In the pursuit of profits, business ethics often get lost or forgotten – or simply ignored altogether. But in the grand scheme of things, ethical business practices are vital to the success of any business, no matter how large or how small that business may be. This includes your business.

Business ethics are not written in stone. There is no set guide to go by. Instead, business ethics simply means conducting your business in a way that is both honest and moral, whatever that means in your particular industry. There was a time when ethics played little or no role in business practices. Today, however, consumers, employees, and businesses that serve other businesses are extremely informed, and business ethics are more important than ever.

While there is no written guideline for business ethics, there are specific areas that are covered. These include general business ethics, professional ethics, and even ethics of economical systems. For example, insider trading has a strong, negative impact on the economy, and therefore, it is not an ethical business practice. It also is not a legal business practice. Insider trading would be considered a breach of ethics concerning economical systems.

Not all breaches of ethics are illegal, however. Some are just frowned upon, while ignoring some business ethic principles can literally ruin your reputation and put you out of business, even though it won’t send you to prison. Let’s take a look at some of the more important business ethics that you should be aware of:

Ethics that concern consumers. – This would include things such as developing quality products, charging a fair amount for the product, backing the product with a guarantee and honoring that guarantee, and making sure that your customers – consumers – are completely satisfied in their business transactions with you. It also entails providing safe products for consumers, and advertising those products in an ethical – truthful – manner.

Business ethics – concerning business-to-business transactions – Obviously, you should conduct business with other business owners in an ethical manner. Failing to pay vendors is not ethical. Ruining the reputation of a vendor, without just cause, is not ethical. Asking another business to do something illegal is not ethical. Getting creative with the accounting is not ethical. Bribery, kickbacks, and other types of transactions such as this, of course, are not ethical, and are illegal in most cases.

Employee ethics – Just as you expect your employees to hold up to a certain set of standards, your employees expect you to hold up to a certain set of standards as well. Most people will remember the Enron scandal for years, and many business schools will hold the Enron scandal up as an example in their business ethics classes for the rest of time. Other ethical concerns that relate to employees include discrimination, sexual harassment, union busting, privacy issues, and even work place surveillance, such as reading the email of employees, or listening in on their personal phone calls.

If you are a business owner, and you have never taken a course in business ethics, you should really consider doing so. Such classes are offered at most local colleges, and are even available online. Know what is and what is not acceptable in the business world, and you will be better able to help your business grow and succeed, with your reputation intact.

This and other topics that deal with corporate communications, business to customer relationships, and sales training through Collective Vision are just some of the topics discuss.

And now I would like to offer you one of my book chapters absolutely free. You can get instant access at this web

From Jed A. Reay – The Communicator/Connector and Visionary Master Sales Trainer.

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Tags: ethics, moral, behaviour, theory, issues

I received an email today from a person wanting to know what is the rule of thumb regarding gratuity for cleaning and janitorial staff. Being in the cleaning field over 10 years and receiving tips, and also knowing how cleaning staff wants to be treated, I would believe this to be proper.

Household Cleaners and Residential Cleaners– (Owners or Staff) 10%-15% of the price you pay for service. Lets face it folks you go out to dinner and pay the waiter or waitress this amount of the bill (or at least I hope you do)You are entrusting this person to you home, normal cleanings depending on the size of your dwelling can be 3-4 hours if not longer. If you receive superior service a gratuity is appreciated.

Carpet Cleaners– (Owners or Staff) If you receive carpet cleaning in your home or business , and the carpet cleaner goes out of his/ her way to give you superior service by moving furniture, extra stain removal, giving you a fair price on service a 10% to 15% gratuity is appreciated. Having a loyal carpet cleaning service is bonus. You should have your home or business carpet cleaned a minimum of 4 times a year depending on foot traffic. Also the occasional spill or stain that happens having a carpet cleaner who is quick to respond to your immediate requests is beneficial.

Window Washers and Window Cleaners–(Owners or Staff) Usually receive a $2-$4 tip per commercial location, on residential home window washings 5% is common, if the staff or owner is performing ladder work, two story or above outside window washings that the level of risk or danger is increased. A gratuity of 10%-20% is appreciated.

Janitorial Service-(Owners or Staff) Commercial locations. No gratuity is required. In multiple office center locations where staff cleans your personal office, and the bill for such cleaning services is paid by corporate. Leaving a Thank You note to the cleaner on your desk is appreciated or calling the Janitorial Service Owners office with appreciation for a certain staff member in the long run will improve this staffers wages and benefits. In smaller locations where personalized one on one service is more present follow the above guidelines, unless your janitorial staff is the owner of the company then remember a holiday tip or gift in the range of $50-$100 is usually given.

In all situations of cleaning, as long as you are receiving good service, good value and a friendly person who you communicate with, awards of gratuity should be given. In the same sense if the service does not meet your standards you should tell the owner of the service to improve performance. Do not forget that in all cases you are entrusting cleaning services and owners with all your personal belongings or valuables, the health and well being of your staff or family, and the safety of your home or business. Alot of responsibility managed well always deserves extra appreciation.

Kevin Carnahan Founder is the founder(IJCSA) International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association

Owner; Purity Cleaning

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Tags:ethical, behaviour, business, corporate, training

Insert punch line here: ________.

Okay, now that’s out of the way…

They have something else in common. Confidentiality. A priest can’t rat you out to your neighbors if you confess to being the one who egged their houses on Halloween. A doctor can’t tell everyone at the cocktail party about the nasty infection you have from doing ________ and failing to ________. Your lawyer can’t call the DA’s office and advise them of some potential weaknesses in your testimony a few days before the trial starts.

Maybe “can’t” is a little strong. The law does carve out a few exceptions in very specific situations and more than one member of “Team Secret” has improperly spilled the beans, but none of those people are supposed to be sharing the details of your interactions.

You should have at least as much faith in your ghostwriter to keep things hush-hush. Anyone ghostwriting or doing writing on a “work for hire” basis should be just as tight-lipped as a priest, doctor or lawyer.

