Don’t answer too quickly. It’s not as outlandish a question as you might think.

It is widely recognized that there are many cult-like organizations all around us, largely operating under the radar. And contrary to what many believe, a group doesn’t have to be religious to use cult-like methods.

This article was written in the interest of public awareness; to draw attention to a problem of which not many people are aware. The cult-like methods some groups employ are very powerful and are even used by some secular businesses in the interest of increasing their bottom line and controlling their associates.

“An estimated 5,000 economic, political, and religious groups operate in the United States alone at any given time, with 2.5 million members. Over the last ten years, cults have used tactics of coercive mind control to negatively impact an estimated 20 million victims in the last ten years. Worldwide figures are even greater.”

-Dr. Margaret Singer, “Cults in Our Midst”

Indoctrination

Cult experts often refer to the analogy of a ‘frog in boiling water’. It is said that if you try to boil a frog by placing it in boiling water, it will just hop out. But if you place it in lukewarm water and slowly increase the heat, it will not try to escape. The frog will stay still until the water is boiling around it and it is cooked.

Similarly, cult-like manipulation takes place incrementally and over time. New entrants to the cult are shown only the most acceptable and positive aspects of the business or practice when they first join. After the initial emotional or spiritual ‘bonding’ that takes place within the group, the intimidation, coercion, and control can begin.

Businesses as Cults

As Dr. Margaret Singer points out in her book, “Cults In Our Midst”, many cults operate as businesses, with their tactics focused around financial success instead of religion or spirituality. Charges of cult-like methods have been aimed at Amway and many other multi-level marketing organizations for years. (“Amway: The Cult of Free Enterprise” is a great book by a former top seller of Amway, and I highly recommend it. Also, Dr. Singer’s book offers some great examples.)

It is also possible to combine spiritual and business elements together. This combination can make for an extremely effective indoctrination, as the leader of the cult can appeal to both the need for financial success and the need for spirituality of their targets.

Cult-Like Methods

There are many ‘weapons’ that cult leaders use when targeting their audience. I’ve listed 5 major ones below, but there are many more that psychological manipulators have at their command.

Targeting the Vulnerable

Jennifer Burrows was a 24-year-old 3rd year dental student in 2002, enrolled in a school in North Carolina. At this point in her life, she was deeply in debt from 6 years of student loans, and worried about her career prospects once she graduated.

At a school function, she met Bryan Landers, a 35-year-old author and dentist, and leader of a group called Enriched Dentistry. Landers seemed very successful, and ran social and networking groups that Jennifer thought would be very helpful to her career. Some of these social groups met at long, weekend retreats in the rural part of the state, and they were very social, fun events. Looking back, Jennifer recognizes that it was her financial vulnerability and fear of instability that led her to stay with Landers and Enriched Dentistry even once things started taking a more ominous turn.

“No one plans to join a cult,” says Lorna Goldberg, a New Jersey therapist who helps clients with cult-like experiences. “Cults target people in transition – college students away from home for the first time, people who have moved to new cities for jobs, those who have just been divorced or widowed.”

Claims of ‘Special Knowledge’

Jennifer was a Christian, as were Landers and his ‘students’, and this made for a good fit. Jennifer discovered that Enriched Dentistry acted as a kind of business network for dentists and dental students on the East Coast, and it made sense to Jennifer that people in the same profession, with the same beliefs, would want to help each other.

Jennifer quickly bonded with the group, and over the course of the next few months she found herself spending much more time with them, being invited to more and more religious retreats and late-night get-togethers. Landers had self-published books on the role of Christianity in medicine and health, and he would hold sessions at his house that would stretch long into the night. Dialogue was discouraged; it was Landers who held sway at the meetings, speaking about his ‘knowledge of God’s will’ and the ‘correct way to live’.

He also appealed to the financial concerns of his students. “He told us that by being involved with him, we were part of something very special, that we would be successful if we stayed close to him,” Jennifer says. “He was doing very well for himself, and he was very clear about his beliefs. It made sense that we all wanted to be like him in one way or another.”

Jennifer described that first year as “the most exciting period of my life. I respected and loved everyone in the group.”

Distancing From Family and Friends

As time went on and Jennifer neared her graduation and her entry into the wider world, her personal life was being narrowed. In her last year of school, she was much more involved with Landers and the group, and she spent large amounts of time volunteering at Enriched Dentistry events.

She recalls one of her early friends in dentistry school expressing concern that Jennifer might be being taken advantage of. She also heard similar concerns from her family. She was not in a position to appreciate what they were saying at that time.

“It just made me angry,” said Jennifer. “I thought that no one could understand the great things Landers was doing. No one knew the bond our group had. No one bashing him knew the great things he was doing in the world.”

When people brought up the comments of outsiders in their group meetings, Landers’ laughed about the “judgments of nonbelievers”. Jennifer was encouraged by Landers and the group to cut ties with the negative influences in her life; these were the people holding her back from true success.

Financial Manipulation

Jennifer learned that Landers was offering a sort-of franchise operation to his ‘friends’ and ‘associates’. These businesses were set up in a six-state area in the Southeast. The dentists or soon-to-be dentists of Landers’ group would incorporate their businesses with Landers being a main partner. The range of services provided by Landers included ‘business consulting’, ‘website design’, ‘brand sharing’ (with Enriched Dentistry), and ‘client referral’.

Virtually everyone in Enriched Dentistry was signing up for this partnership; it seemed a no-brainer to Jennifer and to many others. Landers and his associates were obviously successful; sometimes Landers’ partners would speak to the group about their practices and their current success.

Before graduating, Jennifer signed a contract with Landers making Landers a quarter partner in Jennifer’s first practice. The fine print, which, admittedly, Jennifer should have read more carefully, ensured that Landers would receive, at the very least, $20,000 from each of Jennifer’s first four years in business. It was the bond she felt with Landers and her trust that he was a spiritual man that made Jennifer not as cautious as she should have been.

“Members may be asked to make phenomenal contributions of money to the group,” says Frank Schneider of the non-profit group Cult Watch. “Besides making the leader and the group rich, this money ties the member ever more deeply to the group.”

Intimidation

In addition to his psychological manipulation skills, Landers was a very physically imposing man. He spent many hours every day in his personal gym, and told his group that physical fitness was very important in doing God’s work.

“Many cult leaders are insecure and are making up for early feelings of inferiority,” says Mary Miller, a California psychotherapist. “This can be manifested as intellectual or physical overcompensation. Sometimes a leader will stress their extreme intellectual capabilities; other times they will stress their physical capabilities; other times they will stress their spiritual capabilities. Sometimes you will see someone overcompensating so strongly that they rely on all three.”

Later, Landers would use his physicality when negotiating with Jennifer and other Enriched Dentistry members. He would stand close to his ‘students’ and go from his soft style of speaking to a hard, demeaning approach. Landers would emphasize how difficult a time his group members would have in the real world without his help, and how they would most likely fail miserably if they were to go it alone.

He also used guilt, which is one of the strongest weapons for cults. He would reference the past bonds and good feelings that they shared, and use those feelings against his ‘friends’, manipulating them into seeking his favor again.

“It was like a complete change of face for him,” said Jennifer. “Before the contracts were signed, he was like a father figure. It was all about trust and doing the right thing. After he got what he wanted, he really treated us like we were very far below him.”

Epilogue

Over the next 4 years, as Jennifer established her own practice, she incurred a debt to Enriched Dentistry of over $100,000. As of this writing, Jennifer has been free of the group’s influence for 3 years and is currently in litigation with the group. She realizes now how naïve she was in trusting someone like Landers implicitly.

“I should have known to ask questions,” Jennifer says now. “It was my fault in the end. I was too trusting. I’d like to help others not make this same mistake… I had the highest opinion of him. In the end it was all an illusion.”

These kinds of manipulations are common in today’s new-age business cults. Leaders like Landers initially use trust, good will, and their own self-proclaimed spirituality to create strong personal bonds. Later comes intimidation and fear, but by then it is too late for the many who have already signed elaborate and deceptive legal contracts, or given away large amounts of their money.

Warning Signs

You shouldn’t have to be afraid of falling into a situation as horrible as Jennifer’s. The large majority of organizations are benevolent groups that have their members’ best interests at heart. All that is required to be safe is to ask questions and keep an eye out for some key warning signs.

Hostile Relationships

Find people who have been associated with the group for some time. See how they are doing financially as well as psychologically. If the group is turning on past members and there is evidence of major ill will and aggression, that is a warning sign that things are not what they seem to be.

Pressure to Donate Time and Money

Many groups will try to recruit you to donate your time or money to their cause. Many will do it under the guise of helping society or serving God. Many groups are truly non-profit, but a red flag should go up for you once it is requested of you. Study any document very, very closely before you sign it. Ask specific questions of the group or individual about any contract you are considering.

Pressure to Not Ask Questions

This is by far the most important warning sign. If you feel pressured not to ask questions, and if you are made to feel unwelcome just for being curious about how the group operates, that is a sure sign you are in a bad situation.

If any of the above scenario sounds remotely similar to your situation, or to the situation of a friend or family member, I would recommend doing more research on the group in question. Asking questions about the groups and the people around you will serve to keep you safe from any possible psychological and financial manipulation.

