on to make a huge contribution in the church: John Stott, David Sheppard, Michael Green, David Watson… It was a period when depth of Christian commitment was apt to be measured by whether you became a minister or a missionary. However, some enthusiastic graduates bucked the trend and went into business. We were fortunate to have three Christian businesspeople from that era who described why - and discovered in time an alternative ‘vocation’. Sir Fred Catherwood forged the way, writing a seminal book, The Christian in Industrial Society, which was virtually alone in the field for 20 years. James Allcock grappled with dark issues in the energy industry and rose to a senior position in British Gas. Sandy Landale faced similarly challenging situations in the world of West Midlands engineering and found inspiration in Colossians 1:17: ‘In Christ all things hold together’.

Next we took stock of the Present. Eve Poole is currently engaged in doctoral research on the Church of England’s responses to capitalism since 1989. She has studied debates on economic issues in General Synod, which have focused on investment, debt, trade and state intervention. The evidence suggests that Synod still has an ‘old Labour’ feel, with a strong preference for a regulated and protected economy built on strong public sector supports. She dared to propose that the Church actually needs a more rigorous and imaginative theology to undergird its economic thinking. Tim Harle cast an expert eye on recent writing on leadership and management. He noted how many of the most influential authors - Adair, Handy, Drucker, Covey - do have a Christian background of sorts. Even though clergy often tend to distance themselves from ‘secular’ thinking - as with the archdeacon who winced at the phrase ‘project management’, or those who protest “I’m called to be a priest, not a manager’ - the fact is that there is a substantial degree of overlap between leadership in the church and leadership in the world. The images of leadership found in the Ordinal (servant, shepherd, messenger, watchman and steward) find close parallels in the best of the MBA literature.

Finally, we looked ahead to the Future, seeking constructive strategies as to how the process that I call mutual marginalisation can be reversed - with Christian faith and business practice coming closer together. Jim Wright believes that Christians have a crucial role to play in subverting unbiblical views about work both in the world and the church. Many companies are engaged in heart-searching debates or face intractable problems in the areas of organisational purpose, values, understanding of human nature, relationships, trust, busyness and life-work balance. If Christians were equipped and energised to make a significant contribution in these areas, there is genuine scope for reclaiming business for the Kingdom. I considered the gulf more from the church end, and suggested a five-point strategy for church leaders (ordained and lay) in terms of learning, teaching, praying, networking and celebrating. In particular I emphasised the importance of providing a biblical framework for understanding business, of learning to preach with ‘workers’ eyes’ and of affirming work imaginatively in worship. If Christians at work are motivated to do their job well (providing a quality product and service), to take a positive role in shaping corporate discussion (developing expertise in the articulation of vision and values), to become social entrepreneurs (creating companies with real social purpose), then their witness will have real credibility - and they will be better positioned to ‘defend the hope that is within them’ (1 Peter 3:15).