I was inspired to address this topic after noticing another writer mentioning where some of his/her work was appearing online, even though the materials were ghostwritten and (intentionally) didn’t have a byline. Although the comments weren’t the kind of thing that would be likely to crush a project and didn’t necessarily represent a reason for the buyer to be annoyed with the writer, they did get me thinking about how writers should approach confidentiality concerns.

Personally, as a writer I know how to keep a secret. Here’s what that means to my clients:

* You can discuss your projects and plans, even before we reach an agreement, without worrying about having them shared with competitors and others. I will make sure that understanding is part of our written record of communication or will gladly sign a non-disclosure agreement or any other document assuring you that your secrets are safe.

* You don’t have to worry about me turning down an assignment, doing it for myself, and reaping the rewards.

* You own the writing upon payment and that means more than reaping the financial rewards. It also means I won’t be telling the rest of the world what I wrote and for whom.

* The work won’t end up as one of my portfolio samples without your expressed consent. If you do agree to let me use part of the work to hawk my wares, it will be provided to others in the form of a PDF file, not as another readily-accessible web page. I won’t tell others where it appears, etc. It will also be given only to prospective clients who expressly agree to maintain an appropriate level of discretion.

There are a lot of things to consider when one outsources a key component of their online business to a writer. Confidentiality concerns might not be the first thing on the list that come to mind, but they can be important.

If you are buying “work for hire,” deal with someone who can keep a secret.

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Visit Content Done Better when you need a professional content writer!

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Tags: office, ethics, behaviour, conduct, issue

Men cease to interest us when we find their limitations. The sin is limitations. As soon as you once come up to a man’s limitations, it is all over with him. – Emerson

Many people wonder about the trends of unethical conduct by today’s leaders. Obviously, some executives and government officials have not upheld the standards of their positions by not stopping the unethical behavior among their peers.

If an observer was to review past leaders’ conduct, one would be able to appreciate the ethics involved for 21st century organizations. There are still problems to solve and challenges to discover. As people continue to be hired or elected in order to gain power for the wrong reasons, society will continue to see unethical conduct. However, people must expect high standards from today’s leaders and never compromise their own principles in the process.

Organizations can be most effective when they build their organizations around shared values. However, leaders must buy-in and become value advocates. Leaders must model the way, and they must demand proper ethical behaviors from their peers. This can be clearly understood from a biblical context. 1 Corinthians 15:33 reads, “Don’t fool yourselves. Bad friends will destroy you.” People, especially leaders, need to pick their friends and associates carefully.

President Harry Truman said, “Men make history, and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.”
Therefore, it is important that leaders align themselves with the right people.

Just as God provided Adam the instructions to lead humanity, leaders must provide a blueprint for greater ethical conduct for others. Therefore, this responsibility is in the hands of today’s leaders’ hands.

Daryl D. Green has published over 100 articles in the field of decision-making (personal and organizational), leadership, and organizational behavior. Mr. Green is also the author of four books, including More than a Conqueror: Achieving Personal Fulfillment in Government Service. Do you want to improve your life? Do you want to make better decisions? If you answer “yes,” then go to the ‘master decision-making’ website at this site.

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Tags: ethical, behaviour, conduct, code, leadership

23 years of loyalty and dedication – and what did I get for it? Fired! Yes, I am down – struggling to start a business, ostracized from a field that I was a leader in for over 20 years and financially on the edge, but do not count me out! Yes, I am trying to pull my life together and move on, but you can’t move on without clearly understanding the past. If reading my story today compels one person to go into their office tomorrow and request that any and all promises of equity, stock, options, or promotion or compensation plans be verified in writing, then I will have accomplished my goal. If your requests are turned down – start making plans to cut the cord and find another career opportunity, for you have just become expendable! I myself shook off the suggestions of good friends, advisors and family members when they questioned my unbridled loyalty with the lack of ink on a page. I shook them off for years, but I am telling you that in the end you will have nothing to show for it. I am sure I am not alone, but I am hopeful this elicits a response of others who have lived through the experience like I have and are glad to find a “kindred spirit” out here.

I ask myself how could this have happened and now in looking back, obviously this was the only way I was ever going to extricate myself from the narcissist that I worked for – who was more interested in finding a scapegoat for the failure of his business than he was in taking his share of the responsibility.

Ken Lay and Bernie Ebbers, move over! Have I got a guy for you. His name is not important – actually nothing about him is. He is a small man, with a small mind but a large ego. I was in business with him for 23 years. And when I no longer served his purpose or his ego and he had found another “handmaiden” to believe that he was an industry visionary and brilliant business man, I was thrown overboard.

Of course, he did not do it alone – he had allies. There were backstabbers in the company that took every opportunity to gain favor with him during those tumultuous last weeks. I thought many of them were my friends. Silly of my to believe the staff that I personally had hired over all those years would stand up for me as I had for them countless times in the past. There were one or two bright spots, those who stood by me and stood up to him and left when they realized his stories made no logical sense.

He hired a firm to help him get rid of me and find a scapegoat for his financial problems. Could I have been so blinded with emotions and loyalty that I actually could not see what was happening until I was being walked out of the building by his hired “hatchet men” in front the employees that I had hired and trained and nurtured? I don’t know if the word is immature or trusting – but in retrospect, I would have to call it emotional blindness. I never wanted to see it, so I closed my eyes.

But what this all comes down to in the end was that I believed in his words. And I found out the hard way that words have no meaning when the Almighty Dollar – or long-term loyalty is involved. For 23 years I was told I would receive part of the business when it was sold – but now that it was sold over a year ago, I am forced to sue for my share. And in order to prove that two years of telling people that I stole millions of dollars from him was his way of shining the spotlight of deceit and fraud away from his own actions, I am suing him. In order to be repaid $100,000 for products purchased on my personal credit cards in order to “help the company” stay afloat, I am suing him.