Dana Mitchell holds a Masters in Psychology and is currently a researcher in the field of Psychological Trauma. Having a friend become involved in a cult several years ago has made Dana more aware of the hidden nature of the problem. The names in this article, and some inconsequential details, were changed for legal reasons.

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Tags: ethics, admire, person, global, business

With many internet users already clued up to the tricks of internet scammers and phishers (i.e. pretending to be from an official website such as eBay or PayPal to get you to reveal your password or other login information). Many internet scammers are now turning to ingenuous methods to get their victims to reveal their financial information.

One of these is pretending to offer employment which they place ads on various frequently visited online classifieds.

Recently, you replied to our job for a online Office Assistants. If you are in receipt of this email from us then it means you need more information. We are currently seeking a online Office Assistants who will serve as Customer Service Representatives for our Real Estate Firm. We manage various Real Estate Agencies and Management Companies throughout the World. As there were two listings posted which needed to be filled, this particular position is for a Customer Service Rep (CSR). Responsibilities will include posting new listings, taking occasional phone calls and routing them to the proper agents. Agents will take and schedule maintenance calls and occasionally deal with tenant Emergencies (leaks, major repairs, etc)

Candidates should have average to above average office skills, good comprehension, and should be able to type at a reasonable speed in order to take messages effectively. Your pay will be $16.25 per hour and you should be able to work a minimum of 15 hours each week with the maximum being 40 hours. Payments are made weekly via check or direct deposit. Calls will be routed to the phone number of your choice (this must be a valid phone number) during the time you are signed into our system. This will not prohibit you from taking personal calls as your screen will indicate when it is a call being routed from us. If calls are

not answered after 4 rings they will simply be rerouted to the next available agent.

All applicants need to have an account mandatory for web based work where you will be shown each aspect of the job in detail, and how to have any questions answered. Please set aside few minutes to complete this, after having an account to online software, a 3 page test will be emailed to you, which will serve to gauge your comprehension. All Documents, tests and orientation will need to be Completed no later than <25/04/2009>.

To the access to software you must have a free account to download the software

Please visit our website at:

(Removed to protect the vulnerable)

Simply create a username that consists of 1 your email 2 People in your Team: just type 1000 and next field 3 what do you want to use Central Desktop for? Type here for business purpose. If this is unavailable please make a comparable name. After we have received your username we will send you some manuals to look over, and a file containing fully functional copies of all necessary software that you will need to have installed and ready before orientation. It is NOT necessary for you to purchase any software or programs for this job. Please Note:

You are not guaranteed employment until you receive an email from us entitled “Welcome Aboard”. Prior to this, all tests,

orientation and paperwork must be completed, and the results of this will determine your eligibility for employment with us. Please let me know if there is anything I can

Help you with.

Warm Regards,

…

Human Resources Manager.

One of the many things about this email that should send alarm bells about this “Online Virtual Assistant” the mechanical and bad grammar (as if copied from a template) aside, is the sudden change to an “Office Assistant”, and regardless of where the job is advertised; curiously the pay is always in dollars. The website created for this specific purpose, is always just a few weeks if not a few days old, and ofcourse there is no phone number, just a free email address anyone can obtain, which a real business to be honest would steer clear as it is synonymous with scams.

If the potential victim is eager and gullible enough at this stage to visit the website, instead of what was advertised; a test to guage their suitability, they are instead met with a trial service that demands a credit card to possibly verify their identity.

Ofcourse this is the entire point of this elaborate scam as once these details are filled in, there is no need to communicate with the victim any longer.

Mr D Stevens is a reviewer at Email scams

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Tags: ethics, global, information, systems, person

The media is full of stories of vast financial corruption from Bernie Madoff to the Corporate Executives, Bankers, Investment Houses, and Government officials that have literally scooped hundreds of billions of dollars of the American net worth right out of our pockets. Billions is sent out of this country to rebuild and subsidize other countries while our own people are ending up homeless by the hundreds every day. People are complaining and yet, doing nothing. These folks are still in positions of running the companies, banks and our government. Why do Americans continue to pay taxes to fund the government irresponsibility and corruption and do business with these institutions?

People worship money and the people who have it. People seem to some how feel important if they know someone who is wealthy. Worse yet, they brag about the person they know as if it some how elevates them to some higher status. Regardless of how some one of wealth may have acquired it, it seems folks are in awe of them. They allow behaviors of rudeness, condescending remarks, and tyrant like actions and say nothing.

People seem to gauge their self worth and their “success” by how much they make, how much they have, who they know who may appear to have money and “success”. Albeit, if they put the “successful people” that are revered under a polygraph test, it is certain at some point they have lied, cheated, betrayed themselves, their own integrity, their values in the chase for the almighty dollar.

As Carolyn Myss said in a conference, “Our self-betrayal creates our suffering. When we ignore that interior voice that says – Don’t you dare do that…Don’t you dare say yes when you mean no”

Many people will instantly be quiet, speechless or worse, not stand up to a supposed person of “Power”, I have heard countless stories of those that will compromise themselves in the presence of a person of wealth or “status”. So they compromise their personal integrity to appease these people. These acts of self-betrayal create internal suffering, which in turn leads to a whole host of problems. (Emotional physical, psychological). I see people and hear stories about countless folks that will bow to the one who has the money.

Have we really become a society that betrays our own values, our families and our consciences in exchange for our personal gains, or to raise our perception of our selves and our standing in society? What does it really mean if someone has millions in the bank and lots of things, if they have no compassion or worse yet, they stole, lied, cheated or stepped on countless others to achieve it? Is this, what we as a society hold up as something to be impressed with or to define as “successful people”? We can change this as a nation. Much like our forefathers did when they left to set out to create a new life here.

We have, and continue to give the power away to a system that awards thieves and corruption. People say that is the way of the world. Yet, that is not the way of my world. I, personally, have been around lots of wealth and worked in several industries – I have seen the corruption first hand. And for me, I left those places as I was taught that integrity and honesty are the keys to a truly happy life. I have seen the deceit and worse, the self-justification by these types of people. “Every man for himself and it is just how business is done”. So I ask, “Why?”

It seems to me, that the economic downturn is an opportunity. We have an opportunity to revisit how we think, what we hold valuable in our lives, who we really perceive as the “successful people”. We have an opportunity to reclaim our collective integrity and to stand for hard work, honesty, compassion and to redefine what we perceive as wealth or successful.

Power is perception. A person who walks through their lives, much like my parents did, and treats everyone equally and maintains their integrity in all areas of their lives are the ones to be revered. We learned that every person is valuable from the garbage man to the CEO. I have knows quite a few “influential” business men whose internal lives were a shambles. Yet, the community perception is these people have it all. Slowly but surely, we are witnessing the massive decay in our society. We revere narcissm and simply shake our heads to corruption. We complain, but do nothing. We are all responsible.

The days of my parents’ generation, they prided themselves on integrity, hard work and honesty. Some where along the line it seems we have sold out those values for the almighty buck. I personally don’t bow to the buck. I am fortunate, that I was taught some basics about what is really important in life. Money does not define me or the people that I revere and love.

I truly hope and pray that others begin to awaken to this …that they take this economic shake up as an opportunity to hold what is real and meaningful and important in life.

Terrie Crowley

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Terrie Crowley – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: ethics, thing, global, care, person

Integrity is about the most important character trait that a founder of a new Startup Small Business has. Integrity is something that catches up with the small business sooner or later. Both displaying Integrity and not displaying Integrity will have a major impact on the reputation of a new startup business. One’s reputation is everything.

Today one too often hears about bad service and about companies not standing behind their products or services. Imagine that just by doing what you say, actually builds up a good reputation. The 80/20 principle applies also applies to good service. Basically about 80% of companies give bad service. So, if as a small start up business you are committed to delivering only the best service, you only have to worry about the 20% who give good service and are really your competition.

Trust is often developed over time through a series of positive experiences by the customer. There is a common perception amongst the public that business is crooked by design and the public are just led by the nose. These days we hear about the evils perpetrated by the bankers and brokers on Wall Street and this has led to a complete breakdown in public trust and has left the reputation of these companies in shreds. This short term profits only obsession has severely damaged the ability of these companies to survive. Allowing dishonesty to creep into the business and putting profits ahead of all other considerations, has been a disastrous policy and will cost them millions if not billions over the long term. It may take years before the public has any faith in the honest dealings of many of these companies. This clearly illustrates the value of reputation.

As a small business owner, one is in direct contact with one’s customers. This is a distinct advantage over the larger corporation. So make the most of this closer contact to build those lasting relationships. If a customer believes that you are trustworthy and offer great service, they will think twice about going elsewhere, even if your prices are slightly higher than the less trustworthy competition. The grapevine is a very effective means of advertising. So, by ensuring that the customer’s needs are taken care of to the best of one’s ability at a reasonable price, the word will get out onto the street that your small business is the one that they should be dealing with. Those referrals can become repeat business and repeat business from a loyal customer translates into profits.