He smugly thinks he has ruined me. The truth is he could never ruin me. He is the one who is ruined. He has threatened employees, vendors, customers and even friends in order to make himself look like a victim. I am sure to most people, he looks like a buffoon. By and large, I have chosen to remain silent for the past two years. I will now speak for myself and hopefully my words will ring out for the rest of my days. I will speak for myself and hopefully people who had thought to give him the benefit of the doubt will understand that I was not able to see the forest for the trees during that terrible time. I will speak for myself but realize that never again will words be enough for me to believe in empty, verbal promises of the future.

I will actually take no pleasure in watching him squirm. After all, I did trust him and care for him like a brother for almost half of my life. People ask me if we had an intimate relationship. Yes, we co-founded a business and worked together daily for over 23 years. It does not get more intellectually and emotionally intimate than that? You are wondering was there more between us? Yes! I considered his wife, his children, and extended family part of my family. Believe me, betrayal in the boardroom is just as devastating as betrayal in the bedroom!

As my case is making its way through the courts, people always want to know what I am looking to gain from this. Since I have come to the realization a narcissist is incapable of empathy, I am not looking for apologies, but what is rightfully mine. As those who know him would attest, money is all that matters to him. Being forced to give money to me is the only way he will feel any of the pain I have felt. I want what is rightfully mine and for him to pay for the consequences of the lies and the financial consequences his actions have cost me. I want my compensation earned, a severance package for the years I gave the company, my share of the profits from the sale of a company that I built, the loss of earnings I may have realized due to the fact that companies, colleagues, and co-workers I worked with for years will no longer speak to me because of his threats and lies.

I want those who felt there are no consequences about perpetuating the lies for him to be exposed as petty and shallow people. I want them to have to face me during their depositions and later in court. I want them to know what their words and actions personally cost them and how it affected their professional reputations. Will they be able to lie under oath? Doubtful, now that they no longer work for him – but that is not an excuse for their behavior. I wonder where has personal responsibility for speaking and spreading the truth in this culture gone. Most people feel they can hide behind their phone, their computer screen, their own survival needs. This public procedure may be a rude awakening for this group of cowards.

Too often we get caught up on the business of doing business and forget that we must protect ourselves and our family – first and foremost. Take the time to think if you are compromising your ideals, your values, or personal integrity to keep your job. Summon up the courage to ask for what you have been promised. Do not take “the word” of someone who knows how to manipulate you rather than the real commitment that a written document secures. I wish you success and hope the people you work for are honest and ethical! If they are not, find new ones, or take the plunge and finally start your own business. If you are being told you are going to share in the riches of the company in the unidentified future, you are probably smart enough to start your own business being the type of boss that you want to be? Truly, that is the type of company we all deserve to work for?

I am currently starting an online support group for those who have suffered betrayal after a long period of employment. I look forward to hearing from you and deciding how to best reach out to each other.

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Tags: ethical, behaviour, moral, value, personality

Business ethics has become and has remained a popular news topic in today’s world thanks to Enron, Tyco, WorldCom, Adelphia, et al. We have read and heard about the “waiving of the ethics code or standard” and where compromises were made to ethical standards for business advantages. And now we hear about zero tolerance for unethical behavior. It now seems as though the pendulum is swinging strongly in the direction of zero tolerance for unethical behavior based upon the reactions to ethics misconduct cases across the corporate landscape.

Good business leaders have ethics, character and integrity. To lead and operate an ethical organization, you have to create an environment for your people that allows them to operate in an ethical manner. Here are ten (10) tips from your strategic thinking business coach on how to build an environment of ethical behavior.

Tip #1: Create and adopt a formal written Company Code of Ethics for your business and distribute a copy to all employees.

Tip #2: Create and implement a formal system for reviewing, updating and enforcing the Company Code of Ethics.

Tip #3: Communicate the Company Code of Ethics and provide orientation and training for all employees.

Tip #4: Commit to ongoing training and reinforcement of ethical behavior and require employees to take refresher ethics course.

Tip #5: Lead by example and “walk the talk” of following the adopted Company Code of Ethics.

Tip #6: Reward ethical conduct.

Tip #7: Deal with unethical behavior swiftly, firmly and justly when it occurs. Everyone must be treated in the same fair and impartial manner.

Tip #8: Encourage all employees to take responsibility for their behavior and maintain a strong personal code of ethics.

Tip #9: Appoint an ombudsman or other confidential channel for employees to voice their concerns or report unethical behavior in a confidential manner and without fear of retribution. Appoint a formal committee to consider ethical issues in accordance with the Company Code of Ethics.

Tip #10: Promote zero tolerance for unethical behavior.

Your strategic thinking business coach encourages you to develop a code of ethics for your business and a personal code of ethics. If you would like to learn more about creating an environment of ethical behavior in your business and how a strategic thinking business coach can facilitate and guide you in that endeavor, please contact Glenn Ebersole today through his website here.

Glenn Ebersole, Jr. is a multi-faceted professional, who is recognized as a visionary, guide and facilitator in the fields of business coaching, marketing, public relations, management, strategic planning and engineering. Glenn is the Founder and Chief Executive of two Lancaster, PA based consulting practices: The Renaissance Group, a creative marketing, public relations, strategic planning and business development consulting firm and J. G. Ebersole Associates, an independent professional engineering, marketing, and management consulting firm. He is a Certified Facilitator and serves as a business coach and a strategic planning facilitator and consultant to a diverse list of clients. Glenn is also the author of a monthly newsletter, “Glenn’s Guiding Lines – Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach” and has published more than 250 articles on business.

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Tags: ethical, behaviour, business, corporate, training

Many Westerners who come over to oriental societies have to immediate grapple with one reality – the strong culture and presence of gifts-giving and even bribery that takes place in our societies. It can range from the blatant (Indonesia or Vietnam) to the indirect (China or Philippines) to the “legalised and regulated” (Singapore!).

I remembered my first encounter with gifts as a teacher – I got a very expensive book from a parent. It was very, very difficult for me to return that gift without offending the parent so I approached my principal for advice. Public servants in Singapore (of whom teachers are a part of) have very strict instructions regarding gifts (declare value, report to superiors, etc), to avoid any problems or even appearance of bribery. I decided to make that book publicly available to all my colleagues.

Over at the Shanghai Singapore International School, I encountered Korean parents – and I realised that Korean parents took their gift-giving very seriously. It’s something like a mark of respect or even “face” to them to present a gift of nominal value (chocolates, for example) to a teacher they respect. But since I’m no longer a public servant, I could accept them without any problem.

There was one gift I had to return though, and that really destroyed my relationship with the parent (sigh). It was a very beautiful idol of some Indonesian tribe or something, which we suspect to be a totem of some sort. I don’t think it’s very appropriate for a Christian family to have this in the house so I wrote a card explaining my position and returned the gift. That parent never spoke to me again.

I know that God has very serious instructions regarding bribery.

“And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous.” Exodus 23:8

“You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.” Deuteronomy 16:19

“A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back, To pervert the ways of justice.” Proverbs 17:23

In other words, bribes are given to blind the eyes and to pervert justice. When money is given for the judge to award you his judgement, that’s a bribe. When money is given for a person to award you the contract, even if other parties obviously gives the better deal, that’s a bribe.

How about gifts? What does the Bible say about gifts (remember that the Hebrew society is an oriental one)?

“Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.” Proverbs 19:6

“A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” Proverbs 18:16

I think it is very clear here – a gift is an introduction, a means to put ourselves in good standing before a person in an oriental society (I suspect it works in western societies as well!). Herein lies the great power of the oft-acclaimed Chinese guanxi 关系, which literally means “connections” or “relations”. You can get guanxi by being a childhood friend or relative, or by being friends later in life (mostly through gifts – monetary, in kind or by being the leverage for your own personal guanxi elsewhere).

What gifts have I given so far that has given me some of this guanxi? I’ve a friend who has connections with government officials – she likes me, and I’ve been a great help to her in establishing herself in Singapore. I’ve leveraged upon my network to create opportunities for the school to perform in public venues – both sides are happy in the process.

I learnt one thing though – that ultimately, we need to be discerning over what constitutes a bribe and what constitutes a gift (I suspect many of my definitions of “gifts” are considered bribes by most governments of today). I believe that as long as we are sure we are not perverting justice or blinding the eyes of the decision-maker, any gifts we give to make room for us in high places would be regarded by God as wisdom. And what is the value God has placed upon wisdom?

My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; Proverbs 2:1-6

Michael Chan used to be a teacher, before he left to run a managed fund. When his business failed, he returned to teaching, and is currently a Department Head at the Shanghai Singapore International School.

He constantly applies his business acumen to his job, to add value to his employer. His thoughts on K-12 education and on financial education can be found in his blog at here.

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Tags: ethics, religions, belief, moral, behaviour

In 2002 the corporate world in the United States was rocked with scandals. Enron, Arthur Anderson, WorldCom, Citi Group, HCA, Tyco and others were headline news in print and the lead story on the television news because of business ethics failures. This caused me to reemphasize and stress to each of my clients then and now, the importance of business ethics and to challenge each of my clients to integrate their core values into their policies, practices and decision making. And I recommend that they rededicate themselves to conducting business to the highest ethical standards.

A 2005 National Business Ethics Survey (NBES) was released by the Ethics Resource Center on October12, 2005. Some of the key findings include:

52% of employees observed at least one type of misconduct in the workplace in the past year, with 36% of these observing at least 2 or more violations.

69% of employees report their organizations implement ethics training, up 14 percentage points from the 2003 NBES.

65% of employees indicated their organizations have a place they can seek ethics advice.

55% of employees who observed misconduct at work reported it to management, down 10 percentage points from the 2003 NBES.

Five of six elements of a formal ethics and compliance program measured by NBES have increased over time with the presence of written standards of ethical business conduct up 19 percentage points since 2004.

The NBES defines misconduct as any behavior that violates the law or organizational ethics standards. The two most common types of misconduct observed by employees are abusive or intimidating behavior towards employees and lying to employees, customers, vendors, or the public.

Types of misconduct most observed by employees include:

21% observed abusive or intimidating behavior towards employees.

19% observed lying to employees, customers, vendors, or the public.

8% observed a situation that places employee interests over organizational interests.

16% observed violations of safety regulations.

16% observed misreporting of actual time worked.

12% observed discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, age or similar categories.

11% observed stealing or theft.

9% observed sexual harassment.

Note: For the full news release on the NBES go to: www.ethics.org

At the close of 2005 I am still asking the question – How can a company “SUSPEND” the company’s ethics code? How can an individual businessperson in conducting business or an elected or appointed government official, at the local, state or federal level, waive ethics in their governance activities? And what can be done to respond to this dysfunctional and unacceptable behavior?

Here are five things I believe we need to assure will happen.

1. Business and government need to seriously look at strengthening their ethics programs and demonstrate a commitment to integrity in the way they perform their business and governance activities.

2. Companies and organizations must build ethical values and goals into the Vision and Mission Statements of their strategic plans and make sure the managers and employees understand the importance of these values and ethical standards.

3. Ethics should be integrated into everything the organization and individual does.

4. Organizations should reward ethical behavior and penalize unethical behavior. Everyone needs to be held accountable for his or her actions.

5. Any new ethical issue should be addressed immediately and a definite plan established to deal with the issue.

How does your company or organization address ethics? I would be interested in hearing from you. If you would like to share how your company addresses the subject of ethics, please submit your thoughts to me by going to our contact form on my web site at www.businesscoach4u.com

Glenn Ebersole, Jr. is a multi-faceted professional, who is recognized as a visionary, guide and facilitator in the fields of business coaching, marketing, public relations, management, strategic planning and engineering. Glenn is the Founder and Chief Executive of two Lancaster, PA based consulting practices: The Renaissance Group, a creative marketing, public relations, strategic planning and business development consulting firm and J. G. Ebersole Associates, an independent professional engineering, marketing, and management consulting firm. He is a Certified Facilitator and serves as a business coach and a strategic planning facilitator and consultant to a diverse list of clients. Glenn is also the author of a monthly newsletter, “Glenn’s Guiding Lines – Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach” and has published more than 225 articles on business.