What is very clear is that integrity and honesty are business issues as well as moral ones. Traditionally profits have always been seen as the only measure of success. As a result, many people have a tough time understanding that by doing the right thing, the business owner is actually helping the business. The ideal relationship would be a win-win situation for both the business owner and the customer, one being happy with the sale and the other with the goods and services received.

Historically it has been proven over and over again that business and honesty and integrity can co-exist and many companies which have been dishonest in their dealings are no longer around. Unfortunately this apparent lesson is not grasped by a fair number of companies, but sooner or later many will not be around. Once again it’s that reputation thing that just never seems to go away!

Please consult Start Up My Small Business how to obtain a report that answers frequently asked questions on Small Business Startup. Also view my blog for other information on Business issues.

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Tags: integrity, mean, profit, person, ethics

When I thought about writing this article, several things came to mind. However, the thing I decided to focus on was sweatshops, where women and children are employed for pennies a day to produce some of the leading brands that we unknowingly buy from major department stores around the country. This is a most disturbing fact that exists today.

Businesses that participate in this type of unethical abuse of power and exploitation of children and women should be boycotted and shut down. This type of practice is usually motivated by greed, lust of the eye and covetousness, persuaded by a most wicked and deceitful heart cf (Jer 17:9; Isa 55:6-8). Flagrant business practices of this nature is especially abominable in the eyes of the Lord.

The word of God has this to say about taking advantage of the poor:

“You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns.” (cf Deu 24:14) “Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.” (Prov 22:16) The Lord God also gives this warning, “Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate, for the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.” (cf Prov 22:22-23) This is an assurance of divine retribution, as the Lord will stand as their (the poor) advocate, even if it means raising up men/women to carry out His work of justice – within the boundaries of the law of the land.

Unfortunately, detecting whether a manufacturer may be using a sweatshop(s) can be challenging. When a clothier buys from a supplier, the purchase is being made in utmost good faith. However, it is the responsibility of the clothier to do their due-diligence during the research process to make sure that they are using reputable suppliers.

Also, there is a watchdog body call the National Mobilization Against Sweatshops (NMASS) in New York that expose the practice of this type of business in the garment as well as other industries. With NMASS you can become a member, join their mailing list and receive their newsletter via email. This is a good way to stay informed on whats happening in your industry.

Here is another watchdog group that’s exposing this practice around the world: United Students Against Sweatshops also known as USAS.

A recent article was posted by this group on April 23, 2009 talking about how these students stepped up against sweatshops and they are making some headway with their campaign.

I must admit that the above groups are quite zealous in their quest to rescue individuals from this form of oppression. However, it is evident that after reviewing their sites, I concluded that the reader will walk away with the knowledge of what sweatshops really are and the understanding of how you can detect one – from a distance. Remember, sweatshops are note only those garment producers that use minors and or underpaid women to produce their products. A sweatshop can also carry-on the practice of inhumane conditions for its workers, unreasonable long working hours, lack of proper medical care for their employees, an unsafe or hazardous working environment, or some other type of abusive environment.

Here are some measures that the clothier can put in place to prevent using or reduce the chance of using manufacturers that may be engaging in the practice of using sweatshops to produce their products:

* Know your supplier – Do what you can to get to know them, via phone conversations or over a cup of coffee

* Ask your supplier, in writing, whether their is a company policy against knowingly using sweatshops to produce their products

* Confirm whether their products are produced in a quality controlled non-hazardous environment

* Find out whether the manufacturer is a member of their state or country Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau or some other respectable body that encourages accountability

* Ask whether the company was ever accused breaking child labor laws – be it foreign or domestic

* Also ask any other question that come to mind

There is a saying, “you are known by the company you keep”. This statement is not necessarily always true. However, perception, for some, if not most, people is reality. Remember, your business is a reflection of you. We must always care about what is the public’s perception of our company, so as to build a reputation of being a good corporate citizen, putting Christ on display – daily.

In our next issue:
Business Ethics… for the Clothier (Part Two)

For more articles like this visit: Christian Business Ethics

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Bobby E. Miller – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: business, work, ethics, person, thing

Standing back and applying a ‘Reputation Lens’ to our business is a useful way of ascertaining whether someone, or something internally, may be enhancing our reputation, or damaging it. Whether we’re building trust or breaking it.

Everything we do has an impact on how we are perceived and judged. Unfortunately, however hard we might work to control our reputation, the reality is we can’t control it – we can only influence it. We can’t control it because we can’t control what others think of us, and what they think of us is our reputation – in their opinion.

However, it makes sense to periodically review what we can control, and these largely fall into three groups that can have a huge affect on the level of trust and reputation you have. I call them the 3 P’s:

People
If you’re a solo-operator this is you. If you employ others, it’s every one of them and you. Are the people that answer your phone, send out your newsletters, visit clients and do your book-keeping helping build trust or damaging it? Do they understand and support your values and have the training and confidence to make sound judgment calls when dealing with a difficult customer or situation? Is the way they come across and behave representing you in ways that enhance your reputation and build trust? If not, it’s up to you to help them understand the impact of their choices and actions and provide the training and support to enable them to step and represent you confidently and with ease.

Processes
Do you periodically carry out ‘mystery’ or ‘secret shopper’ checks to see how the processes you have in place may affect your reputation? Do you encourage ongoing, wide-ranging feedback from clients and customers and give any suggestions for improvement serious consideration? Do you give people options so they can interact with you in ways that suit them, rather than one way that suits you? Encouraging both formal and informal feedback from staff, customers, suppliers and others will enable you to monitor and adjust the impact your processes may be having and ensure you remain relevant, rather than redundant.

‘Partnerships’
Who and what are you associated with, formally and informally, that may affect your reputation and the level of trust someone has in you? ‘Partnerships’ relates not only to legal partnerships, but also includes your associations – formal or otherwise, with professional bodies, individuals, companies, brands, joint-venture initiatives, co-operative groups and so on. Is being associated with them helping or hindering you? Are there others you should consider being associated with? Have you considered possible effects if their reputation is damaged in some way and you’re formally or loosely associated with them? What might you do in those circumstances?

Our People, Processes and Partnerships hold our reputation in their hands. They have the power to make or break trust on a daily basis, yet rarely do we consider just how much impact they can have on how we are perceived.

If you haven’t applied a ‘reputation lens’ to the three Ps in your business lately it would certainly be worth doing so. We’re only as strong as our weakest links. Better to identify and minimize chinks in our armour before they become triggers that can severely damage our reputation and breach the trust people have in us.

Want to know more? Download Hannah’s free report: ‘Reputation Branding Essentials’ and opt-in to receive her electronic newsletter, ‘Reputationz’, at Here

Hannah is a specialist reputation advisor, professional speaker, author and founder of online performance-based service directory, TRUSTcite. She regularly comments on issues around reputation, trust and integrity in mainstream media and on her blog

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Tags: ethics, issue, trust, person, result

There was a young man (17 years old), fresh out of high school, who worked for a European clothier in the 90′s as a sales associate. One day the owner of the store called in to see how things were going at the store. Unknown to the sales associate, the owner of the store was looking at his store from a distance and location where the sales associate could not see him. So the clothier asked the sales associate a question [the sales associate was not aware that he was being tested] about the whereabouts of the store supervisor [unknown to the sales associate, the owner already knew the answer to this question]. The sales associate replied, “the supervisor is in the bathroom.” You see, the supervisor was away from the store doing personal business, when she should have been “supervising” the store. Moments later, the owner of the store, after knowing that he was just lied to, walk into the store and in a furious response said these words to the sales associate and the supervisor, “both of you go home -your fired!” To say the least, they were shocked that the owner knew what was happening – they were quite clear as to the reason why they were fired – for lying & deception.

This is one of the greatest concerns of employers today. Many entrepreneurs are fearful that they cannot leave their business unattended for fear that the employee (s) will not treat their business with the same care and passion that they themselves give to it on a daily basis. The evidence of this is the lack of vacation time that a owner take on an annual basis away from their business. Another case is in the number of hours that an owner spend at the office/store on a daily basis; even working on their sabbath, holidays or weekends when the business is scheduled to be closed.

We would like for this not to be the case, but we all know of someone that is currently experiencing this problem. Hopefully as you read this, it can be said of you that you are not one of these people.

I will attempt to answer the following questions to help bring some understanding to this concern:

1. What does God’s word have to say about this subject?

2. Why do employees need supervision?

3. What are some suggestions for the employer to reduce this need for supervision?

4. What can the employee do to help reduce the need for supervision?

Answer to Question 1:

We are called to be faithful servants to our employer. We are to always be diligent in our work ethic, displaying Godly stewardship and character in the workplace. We need to and are called to fight against the works of the flesh that encourages slothfulness. God’s word declares, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” (cf Luk 16:10-12)

Answer to Question 2:

We as human beings, due to our fallen nature, lack the ability to be faithful workers in and of ourselves. Needing to be held accountable and be kept focused on the task at hand is something that most if not all of us require or required at some time or another. Keep in mind that we were all supervised from the time of our birth by our parents or guardian. The world system says that you need to give an employee incentives to do their job. Give them things like bonuses, vacations, inter-office gifts and prizes by way of internal competition. We as children of God are never to do our work primarily because we are motivated to be faithful due to the offer of bonuses or other incentives to work. However, we are to do our work as if we were directly instructed by the Lord God Himself. As if He was our employer and we were in His workplace, employed directly by Him. (cf. )

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Tags: integrity, person, thing, ethics, work

- Napoleon Bonaparte

Morale can be described as the common belief of a group of people in the purpose of their organization, be it a military, business or government organization. A strong morale creates cohesion and a willingness to cooperate to achieve the goals of the organization. The maintenance of Morale is fundamental for every organization. A Commander or a CEO should dedicate much of his energy to keep the morale (or Esprit de Corps) in his organization at a high level. It is a part of the effort to create strength at the strategic point when attacking or when one is defending oneself.