If you would like to find out more about effectively working with the media and delivering effective interviews on TV and radio, please contact Glenn Ebersole through his website.

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Tags: ethics, business, behaviour, work, system

I’ve been wondering this for a while and have been dying to ask my business colleagues and friends. But whenever I’m get ready to pop the question, I manage to convince myself that it’s silly, reveals my cynical nature (or advance years!) and is probably just a figment of my jaded imagination… certainly not worthy of intelligent discussion.

The question, however, continued to reside nervously on the tip of my tongue, eager to fly out (particularly just after leaving my apparently mute colleague a fourth voice mail message). But it wasn’t until I read Keith Ferrazzi’s masterful book, “Never Eat Alone” that I summoned the courage to thunderously and openly inquire, “Are people, particularly those in business, much ruder than they use to be?”

And… “Have we become so numb to it that we actually expect – and worst yet, accept it as normal and okay?”

I think yes. I hope I’m wrong.

Let me, however, step back a bit… Why did Ferrazzi’s book serve as my catalyst?

The short answer is that it’s just plain good. It is a brilliantly written book – simple without being simplistic – in the same league as Dale Carnegie’s classic “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”
And in an age when everyone seems to be a marketing, internet or personal motivation coach it’s refreshing to read something so balanced and genuinely inspired. Most importantly, however, Ferrazzi reminds us that we’re not in this alone – people make business happen!

He reiterates what some of us already know. We’re all better off – emotionally, financially, and physically – when we take the time to build thoughtful, intimate (not in the “biblical” sense :>) and sincere relationships with others. Ferrazzi says that while our personal styles and levels of openness should be adjusted as appropriate, making strong human connections is essential to our well being. I couldn’t agree more! This is, after all, what it’s all about – and long overdue advice. Thanks, Keith!

But then it occurred to me. How can you develop relationships with people when they don’t call, email, or show up – even when they’ve promised to do so?!

And I’m not referring about those little, unintentional slip-ups that happen to all of us occasionally – like when you’ve forgotten your Aunt Hilda’s birthday; or waited until the last minute to send in your wedding RSVP; or failed to send a thank-you note.

No, what I’m talking about is far more baffling and egregious. I’m referring to the friends who call you one day before your big dinner party and reiterate how much they’re looking forward to seeing you – and then don’t show up – no explanation, no call, no nothing.

Or how about that real estate agent who promises to get back to you with a price no later than 2 pm, and you never hear from them again?

And what about that old friend or colleague who can’t wait to have lunch with you next Thursday and then doesn’t return your confirmation calls or emails?

Then there’s my favorite… you’ve killed yourself to help someone get something “urgent” done (usually a boss or co-worker) and even managed to save the day… You email “the document” before the deadline, sure that the recipient will be relieved and grateful. But you never find out. No “thank you”. No “way to go”. No nothing.

Or is it just me? Maybe so…

I was raised in a home where we were taught to treat everyone with the same amount of respect and kindness. Period. Behavior that didn’t measure up to this standard was not tolerated. We learned that the true measure of someone’s character rested in their commitment to do the right thing – even when they didn’t have to.

For example, whenever I leave a hotel room, I wipe off the counters; gather my towels together in one convenient spot; turn off the television, lights and air conditioning; return the iron to the closet; and make sure that all my scraps of paper are where they belong – in the trash can.

Why? Because it’s just the right thing to do (and my mother would probably rise up out of her grave and kick my butt if I didn’t :>). Yes, hotels employ a cleaning staff who “are paid” to clean up after me, but why should they? It’s my mess. I was responsible for making it, so I am responsible for cleaning it up – even if I don’t have to.

I have adopted my parents’ code and although I sometimes fail, I continually strive to measure up to those standards.

But what does this look like in the “real world”? It means you…

1. Return calls… even if it’s only to say “no”

2. Honor your commitments… if you tell someone you’re going to do something, you do it. If you absolutely cannot, you let them know beforehand.

3. When you’re asked to RSVP, you do so

4. Say “thank you” and “please”… to strangers, friends, family members, waiters and waitresses, taxi drivers, colleagues, children, teenagers… everyone.

5. Call when you’re going to be late

6. Return emails (unless it’s spam)

7. Welcome people into your home… do your best to make them feel comfortable and important

8. Clean up after yourself

9. Value other people’s privacy

10. Honor your parents

11. Respect elders

12. Chew gum quietly

13. Say “excuse me” when you burp

14. Open doors for others

15. Allow someone with only two items to move ahead of you in the grocery line

16. Respect other cultures, religions, ethnicities and the like.

17. Don’t push in front of someone… even if you’re in a car

18. Share your things

19. Don’t act like a pig… even if it’s at an All-You-Can-Eat buffet

20. Don’t brag

21. Never litter

Are these rules a thing of the past? Passé in today’s fast-paced culture? Old fashioned? Silly? Or am I just imagining things?

But if I’m not… why? Are we overloaded, overbooked and over committed? Has it become too easy to make excuses? Have we been forced into a “every-man-for-himself” mindset? Did our parents and teachers fail us?

Or is it that we just don’t care because they’re not important. What do you think?

Mary Eule specializes in helping small and medium-sized businesses get and keep profitable customers. Formerly a Fortune 500 marketing executive; founder of two successful small businesses and award-winning speaker, Ms. Eule is President of Strategic Marketing Advisors, LLC. and co-author of a new book, “Mandatory Marketing: Small Business Edition”.

She has a BA in Journalism/English from the University of Maryland and earned her a master’s degree in marketing from Johns Hopkins University. Log onto her website for free articles, newsletter and helpful marketing tools, tips and templates… and/or to purchase the book.

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Having a personal relationship with God means that He is “Commander and Chief” of every aspect of our lives including our business. He must be consulted with all decisions and our business practices should NEVER be done in such a way that others may question to the integrity of the business. When God is a business partner, He requires great responsibility to deal with others in honesty, kindness, and honor. However, He never takes a vacation and he is completely dependable. His word provided us with 10 commandments for living our daily lives; taking from those commandments, the following have been revised for making a contract for the daily running of our business.

Ten Commandments for the Business

1. The Lord is the Head of this business and we will follow His lead

2. We will glorify and serve the Lord in our business and profit shall not become our idol

3. Our words, verbal and written, will always honor the Lord

4. We will keep one day a week for rest, honoring the Lord in worship and family

5. We will honor the business family given to us by God in word and deed

6. We will value and respect the lives of others as we maintain our business goals

7. The relationships formed in this business will be held as sacred, we will encourage and support one another

8. Honesty will be in the forefront in all of our dealings

9. We will hold our integrity accountable to God and others

10. We will strive to represent our business as God directs it to be

Byron and Lillie Zable

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Lillie Zable – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: religious, behaviour, ethics, business, work

Tonight I’m going out with two extremely impressive ladies who I am introducing to one another. They are both GORGEOUS, in their mid 20s and both incredibly intelligent. One is divorced with kids and is probably one of the most flawless and incredibly beautiful women I’ve ever met, the other is single and possibly one of the most fashionable and forward thinking women I’ve ever met.

One of these ladies I’ve been coaching for over a year, the other is a new client. I thought that they would really enjoy each other because they are both serious about their work, both make a lot of money, are very smart and they have another few things in common.

They FLIRT!

Okay, let me get one thing straight. Neither of them HAS to flirt. Men would fall all over either of them just because of their beauty alone. But they both have very outgoing personalities and are charming in addition to being smart. They also have ANOTHER thing in common.

WOMEN DESPISE THEM.

I know! Can you believe it!? Women hate both of these ladies because of their beauty and their talent. Not only do women despise them but they are torturous to them! They talk behind their backs, they spread rumors and they treat them mean.

CAT FIGHT, CAT FIGHT.. I can just hear all of you guys now! Oh PLEASE! I know enough about you guys to know that you have envy too, but you just handle it differently.. like try to injure each other on the basketball court, or kill each other on the golf course. Okay, maybe not as much, but men are naturally competitive and it drives you harder. You often feel you have control over your destiny since you are often judging yourself on your income.

Women? We get judged on our looks first, and THEN everything else.

The thing about both of these women is that they are some of the nicest people I know. They are fun and lively and smart. They are ambitious and they are interesting to talk to. I have enjoyed getting to know both of them very much and I just know that if women would take some time to get to know them, they’d enjoy their company. But instead, the women demean themselves by displaying raging jealousy and use up all of their energy in a negative way… instead of being productive.

Okay, let me address the fact that they flirt. What I’ve counseled at least one of the ladies to do is to be personable and friendly when work isn’t the primary focus, but when presenting to an audience, especially in a mixed group, professionalism is the best bet.

One rule of thumb: Don’t flirt at the office. Okay, if you do flirt, then just don’t flirt in front of other women. That brings up insecurity in other women. And DON”T flirt with another woman’s man when she’s there. That is the ULTIMATE “no no”!

So I have two challenges here for ladies. If you are beautiful and in business A) Be better than everyone else at your job. Come early, stay late and be committed to your company. If people are going to be talking about you (and they will) at least they won’t be able to say that you don’t work hard. You know that they’ll be saying things like that you “slept your way to the top” and that can be damaging to your reputation. So be the #1 employee in your department and do whatever you can do education wise to stay on top.

Next, be a supporter to other women. You are a target for hatred, jealousy and other women’s insecurity. Whatever you can do to pull women together or serving them will help women get over your major issue of beauty. If you are a mom and don’t have time to throw networking get “togethers”, then at least make sure you have a few female friends in your back pocket to commiserate with. I’ve encouraged these women to get on a sports team so they aren’t seen as the “pretty and successful” ones there. They can be sweating it out looking gross like everyone else.

“Although I bet these two women don’t sweat. They’re too perfect. You should see them, I bet they never have ANY problems.. I have had to work SO much harder than them and I never had anyone coaching me when I was THEIR age. Hmmmmph!”

Ooopss!! I guess I even have to catch myself at times. I remind myself that we are all on our own paths and that while beauty and money may make life a bit easier, they can make it a bit more challenging too.

And you know I LLLLLLOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVE a challenge!

For more information: please visit my site.

Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABC’s 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.

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Tags: behaviour, behavior, business, practices, ethics

It was a fun conversation! I wasn’t trying to be a parent or an adult, it just happened. She was sitting in the back seat on her way to gymnastics class. As we were talking, she told me that one of her classmates was dumb. I immediately shot back that “what you see in others is what you are inside.” So, I jokingly concluded “when you call others dumb, that really means you are dumb.”

She became very quiet for a moment. She then responded “Well, I think you are nice.” My heart melted and I thanked her for her kind words.

She giggled in that little girl way and told me that I didn’t get it. I asked her what she meant. She smiled and said “Since I said that you were nice, that means I am the nice one.”

I got it. For the rest of the day it became a game. We enjoyed correcting ourselves and saying nice things about each other and other people. There was much laughter in the car on that day. Later that night, as she was talking with her mother, she said something negative about someone else. I looked at her with a smile and she covered her head with a blanket saying that she didn’t want to hear the truth at that moment.

A child’s game perhaps. Perhaps not!

As I talk with people and attend meetings, I see the same lack of integrity. In public situations, some people make judgmental and sometimes negative comments about others through logical arguments or factual incidents. In private, among others with whom they consider themselves safe, some people ridicule and slander others without any restraint. Rumors are embellished and reputations are ruined.