From our point of view Morale is so fundamental that we have dedicated a separate chapter to this element of Strategy. We begin with a case from the 16th century when a commander, by completely re-engineering his organization, restored morale in his army.

Complete re-engineering of the firm is nowadays a hot topic among many management gurus. However it is nothing new. In the field of the military the complete and successful(!) overhauling of an organization was for instance undertaken in the 16th century by Maurice of Nassau (of the Republic of the Holland), by Napoleon in the 19th century and by the Germans somewhat later.

It is striking, that all the measures and organizational innovations that were introduced by Maurice, Napoleon and the Germans formed a coherent whole; it was not just one isolated measure or rule, it was a set of interlocking measures based on an understanding of the psychology of the (mercenary) soldier, it was a re-engineering process avant la lettre!

In war numbers alone are of no advantage. Do not advance relying on sheer military power.

- Sun Tzu

Already the ancients recognized the importance of the human factor, that is to say the moral commitment of the members to their organization. Morale is the sum of a number of qualities such as courage, determination, and decisiveness. These qualities are encouraged when there exists mutual trust originating from solidarity and team spirit. If management is able to instil these qualities in the organization it can face with confidence any competitor.

Capable Commanders understood this and the manner in which they inspired their troops are well known; for them, Morale and Esprit de Corps, or belief in the goals to be achieved, the motivation and enthusiasm, where elements of strategic importance.

Good commanders not only understood the elementary psychological needs of the soldiers; they made themselves recognizable and thereto used all kinds of symbols. For example Patton always carried ivory handled pistols, Montgomery used the black beret of his tank troops and pinned on it the many insignias of the regiments he commanded, Mosje Dayan is well known for his black eye patch and General Ridgway always carried a live hand grenade on his left breast pocket.

For an effective organization which is able to carry out its chosen strategies successfully, intangible cultural aspects like morale, resulting in cooperation, team spirit, Esprit de Corps, enthusiasm, and motivation of its staff are just as essential as tangible elements such as factories, machinery, financial means and suitable accommodation. However, it takes a long time to build up intangible (cultural) elements like cooperation, in-group feeling, team spirit and the will to act together. A consistent leadership style based on a long term vision is fundamental to reach this goal.

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Tags: ethics, subject, object, person, global

* In the old days, a deal could be done on a handshake.
* A persons word used to be as good as gold.
* The bottom line has become more important than people.

I recently spoke before a group of insurance professionals about customers losing trust in their industry. As the pressure to produce increases, the industry seems to cut corners. Sadly, company communication is breaking down by ignoring the very backbone of the industry: the loyal clients.

Discussing the topic of ethics before a captive audience is a very delicate process. The presenter must strike the appropriate balance between making the audience comfortable by offering objective information in an energized and thoughtful manner, without excessive preaching about the importance of ethical behavior.

I believe that each of us has a strong moral compass which gets tested every day on the job. As a presenter, if I can provide concrete examples to an audience of how unethical behavior will adversely affect a company, I can then initiate a dialogue of ethical dilemmas in any industry. My goal is to give participants a frame of reference, not to instill ethical beliefs. By providing people with relevant analogies, hopefully they will develop the tools needed to prevent any unethical situations from arising in a company setting.

I. The Erosion of Client Confidence
The recent explosion of bad faith lawsuits filed by dissatisfied customers is evidence of an erosion in confidence:

- An insurance company’s delay and denial of a homeowners claim for cleaning up toxic mold caused by a water leak led the client to sue the insurance company.

The result:
$6.2 million compensatory damages
$12 million punitive damages
$5 million for mental anguish
$8.9 million in attorney fees!!

If the initial, knee-jerk reaction of a company is to turn its back on a client, all of the trust built over the years with that client is instantly lost. Immediately, an adversarial relationship is created. It is the very nature of confrontational environments which may plant the seeds of unethical behavior.

II. Building Trust is the Key to Avoiding Ethical Dilemmas
As a lighthearted analogy, I use one of Aesops Fables, in which two buddies (insurance salesperson and client) are traveling together in the woods, when a bear rushes out in front of them. On instinct, the salesperson grabs a tree branch and climbs a tree, stranding the client. Ever resourceful, the client feigns death, knowing the bear wont eat dead meat. After the bear sniffs close to the clients ear, it eventually leaves the area. As the salesperson climbs down the tree, he laughingly asks the client: What did that big bad bear whisper? The client glares, then offers: He said, never trust a friend who deserts you in a pinch.

This issue of trust permeates any discussion of company ethics. It is a message that must start at the top, and is a number-one priority in all company-customer relationships.

III. Tips on Ethics Presentations for Every Industry
1. An observation: The role of the presenter is not to change peoples minds about ethics. Rather, it is to give the audience a frame of reference with examples of unethical behavior.

2. Start the session off in a light manner, using a humorous story to make a larger point.

3. Never put audience members on the spot. The topic of ethics is so sensitive that the facilitator must put no one on the defensive.

4. Remind the audience about the good news: That most people in the industry have very strong morals and usually do the ethical thing.

5. Find specific cases of extreme ethical violations in a particular industry. These examples will generate discussion on how solid communication and trust might have prevented an escalation of unethical behavior.

6. Give hope to audience members. Remind them that special attention to the customer will slowly build back any lost trust.

7. Consider a presentation during which audience members construct a brief, uniform Ethics Mission Statement.

8. Emphasize that employers must continually educate employees on company ethics. There are no quick-fixes to such an important topic.

9. Have fun in any presentation (the most important lesson of all)!

10. Remember E.T.H.I.C.S. Elevating Trust Has Inspired Customer Satisfaction.

©2003-2009 Perry Binder, JD, conducts seminars for large and small companies on a range of topics, including: Stay home! Don’t go to work! (litigation prevention tips for employers), corporate governance, e-commerce law, products liability law, and sexual harassment law. He can be reached at Here.

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Tags: show, ethics, person, Connection, think

Are you working as an employee for a corporation while possessing aspirations of eventually becoming one of the executives for the organization? Have you already been promoted to your organization’s executive level? Anyone who works as an executive should conduct his or her business with morality and ethics. You will learn some of the things executives should do to run their corporations while adhering to business and professional ethics.

The first thing you can do to exhibit business and professional ethics is to display a professional image of yourself at all times. Demonstrate that you do not put your personal interests above that of the corporation or your employees. Show that you care about the entire corporation and that you are not someone who is greedy and will do anything for a quick buck.

Avoid using a corporate jet for your transportation needs, especially during these tough economic times. Indulging in extravagances such as this tells your employees and society that you are irresponsible and unsympathetic toward those who are less fortunate that you. Executives who flew their corporate jets to seek bailout money in hearings held through the United States Congress in the last few months of 2008 did not make a good impression. Some members of Congress and people around the nation probably thought, “If these people can afford to come here in their private jets, they can probably maintain their businesses on their own. These people have a lot of nerve.”

Do not allow yourself to be paid a salary that is worth hundreds more than what your employees earn. This is very unfair to the workers who wonder how the executives can be so much worthier than them. After all, the employees are the ones who make a company’s success possible. If you cannot persuade the head honchos to give you a big pay cut or highly limit your compensation, give some of your excess pay to the employees and charities.

Do not “cook the books”, or claim to investors your corporation is making less money than it actually is. In addition to this being unethical and immoral, it is an illegal act that can send you to prison.

Do not lie to law enforcement officials or Congress under any circumstances. If you lie to Congress under oath, you could be charged with a misdemeanor; however, if you lie to law enforcement officials or withhold information that is crucial to their investigation, you could end up in a federal penitentiary for at least ten years for lying to law enforcement officials and obstruction of justice.

Take paying your taxes seriously. Do not underreport your taxes. Do not try to use offshore tax shelters. Do not try to take advantage of too many tax loopholes.

Invest in your employees where you are. Do not ship the jobs for any employees overseas just to save money on salaries.

Adhere to these suggestions to be an executive who operates with business and professional ethics!

Todd Hicks owns Skill Development Institute, an enterprise that provides a keyboard typing lesson and academic study guide. To become a great typist or student, visit Skill Development Institute

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Tags: ethics, rule, global, person, quality

I recently watched the movie, Doubt, starring Meryl Streep. As described in the movie reviews, the film takes place in 1964, and centers on a nun who confronts a priest after suspecting him of abusing a black student. He denies the charges, and much of the film’s quick-fire dialogue tackles themes of religion, morality, and authority.