Sometimes people who speak up in public against this type of behavior are labeled as troublemakers. Some who do not openly join the bandwagon are banished as non-players in the world of organizational politics. Many good and intelligent people have lost positions and influential power in this way. They as individuals not only lose but the organization also losses an important and valued perspective.

Joseph Campbell begins with what is good in people and not with what needs to be corrected. The saying, “thou are that “, was his platform for not only understanding world mythology and spirituality but for living his life. Joseph Campbell explained that he was always in amazement how others would come to someone in need.

He told story after story about people who acted heroically or performed simple acts of kindness for total strangers. He concluded that what we see in others is inside of ourselves. When we see people in need, we are moved by compassion to do what is right in that moment. Campbell felt that by acknowledging others in this way, we were recognizing and valuing our own selves.

So what does this have to do with integrity? Integrity is wholeness, consistency and purity. What you see in other is a part of you. When you separate yourself from others you separate that part of you from yourself. This is a step away from integrity and away from your self. When you condemn others, you diminish yourself, especially in front of your family and colleagues. It is a slippery slope of anger, frustration, blame and denial.

The next day, my step-daughter asked me “What happens if the person is really not smart?
I answered –your friend is who she is. If she really isn’t smart, then she needs your help not your condemnation. The dumb thing was that you separated yourself from her because of how she did in school. Would you like others who do better in school to call you dumb? Or would you like them to help you in a kind way?

She got it. Did you?

Douglas Ross is a Senior Manufacturing Professional with extensive experience in product launches, cultural transformation and plant turn arounds involving lean operations and performance Want to learn more? Read my blog here. I want to speak to you about the integrity advantage and how it can help you and all of us.

Thou Art That: Transforming Religious Metaphor. By Joseph Campbell; edited by Eugene Kennedy. California. New World Library. 2001

leadership. He has worked in such organizations as General Motors, Textron, Lennox, Rockwell, DuPont, as well as numerous federal and provincial governments and organizations. He also has worked with a 15 member High Performance Manufacturing Consortium dedicated to becoming world class.

Douglas was the senior advisor for two benchmark product launches in the one of the world’s most globally competitive industries. He has been involved in successful plant turn-arounds and has served as senior cultural change subject matter expert. Douglas’s expertise is in cultural transformation and performance improvement. He has extensive experience in lean manufacturing operating systems as well as the leadership development and the people involvement processes necessary for successful lean implementation.

He holds a Master’s degree and has completed doctorate course work in organizational development. He be

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Tags: ethical, person, personality, behaviour, ethics

There is absolutely no room for unethical behavior in the professional world. This statement is exceptionally important for publicly traded companies and their accounting practices. From financial officers to accountants to auditors, and so on, there is no greater impact on stakeholders when these persons perform unethically.

Unfortunately, there are multiple reasons for which one might consider acting unethically when preparing financial information. The most obvious reason may be quite simply, for self-interest-greed.

An accountant may embezzle funds from his or her employer for financial gain. Or perhaps the CFO of a publicly traded corporation may prepare financial statements to appear as though the company is performing much better than it actually is, because he or she wants their stock portfolio to increase.

Another example for why unethical behavior might exist is from corporate pressure. An accountant may feel pressured from his or her client to report false information. Or maybe a CFO is experiencing demand for improvements from the board of directors, the company’s president, owners, or stockholders; or he or she may be in fear of losing their job.

An accountant may decide to work for a company even though a conflict of interest may exist. If the accountant is owed money or has a significant stake in a firm, he or she may not be the ideal individual to prepare certain companies’ financial statements.

Finally, and perhaps the most common form of unethical behavior, is the failure for an accountant to conduct an in-depth analysis when preparing and revising financial information. There are many individuals who prefer to take short-cuts in life; and frankly, this simply is not acceptable when expected to perform in a professional manor.

There have been many laws enacted, on both state and national levels, intended on preventing one from conducting unethical accounting practices. In addition to these laws, have been many recommendations to implement changes geared towards the improvement of professional ethics.

Two such individuals, who have spent much time working on this topic, are: Jane B. Romal and Arlene M. Hibschweiler. According to the June 2004 CPA Journal, Romal and Hibschweiler recommended that “states should be encouraged to mandate ethics training as part of CPE requirements”.

This notion forced the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) to begin a more intense training regimen for accounting educators, CPAs, and accounting students. This included having every licensee taking four-hour ethics courses on the board’s Rules of Professional Conduct every two years. The Arizona State Board of Accountancy requires every Arizona CPA to take an ethics class for licensing renewal.

In addition to state level mandates, is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that publicly traded companies disclose their code of ethics for senior financial officers. The Act was designed to promote honest and ethical conduct; full and accurate disclosure in periodic reports; and compliance with applicable government rules and regulations.

Even with the actions of Romal and Hibschweiler, the TSBPA, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; no one can regulate another’s integrity. Some individuals, regardless of their profession, will always look for some form of personal gain, even if it means conducting themselves in an unethical manner. This article is designed to help educate people on unethical accounting practices, why they occur, and how we as a nation can promote ethical behavior.

Roderick A. Jacobsen, CPA
Karpinski & Jacobsen

For quality Accounting Services in Arizona, visit Phoenix CPA where you can find Accounting Resources.

References:

Gaumnitz, B. (2004). Codes of ethics with impact. CPA Journal, vol. 74, issue 5, 64-66.

Kieso, D., Kimmel, P., Weygandt, J. (2005) Financial Accounting (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

VanZante, N. (2005) Improving professional ethics. CPA Journal, vol. 75, issue 5, 9-11.

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Tags: article, behaviour, examples, unethical, workplace

Despite the fact that the MLM business model has the potential to provide enormous benefits across many areas: financial, economic, social, educational and philosophical, it has largely failed to live up to it promise. In our view this is because in many cases the commission structure itself promotes greed and stupidity, there has been too much involvement by people with criminal intent, there has been an enormous lack of real business expertise, and there has been totally insufficient debate on principles and ethics.