I don’t want to spoil the story by giving away too much, but there is one scene that I thought was brilliant. The priest, played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, discusses the topic of gossip during his sermon to the congregation. He describes a woman who has gossiped about another and goes to her priest to confess her sin. He tells her to go to the top of her roof and gut a pillow, then return to him the following day. She does as instructed. Feathers from the pillow fly across the sky.

She returns the following day and reports what she has done. The priest next instructs her to go back and gather all the feathers and restuff the pillow. She tells him that she cannot perform this task as the feathers blew away. She can’t even guess how far they flew or where they went. He tells her that it is exactly the same thing with gossip.

When you talk disparagingly, or spread gossip, you have no idea how far the message will travel, where it will spread. Once you say something it is impossible to take it back. My friend Jackie, an educator and public speaker, has seen the devastating effects of gossip in personal relationships, as well as the workplace. This is what she has to say about the topic:

“Gossip is not only hurtful, it’s destructive. Criticism and gossip stops any work environment from being a positive, joyful, fun, fulfilling experience. We can be having a wonderful time at our jobs, then one negative or critical person walks in and everyone seems to follow the negativity feeding frenzy. It’s like inviting ants to a picnic. Unfortunately, what follows is the whole environment turns negative. We find ourselves agreeing with, and even adding to the gossip and criticism that is being tossed about. From there it spreads and fuels the fire of discord – often beyond repair.”

In addition to ruining people’s reputations, gossip in the workplace is bad for business. It results in loss of jobs, retraining costs and a serious decrease in morale and productivity.

Jackie offered this advice for turning the tide of gossip in the workplace.

“We each have an obligation to stop this vicious cycle of negativity and destruction. When we catch ourselves being critical or wanting to gossip, we need to stop and refuse to allow ourselves to fall into that trap. We may have to work on this for the rest of our lives as the programming is strong and society as a whole tends to be negative. We have to choose not to participate or associate with the people that seem to thrive on the negative side of life. We have to learn to say, “I’m sorry you feel the way you do, but I really can’t let your negative attitude interfere with my joy and happiness.” It may be hard at first, but when you hear gossip, you need to have the courage to stop it, or at the very least, learn to walk away.”

Although gossip may seem titillating, when we listen or participate in gossip and negativity, we allow the verbal negativity to grow and have more power. In order to lead a happier life, we must learn to focus on the positive people, places, and things we enjoy. By doing so, we not only become happier, we are able to defuse, or erase, the negativity in our environments. The old saying, If you can’t say something nice about someone don’t say anything at all, is more true than we realize.

Because we are bombarded with negative messages every day – particularly in the media – spreading bad news is becoming more common place than ever before. Gossip is just another evil way of creating more negativity and unhappiness in the world. One way to curb the practice is to think before speaking, or repeating information. Ask yourself, “Is what I’m about to say going to be hurtful in any way? What is my motivation for saying this? Is what I’m about to say coming from a place of love and respect, or a place anger and cruelty?” By asking ourselves a few questions before we speak, and trying to communicate from a compassionate viewpoint and not a critical one, we can save ourselves, and others, a lot of pain and grief.

Sally Marks
Coauthor of upcoming book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within. Check out her blog at Here

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Tags: ethics, person, results, communication, global

I attended a business networking meeting earlier today, at which a local CPA gave a ten minute presentation about her accounting and tax practice. It turned out to be a lesson in integrity. She described many unethical practices that she has witnessed over the 20 years of being in business, in addition to her prior 10 years as an IRS representative. In spite of client’s desires to get a BIG tax refund, she is committed to operating within generally accepted accounting principles.

What was really unusual in a business setting of this nature is that she acknowledged her faith as the foundation of her moral convictions. She built her business on ethical standards and is reaping the benefits from that early decision. She gave me a sense of trust as a person I could do business with, should the opportunity arise. I don’t recall meeting her at the prior couple of meetings I’ve attended, but today she made a lasting impression. Consequently, this month I decided to focus on this matter of integrity.

Why is integrity important? Integrity is a virtue that demonstrates the quality of one’s character. While morality is often associated with integrity, you can make a mistake, or hold “immoral” views, yet still act with integrity. Acting with integrity on some particularly important occasion will, philosophically speaking, always be explained in terms of broader features of a person’s character and life.But, it is primarily a relationship that one has with oneself.

Integrity is important as business owners because it connects us in our actions with our clients, colleagues, suppliers and other relationships. What I believe is one of the most important by-products of integrity is the law of attraction. We attract into our lives the very things that we give away. If your truth is fairness and goodwill, then fairness and goodwill is what you will attract in return. On the other hand if your truth is manipulation and short cuts for improper gain, then you can expect to reap the fruit thereof.

As case in point: last summer when gas prices skyrocketed, my housekeeper decided that she needed to raise her rates. But the problem was that, not only did she intend to increase my rate by 100%, she slipped up and admitted that I was “one of the people” she had chosen as a “sacrificial lamb.” After ten years of service, I fired her on the spot.

In these economically challenging times, remain true to who you are. Continue to operate your business with integrity and never take anyone for granted. Your words certainly are a reflection of your character, but your actions are a greater tell-tale sign of your fundamental moral compass. Whether you’re doing business with a Fortune 500 company or and Mom and Pop store; a group of 1000 or 25, let the quality of your product or service be the same. Be mindful to keep your word and deliver on your promises.

Point to Ponder: The investments you make today will pay dividends in the future.

Rebecca McClain is a life & business coach. She is the founder and CEO of Life Treasures, LLC. As an entrepreneur, author, speaker and coach she is recognized as an expert in personal and professional success and fulfillment. Visit her Website to receive a free audio CD.

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Tags: integrity, person, result, ethics, thing

Business Success doesn’t just happen. It begins with a person who has a thought or an idea… I need to stop right there……..There is a lot more, however the person has to be special if the business is to succeed and make their life and the world a better place.

A special internal mindset of certain internal core beliefs, values and principles is important before anything else… Or a person must be willing to learn and develop this mindset quickly. Without this business success mindset, much or all of the effort and actions will be in vain… or perhaps yield a limited result with undue stress, anxiety, worry, and results.

Personal integrity is the core value. The business owner or owners must have personal integrity that they cultivate into their business, customers and clients and others.

What is integrity? personal and business?

Personal integrity is the foundation required for business success in the long term. It’s impossible to have business integrity without personal integrity. It’s possible to have a perceived and limited short term success without personal integrity…But beware, as all the bricks will tumble hard and quickly when people lose trust and faith, are mistreated, scammed…

Personal integrity is your personal code of conduct for yourself and your business that you follow no matter what. It is your policies of right and wrong for yourself as well as for operating your business. This code of conduct applies to you, employees and all segments of the business.

Integrity is the key to success because the methods for everyone to follow is open and honest, respectful of employees, vendors, customers and everyone you come in contact with. It is a design for winning, for succeeding… that’s the result you can expect when applied consistently on a daily basis.

Benefits of Living with Personal Integrity and Business Integrity

There are too many benefits to discuss here, so I will share some of those that impacted me the most…. and those I feel most strongly about because I believe they have a massive impact for good of individuals, businesses and everything in the world.

1. I sleep at night like a lamb because I feel satisfied, fulfilled, with no worry about keeping my stories straight because they are factual. I have no regrets because I’ve done the best I could sticking to what is right or wrong and following through on those principles.

The feeling of peace and freedom is truly a blessing. I share a general story with great humbleness, and with great pride. Why? Because when involved in these circumstances, I was rejected, ridiculed, told I was incompetent, and much more….

My business as a CPA and business consultant involved a lot of detail, facts, circumstances, laws and regulations, and much competition from other similar businesses. There is no way I could keep the truth and stories in perspective using imagined or unreal circumstances. Actually, I don’t think anyone can… that’s why once started, the untruths, the made-up stories grow…impossible to remember details that did not happen.

It is possible to take the high road of providing real value and services with honesty and integrity, make a profit, and feel good in your heart and soul, feel worthy, confident and happy. You can do this too.

2. Operating with integrity and from a place of truth opens up other people to respond with more openness, honesty and truth, some right now and others in the long term. Thus we develop a path and example of integrity, benefits and good for individuals, society, business, and the world.
Mistrust leads to more mistrust, to dishonest actions by everyone, and finally to disaster and bad things. Let’s not go there.

3. When all is open and in truth, it’s easier to accept responsibility for the mistakes we make and move forward always trying to improve.

4. No matter what criticism or rejection is imposed upon you, your inner peace remains because you know what you do is fair, honest, with integrity.

5. I believe more and more people are looking today to re-instate honesty and integrity into their entire lives, into their business, into government and all that impacts them.

That gives every one of us the opportunity to take advantage of that societal stage that will benefit the world, society and us as individuals.

Personal integrity and business integrity starts with the individual person, you and I. I encourage you to embrace those principles so we increase in numbers to be the majority in our community, state, nation and world.

Barbara Filla Business and Life Coach and Successful Entrepreneur, helps many become the next success story. Whether you’re looking to create and build a successful business, be an ex-corporate CEO of your own home-based business, the next millionaire Mom or Dad, Barbara can assist you to create a primary or second stream of income and greater peace of mind. Click Here.

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Tags: ethics, person, business, result, mind

From an individual point of view, the primary objective of a business firm is to earn profits. But the society point of view is different, according to the society business exists to supply goods and services to the people. One may expect that the individual goals of the firm would not be in conflict with the objectives of the society.

However, business enterprises are run by human beings whose decisions and actions may not always be in accordance with the expectations of the society. An enterprise may be good in terms of economic performance but poor in terms of social performance like supplying products at reasonable prices. This raises the question of what is wrong and what is right from the society’s point of view. The subject matter of ethics is concerned with establishing linkages between individual good and social good.

Concept of business ethics

The word ethic means character, norms, ideals, morals prevailing in a group or society. Ethics may be viewed as the entire body of moral values that society attaches to the actions of human beings. Ethical standards are often enacted as laws. But ethical behavior is just and fair conduct which goes beyond observing laws and government regulations. It means adhering to moral principles, being guided by particular values, and behaving in a way people ought to act.

The set of principles called ethics may be written or unwritten codes or principles governing a professional or human community. An ethically responsible enterprise develops a culture of caring for people and environment and commands a high degree of integrity in dealing with others.

business studies book

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Tags; business, work, ethics, person, global

Lie: a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood.

In recent years, thousands of individuals have lost their jobs due to unethical corporate behavior. Americans have been witness to numerous scandals in government offices — from local politicians, all the way to the White House.

Everywhere you turn, you hear about identity theft, Internet scams, and crimes against the elderly and homeless. It can oftentimes seem as if everyone is out to get you.

The truth is, while there are scammers and cheats; there are just as many good and honest people. You just have to know how to determine who you can trust and who you should avoid.

Many people think the Internet is this vast network, connecting people all over the world. They think that because the Internet is so big, they can easily commit crimes and scams. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While it’s true that some scammers do get away with their crimes, there are many more that get caught. People are becoming more of the tactics that scammers use and are exceptionally reluctant to provide strangers with personal information.

In order to develop a successful Internet marketing plan, you must build your platform based on honesty. If you do, those who are interested in what you offer will soon be flocking to your door.

Think about it. How many times have you ordered a product from a website? While there are millions of Americans who shop online; the majority of them conduct business with names they trust.

It’s challenging for the “little” guy to get noticed out in cyberspace. But, it can be done.

Although having a website is not a requirement of Internet marketing, it certainly helps. A website is the platform where you can present information and sell your product or service.

There are two types of websites: 1) one that you create yourself, or hire a designer to create for you; 2) one provided to you by a company you represent. These types of sites are also known as affiliate or mirror websites.

Creating your own website provides you with the luxury of presenting whatever type of information you desire. It is your responsibility to write content, locate appropriate graphics, and make certain you post the proper legal disclaimers.

Using an affiliate or mirror site limits your ability to alter content, offer promotions, or build a customer mailing list. For the most part, the only thing you can do with this type of website is direct traffic to it in an attempt to make sales.

Today’s technologies allow nearly everyone the opportunity to build a professional looking website. Most companies who offer web building services offer monthly payment plans, making it affordable and convenient.

Tools are included which allow website owners to upload audio and video files; and allow visitors to download digital goods. At the press of a button you can add an interactive forum or chat room and engage visitors in real-time conversation.

Byron has been working with computers for over twenty years. He got his first computer in 1983, a Commodore 64 and started writing games while teaching himself to program in assembler. He into commercial IT in 1989 and started working with Mainframe computers and UNIX systems, since then his IT experience and skills have grown in leaps and bounds.

A few years ago he got involved with the Better Business Institute and trained to become a Marketing Consultant. He’s has now combined the marketing knowledge gained and his IT experience to create his company Pax Mentis where he provides ‘Peace of Mind’ internet marketing solutions.

His main ezine is aimed at the novice who wants to gain the technical skills and confidence to setup their own online business.

In The Honest Marketer you will learn exactly what you need to do to create a website that instills trust in your visitors.

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Tags: way, ethics, access, person, market

The subject of business ethics has been of concern since the beginning of time and will continue to be especially in these times of economic turbulence. Many businesses as a result of ignoring this principle have lost their reputation just for the sake of making money.

Unfortunately, in the 21st century in which we all find ourselves, there seem to be some systems that have created ethical dilemmas for the business owner or entrepreneur today in the sense that what you will find to be legal could not necessarily be ethical.

Interestingly enough, there is a new trend sweeping over the business world today where a lot more individuals are venturing into starting new businesses as a result on the many job loses.

That in itself is a good thing and what could even make it better if you are into business for yourself is to take the time to properly establish an ethical business that benefits both you and your community.

The problem is that most of the new businesses that are being set up, due to their ignorance of how things work and the speed with which they want to start making money, most of the time, only study their industry colleagues’ ways of operation and try to model them while overlooking the ethics behind the business.

One of the things that most business starters do not get to learn is the fact that depending on how well you build relationships with your customers and clients is what will determine if you succeed long enough in business or not.

Fortunately, there are ways and systems that can even help new businesses to operate ethically and still make lots of money without ruining their reputation.

One sure way to find out if you are operating in the right manner is to join at least one association or community where your target customers or clients meet and listen carefully to what issues they talk about and use those to shape up your business ethics to build a reputable business.

Gone are the days when the customer had no say in the product development and the companies treated customers “equally” and most of the time without any care.

Today, customers are not only talking a lot to each other about how businesses treat them but they are even dictating how they want the outcome of a product or service to look like before they invest in it.

It is therefore important as a business owner, to put systems in place that only works to build great relationships with your target community in order to grow a loyal and a faithful following that respects, values and trusts you, in a way that makes your business offerings highly sort after in order to grow your business exponentially.

The question you must therefore ask yourself as a business owner or entrepreneur is “what values do I want to nurture in my business?”

Making good business ethics a part of these values would be a wise decision that will help you to avoid many of the pitfalls that have caused many businesses to end up shamefully and painfully.

Marjorie Janczak is a multifaceted communications and business etiquette strategist helping independent professional service providers to leverage the power of communications and business etiquette to achieve success. Get your copy of the FREE report that reveals how you can use etiquette in your business to win paying clients. Download Business Etiquette Report Click to claim your copy!

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Tags: option, thing, ethics, person, business

It’s ALL about Trust…especially if you’re a Medical Provider. There’s NO other endeavor on the face of the Earth more dependent on Trust than Health care. If you’re in the business, and you’ve compromised your Trust, you’re Dead in the Water. If you’re in the business and you want to get some business, you must build trust, first.

There’s a serious lack of Trust in seemingly everything these days. (Bad News: it’s growing!) Around the world, people are looking at national and multi-national corporations with a narrow gaze and a suspicious eye. (Lately, BOTH eyes!) No matter what you’re ‘pitchin, consumer confidence has fallen off the table. Trust is waning. No one’s buying anything…

This trend is nothing new….it’s probably not even a trend anymore. Tales of unscrupulous business oligarchies and less-than-trustworthy empires have been part of the culture since Genghis and Kublai Khan stamped their multinational brand on the world market. Back in the Day, the Khan Boys kept a tight leash on Trust and Confidence through fear and intimidation – not by being a Socially Responsible Corporation (or Hoard as the case may be).

Today, leveraged by The Social Media and billions of bloggers worldwide, the levels of distrust with guys like Genghis, and Kublai, and Madoff, and Satyam, and Enron – even Arthur Anderson for crying out loud – have taken us to a new level; we’ve reached a new tipping point. Trust, throughout the world, has been thrown on the trash heap!

Global readings from The Edelman Trust Barometer show the meter virtually upside down with these new lows: 66% of the public Trust corporations even LESS than they did one year ago!

Not just corporations…NO one trusts government, either. The constant huffing and puffing from blowhards in The US Congress is taking its toll across globe. The Trust Barometer further shows: ONLY 13% of the public trust corporate or product advertising – down from its all-time low of 20% last year;

ONLY 17% trust information about a US company from its CEO; Globally, it’s just 29%;
ONLY 38% trust a business to do what’s right – a 20-point drop from last year.

“A catastrophic year for business,” said Richard Edelman, CEO of the firm that keeps both eyes on the data. More accurately, it was a catastrophic year for Trust.

Closer to my home in Green Bay Wisconsin, trust walks a tightrope, and is being buffeted about by a steady, ill wind and by constant, low blows. A few months ago, The Nicolet Bank Business Pulse* addressed the issue of Trust with CEOs and Business Owners:

28% said The Public Trust of Business has eroded Significantly; 36% said it has eroded Moderately; 25% said Slightly.

Ten percent said, Trust has not eroded at all! (Yes, Faith and Hope springs eternal among some people around here.)

When asked if their OWN, Personal Trust in Business has eroded: 14% of the CEOs said it has eroded Significantly; 25% said, Moderately; 31% said, Slightly.

Twenty-eight percent said their trust in business has not eroded at all.

CEO Mike Krysiak of ENCAP LLC in Green Bay said, “Like sand on a beach, year-over-year erosion of this magnitude has compounding effects. If this keeps up, we’re going to lose the beach.”