In seeking to play some part in redressing this situation, the following code is compulsory for companies who wish to be listed as preferred MLM opportunities on our site. That is, no company will be listed as “recommended” without written commitment to this code and there will be no exceptions made for any reason.
There is no fee for listing, and no monies may be received for commission on product sales or recruitment as a result of such listing. However companies should be aware that their application for listing will be presented to objective 3rd parties such as the Better Business Bureau for comment and that listing cannot proceed when there is any significant unsettled legislative or litigation issue pending.

Application requires the submission of the full names of founders, directors and majority shareholders and listing will not proceed where such persons have convictions for white collar or organised crime, or where there are or have been any known links with organised crime whatsoever.

CODE OF ETHICS

1. Our compensation plan is fully explained prior to recruitment, and remains transparent and accessible to all recruits and potential recruits.

2. A net earnings statement is made available to our members at least annually, and this statement accurately records net earnings of all members, such that members are able to see for themselves what the true earnings are. (Earnings are calculated at commissions minus cost of product purchases, or any other purchase from the MLM company, such as training material, marketing material, etc.) The full intention of this statement is that existing and potential recruits can readily identify the true financial benefit, or otherwise, of joining this MLM company. The statement must be accompanied by certification by a qualified, 3rd party auditor. The earnings table will take the form of the following table:

x persons (X% of total A) earned >$580,000 (X% of total B)

x persons (X% of total A) earned >$300,000 (X% of total B)

x persons (X% of total A) earned >$200,000 (X% of total B)

x persons (X% of total A) earned >$100,000 (X% of total B)

x persons (X% of total A) earned >$50,000 (X% of total B)

x persons (X% of total A) earned >$25,000 (X% of total B)

x persons (X% of total A) earned >$12,000 (X% of total B)

x persons (X% of total A) earned >$5,000 (X% of total B)

x persons (X% of total A) earned >$1,000 (X% of total B)

x persons (X% of total A) earned $zero

x persons (X% of total A) made a loss

Where total A = the total number of people who were registered as recruits in that 12-month period, and where total B = the sum total of all net distributions from product sales and recruitment in that 12-month period. This information must also be provided graphically via a chart.

3. We desist from making promises or assertions that members will earn any particular income and we do not promote our MLM company as a way for people to make money quickly. We do not use images of wealth which are unrepresentative of the majority of consultant earnings (as per the table above) in order to attract new recruits.

4. We offer only those products which objective research verifies as beneficial. We will not involve ourselves with products or services which are based on false assertions or claims. We describe our products truthfully and accurately, and product pricing is set at a level which is acceptable to the market.

5. We do not offer products for which there is little demand, nor do we offer products in a market which is already saturated. Where we claim demand for any particular product, we provide objective 3rd party market research as evidence. When we reach a diffusion rate of 97% in any market, we immediately place a ban on recruitment, allowing recruitment only at attrition rate.

6. Our prime focus is on product sales, not recruitment. We understand that for any company to be sustainable it must continue to sell product, and it must not over-supply the market with consultants. For this reason, the major portion of commissions paid will always be on product sales, not recruitment. Over 51% of all product payout goes to the person who directly sold the product; ie, the person who did the work. We do not pay for a reward for new recruits, because we know that this leads to unsustainable downlines. We are committed to building quality, sustainable downlines, that are successful in delivering product to the consumer, generating real value for everyone.

7. We do not make members purchase training material, but we may recommend they pursue business studies with organisations competent in that area.

8. If we require product purchase by new recruits, such products will made available at a discount equivalent to the commission due on that product, or at a lesser price. We do not seek to profit from those who join our business. Similarly, no commissions are paid to upline for product sales to their downline.

9. We do not require recruits to purchase product if we launch an untested product into the market. We will not allow our recruits to bear the brunt of product development.

10. If recruits/members are required to purchase marketing material, such material is provided at cost.

11. If we charge an entry fee to any recruit, that fee shall be no more than the market value of that particular consultancy at that time. Market value is determined by an objective 3rd party, such as a business valuation service, bank or other financial institution qualified to make such an assessment. We affirm that we are selling a real business, not mere hope.

12. We do not allow our recruits to promote the product or opportunity to friends or family, nor do we allow unsolicited sales activities of any kind. These activities are counter-productive to the development of a bona fide, sustainable business, and bring disrepute to our industry. We do not allow our recruits to communicate via advertising, newsletters, mail, blogs, emails, or in any form, in any way that detracts from the professionalism of our company (ie; exhortational advertising and wild claims are strictly forbidden). We do our best to ensure that any advertising by our consultants is of a high professional standard.

13. We have developed a proven strategy for product sales and recruitment, which we provide full training and support in.

14. We teach our recruits how to plan, schedule, document, track, measure, analyse and refine their marketing strategy. We actively prohibit false representation, pressure tactics, or unethical business practices. We promote fair and honest dealings with customers and downlines at all times.

15. We treat our recruits with respect at all times, and encourage an environment of learning, co-operation, and kindness. We do not tolerate sexism, racism, ageism, or homophobia and we have written protocols in place to protect all personnel, consultants, and customers from such abuse.

16. We require our consultants to display honesty at all times, and to totally refrain from exaggeration or deception of any kind in their dealings with customers and with each other. We expressly forbid our consultants to sell or recruit by stealth. Our reputation is of vital importance and we rely on our consultants to present an image of which we can be proud.

17. We respond to complaints promptly, fairly, and respectfully and fully co-operate with all authorities in the event of legal disputes.

18. If and when a consultant decides to leave our company, we will refrain from blame, will seek not to disadvantage, punish or harm that person in any way, will be respectful of his/her choice and do our utmost to end our association on the best possible terms.

19. This code, along with a statement testifying our commitment to it, is displayed prominently on our web site and is contained in the information pack given to recruits/members.

What do you think of this code? What are your views on MLM or network marketing? This article invites your comment, which you can make by visiting here and clicking on “Articles”.

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Tags: ethics, code, conduct, business, behaviour