According to both the Edelman and the Nicolet Bank barometers, the Beach may already be gone. And once it’s gone, how do you get the Beach back? You can’t buy a bushel full of it from one of your vendors; you can’t create a product, a pill or a remedy that reestablishes Trust in people – certainly not one that’s “Fast Acting” enough for the critical condition of this patient.

You could, probably, just tell people to Trust you – like the unethical and untrustworthy Bernie Madoff was saying for years. Trust me, The Madoff Approach isn’t going to work now that the foundation is eroded from under your toes as you’re standing on the beach.

To compound the problem, Trust isn’t the only thing ‘roding ’round here. According to the CEOs and Business Owners surveyed by Nicolet National Bank, 65% say Unethical Business Behavior in the US is Serious problem; and 67% say the Standards of Business Ethics have declined, as well.

No Ethics, No Trust, No Economy: A Perfect Storm to bring a medical product ashore? Would you dare stick a toe in that water when the sharks might hand you back your hat?

Ray Kotcher, CEO of Ketchum, addressed the International Public Relations Association in Beijing in November. He said, “In addition to the normal competitive barriers, [companies] must also contend with long-established beliefs that may hamper their growth. These can be overcome with a lot of work, but they cannot be ignored.” (No kidding, Ray!)

If you’re selling Health care, how do you win in this environment? Can’t you promote your price advantage, your great facilities, your excellent outcomes – and take your money to the bank?

In last month’s issue of Medical Tourism Magazine, Alex Piper wrote a great piece on The Patient Experience. To achieve success, Alex wrote, “Hospitals must sell the patient on the Complete Experience.”

Trust is a HUGE part of the Complete Experience.

Nicolet Bank also asked CEOs about the importance of Trust in Building Effective Relationships: 72% said Trust is Extremely Important; 26% said it’s Very Important; 1% said Moderately Important and 1% said Somewhat Important. NO ONE said Trust was NOT Important!

In his book, The Speed of Trust Steven M.R. Covey wrote: “One thing, which if removed, will destroy the most powerful government, the most successful business, the most thriving economy, the most influential leadership. That one thing is Trust.”

The corollary is: If Trust is developed and honored, success follows. CEO Krysiak said, “We need to build our businesses based on a rock of character traits that define us personally like: Faithfulness, Compassion, Integrity, Honesty and Perseverance.”

When building your business in Health care, there’s very little need to Sell The Sizzle these days; you gotta sell the Steak/The Complete Experience! And before you can get close to that meat, you MUST sell people on Trust. Only then can we be Faithful, Honest, Compassionate and, I trust, Preserve together.

Michael Bina is Managing Director of Intellectual Marketing, LLC

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Tags: ethical, thing, person, global, responbility

As the world entered the New Year of 2010, many were hopeful that the New Year would not be like the last with the United States of America experiencing its worst market since the great depression. The optimism may be credited to the end of the Bush era or to the hope injected by president Barack Obama. In his inaugural speech President Obama announced his vision for a new America “Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.” As I replay presidents Obama’s speech I realize that there is a simple answer to all his questions and concerns. There is an answer to our weakened economy, an answer to greed and irresponsibility an answer to the hard choices of lost homes, an answer to the costly health care and failing schools. The answer is for every student, business owner, consumer, and government official to be required to take classes in International Business Ethics offered at Ohio Wesleyan University.

In the international business ethics classes, president Obama would have received answers to his tough questions from any one of the 16 debates argued in class. Students passionate and convincing arguments against dumping abroad would show President Obama that America has a responsibility to the rest of the world by not treating humans as a means to an end. Eminent domain would have encouraged Obama to rewrite eminent domain laws with the help of Rawl’s principles that states that “each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive total system of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar system of liberty for all” and “social and economic inequalities to be attached to positions and offices open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity and they are to be the greatest expected benefit of the least advantage members of society. If president Obama does not drop out of the class after his disappointing first exam grade he would read arguments against capitalism that he could use as a weapon when he is trying to convince the republicans that competition is not really what its cracked up to be.

As a business owner, I am repeatedly faced with decisions that affect my business, employees and communities. International business teaches that for every decision there is an ethical reasoning required. We cannot life in this would and assume that our actions do not affect those around us. International business will give people the opportunity and tool to analyze their behavior and decisions. While we do not have answers to every ethical question out there, it is more important for us to raise these ethical questions rather than pretend that ethics and business are not related. I did get a chance to take international business ethics at Ohio Wesleyan University. The class influenced me to raised questions about eazzyclean and its impact on the communities it does business. We have added a philanthropy division to the eaZZyclean called eaZZyhelp. eaZZyhelp program donates 8% of eaZZyclean profits to the community, 2% to health, 2% to Environment, 2% to Learning and 2% to people.

Learn more about eaZZyclean and eaZZyhelp program at Here

Farooq A. Busari is currently a Jr at Ohio Wesleyan University and serves as President and CEO of eaZZyclean LLC a company he founded as a sophomore in college. eaZZyclean is a professional laundry, dry cleaning room and carpet cleaning service that provides its clients with reliable and convenient services of high quality and excellent customer service.

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Tags: business, work, ethics, time, person

This week begins a series of essays on business ethics. I hope to discuss a variety of subtopics under this main topic. We will begin with the concept of “caveat emptor,” or ‘let the buyer beware.’

This is an age old concept that asserts that when we enter into a transaction, we should be skeptical and we should perform all possible due diligence to protect ourselves from being cheated. This concept remained the conventional wisdom for centuries. In the marketplace, those buyers who did the most homework were able to most often avoid being cheated. And those who did not got plucked, like the pigeons they were. Who among us has not read a story about someone falling for the “Nigerian Banker” scam, shook our heads and smugly thought, “I’d never fall for that!”

For purposes of this discussion, let’s leave aside all the obvious scams, ponzi schemes, spam, phishing and pump-and-dump operations. We hopefully all know enough to avoid these types of scams. But what about navigating the everyday marketplace?

There are many who will argue that the ‘marketplace’ is sacrosanct, and should not be regulated in any way. The marketplace, so this logic goes, will police itself, and cheaters and scammers will be winnowed out because buyers are smart and can spot them. There are many areas of the ‘marketplace’, where this argument simply does not hold water. Why? Because the game is rigged. The average person’s chances of success in certain ‘marketplaces’ are as poor as they might be in a casino, or a lotto.

A while ago I was in a supermarket and was looking at soap to purchase. The particular soap I wanted was $1.79 for a regular bar. Next to the individual bars, they had a special group of the same sized bars banded together and labeled with a ” SPECIAL 2 for 3.99!”, inferring that the better deal was the “2 for 3.99″. I wandered around the store and found several other such examples where the inference was that buying multiples would be cheaper, and in each case, purchasing 2 of the single item was cheaper than the multiple offer. Do we really have to always be on our toes to this degree when we go shopping in order to avoid being taken advantage of?

Corporate America brings to bear some powerful weapons to motivate us to do whatever it is they want us to that day. And we are all susceptible. Because we are busy, tired, stressed and overworked we are susceptible to motivations and mild misdirection.

In the pharmaceutical sector, we are deluged with ads urging us to ask our doctors if “lipo-hydro-oxy-blasto-narco-soma is right for you”. Often these ads are very clever at glossing over the real facts behind the use of certain pharmaceuticals they advertise. Under the idea of ‘caveat emptor’ we would drag out our “Physician’s Desk Reference” and read all the chemistry and pharmacology related to any medicine we are considering taking, so we are fully aware of it’s implications. Or perhaps we could suspend our normal career and get a degree in biochemistry or pharmacology.

We are deluged with come-ons from financial service companies that then bury the terms and conditions in layers of incomprehensible jargon, so that we are hard pressed to make a determination as to the benefits of the offer. Perhaps here, we can all become lawyers to protect ourselves against hidden or obscure terms and conditions buried in a mountain of legalese.

Retailers, telecommunications companies and other giants often obscure the true pricing of what they are selling in order to preclude us from being able to comparison shop.

In virtually every area, commerce with larger entities (not every one, mind you, but a good many) becomes a futile exercise in trying to determine what is real. What is the real price? What fees will I be charged? What are the side effects of this medicine? What if I want to cancel my plan?

As consumers, we are obviously not going to become lawyers, doctors or pharmacists just to learn the truth of each advertisement we see or hear. But we can pay attention, we can do the math, we can bring to bear a healthy skepticism about any advertisement to which we are exposed.

And as businesses, can we not try to be more forthright in our advertising? Are the bottom line and shareholder value so important that we are willing to compromise all our ethics to achieve positive results? I do not think it would be naïve of me to suggest that we are now witnessing the consequences of too much emphasis on shareholder value. If you trade in your ethical standards for increased shareholder value, you will end up with neither.

Matt Cantillon
05-18-2009

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Matt Cantillon – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: ethics, mind, thing, global, person

Corporate responsibility (CR) is becoming an increasingly critical matter of concern for large companies across the globe, as the unscrupulous are lambasted in the Press media and sued into oblivion. Business ethics, environment, society and employment are considered now integral parts of the quadruple-bottom-line in operating successfully i.e. sustainably in the modern business world.

A key precept of establishing sound CR practices is how an organisation defines and provides for its Key Material Sustainability Issues (KMSI).

Firstly, let’s define “materiality.” At its most basic, it is “the state or quality of being material.”[1] Another more specific source says, “An issue or concern is material if it could influence the decisions, actions and behaviour of stakeholders or the organization.”[2] Materiality hence relates to tangibility. When issues have high materiality they’re meaningful to the sustainability of the organisation.

Furthermore, issues are ‘material’ to an organisation if they’re both appreciably relevant (what matters) and significant (how much it matters) as normally defined by account of all stakeholders and the business itself. Materiality is measured by the stakeholder’s: 1) impact on sustainability, and 2) influence on the industry.

Fundamentally, a business must know what its stakeholders care about i.e. know what is material for them, and put this together with the strategic impact of individual stakeholders on that business or business area i.e. their impact and influence.

This information (the KMSIs) provides a business with direction or rules with which to guide and govern judgments, decision making and action. Underpinning and further directing this detailed corporate knowledge are Sustainability or Business Principles. These are broad business values, for example, “We create and sustain a working environment where people are challenged to do their best.” This would be a fitting Business Principle supporting the ‘employment’ branch of the quadruple-bottom-line.

In sum, sustainability is achieved through stakeholder involvement and the embracing of the Principle of Inclusivity. Supporting this principle of inclusivity (i.e. breadth) are three others: Materiality (i.e. realness), Completeness (i.e. accuracy) and Responsiveness (performance based on reality).[3]

At the end of the day, business needs to endeavour to do whatever it can to protect its future interests; the only way a company can do its best to guarantee its future, or provide for its sustainability, is to heed all stakeholders’ input and weigh it with opportunities, and against the perceived threats, to its business. This is sustainability.

Copyright © 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Post Script: I don’t normally tackle such issues as this, preferring to handle ‘softer’ issues such as those on relationships. In part two of this series I will focus on Issues of Sustainability – in Relationships.

ENDNOTES:
[1] The Free Dictionary, “Materiality,” Retrieved 20 May 2009. Source
[2] Det Norske Veritas, Defining Materiality and Material Sustainability Issues (presentation) at Report Comunicacao, Sao Paulo, 22 July, 2008. Source: AccountAbility. Available
[3] Where ‘inclusivity’ and ‘materiality’ provide an understanding of reality, almost like the breadth and length of prevailing knowledge. Referring to the AA1000 Assurance Standard.

Steve Wickham is a safety and health professional (BSc, MSIA, RSP) and a qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min). He also has training and leadership Diplomas. His passion in vocation is facilitation and coaching; encouraging people to soar to a higher value of their potential. Steve’s key passion is work / life balance and re-creating value for living, and an exploration of the person within us.

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Tags: corporate, result, person, ethics, Issue

Your business is you and you are your business. This statement means that anything that happens concerning your business will reflect on you as a person. This is the reason why many people do not easily trust others when it comes with their businesses. Even hiring employees had been a tough process in the recent years due to our fear of getting bad elements to penetrate our companies.

Thus, it has always been prudent to conduct a criminal background check whenever hiring a new employee. Let’s face it, not all applicants are one hundred percent honest with what they write in their resumes. And of course, they would not just tell you upfront that they had a history of criminal tendencies.

Without a criminal background check, we will not be able to know who are the most likely to have an inclination to do something untrustworthy. We cannot just take the chance of employing criminals because once they become part of the company, what they do will affect not just them but also the whole system including other employees, your customers and most of all, you.

A thorough criminal background check is the key to finally shed some light of integrity not just to your employees but also for your company’s sake. Doing a criminal record search, you will be able to prevent the destruction of your company. A common criminal record search can be done directly in the county courthouse which is called a county criminal search. With great accuracy and timeliness, a county criminal search will reveal any felony or misdemeanor recorded in the past seven years. Criminal records of this type can be performed with the submission of the name and birth date of the person in question.

Knowledge is power and the more information you know about your applicant, the better you will be able to distinguish the genuine from the fakes. The power to prevent and defeat the bad elements is now yours.

Contact: Jim Chou
Company: Inquisitive Research Corporation

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Tags: past, situation, future, ethics, person

Many business folks who are cheated in business deals are angry and bitter, and they want revenge, still others say; “I’ll take the high-road” and that is a noble trait indeed. Nevertheless, the high road is not always where the customers are and so, one has to consider one’s options. Why you ask? Well, because the high-road may not always be the right thing to do.

You see, taking the high road is fine, but realize that there are cliffs and also note the story of the Basques and their ability to catch opposition on the narrows, as they tossed boulders from above at the choke point and finished off their opponents. Taking the high-road of course does not always mean you are safe from traps set by your opponents, enemies, or once thought allies.

Sometimes the more honorable thing to do is to; “allow your enemies to self implode of their own hate, and in doing so you do a service to all the others in their future wake.” It really is the right thing to do, it is justice, and it is fair for all concerned. For instance if someone cheats you in business, then simply imagine how many people this guy will hurt during his lifetime?

Indeed, I am not saying to stop concentrating on what you do best, maybe just send him the clients that never pay on time, are the hardest to deal with or are as bad as he is? Many big cities are full of such scoundrels, and it seems to be about people and politics and if you decide to play, one cannot deny the human characteristics that take place there.

Success often depends on out maneuvering, out thinking, and out innovating the opponents, who want what you have and will take whatever is not given. Please consider this, because if you say you are taking the high-road, then do it, but don’t use it as an excuse for running from a just fight, otherwise they’ll have you running all your life!

Lance Winslow – Lance Winslow’s Bio Lance Winslow is also Founder of the Detail Guys, a cool little Franchise Company; Click Here

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Tags: ethics, challenge, person, business, work

Competition is the name of the game and players are only too willing to stay one step ahead of the others. It has become a vicious rat race that only the strong of heart will survive, either totally unscathed or full of battle scars as a testament to their endurance. The losers will fall by the wayside, not only humbled, but disgraced to the point of nothingness.

The business of contractors, a certified showdown of alpha male personalities, is a proof of this scenario. It follows that it is not for the weak. It needs a focused, determined and highly intellectual individual to pursue his passions but still have the energy left to plan ahead and secure his proverbial place in the sun, leave the competition eating his dust.

If you want to be the victor in this race towards the land of success, here are some essential guidelines to live by.

Expand your knowledge and improve your skills. These two aspects should always go together like Romeo and Juliet, the ball and socket, the tenon and the mortise -pairs that have been made to last a lifetime. Having one without the other is simply unthinkable. Why? There is no use of having knowledge if you can’t put it to actual use. Conversely, your skills will lose its value if you have no idea of the rationale for performing such task. Therefore, it is a must to maintain a balance between the two. Participate in discussions and forums promoting these progressive actions. Learn from the experts if you must. It is not necessary to hire them for one-on-one lessons. Reading their books, if they have any, or studying their previous works, will go a long way in honing your craft.

Clients will be put at ease if they are faced by a contractor who can explain to them, in layman’s terms, the solutions to their problems. If they encounter someone who can’t seem to clarify their doubts or who can’t show them what needs to be done, they will be put off and decide to hire someone else.

Encourage bulk orders, promote discounted products and slash the price of your service quotations. This is not a suicidal mission. It is one way of making your customers happy in order to stay ahead. Clients always get this giddy feeling when they feel like they have saved on expenses. In bulk orders, you can increase sales by selling plenty of products at a lower rate. Although your profit will be lesser as when you vend piece by piece, at least you are still earning decently. The same principle holds true if you lower your mark ups and advertise discounted products and service charges. Clients will come back again and again, knowing that you are not only after their money but also after their well-being in terms of financial health.

You may also put the power of networking to good use. Whether you want to go old school by using word of mouth referral to enhance your image or choose the modern route of using the internet, you will still win because this method has been tried and tested for so many years by salesmen from all sorts of industries. It is a value for money technique that can never be beaten by other systems.

As a summary, the three aforementioned tips to stay ahead of the contractor game are the following: expand your knowledge and improve your skills, keep your customers happy through price reductions and utilize the power of networking. Apply them in your career and be prepared to be crowned as king of the contractor industry.

Looking for quality contractor leads to help expand and grow your business? Then this is the right place. Mr. Johnsen can help you find more cheap contractor leads than you will ever need. Visit his website before your competitors.

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Tags: person, compete, global, ethics, results

Utilitarianism is a moral doctrine that we should always act in such a manner as to produce the greatest possible good over bad, on balance, for everyone impacted by our actions. A branch of utilitarianism promoted by Jeremy Bentham, and generally considered to be “European” or “classic” utilitarianism, considers pleasure to be the greatest good (Bentham, 1769; Shaw & Barry, 2007). This view, or rule, of utility considers the community to be a fiction (Bentham, 1769, § 1, paragraph 4) and insists that only individuals be considered; it is a form of self-aggrandizement of the highest order. On the other hand, it is true that we view the world in the light most favorable to our own benefit.

Much of this distinction comes from the length of the lens through which you view the events; a tragedy today may become the best of all possible worlds tomorrow. For example, a man may be shattered when his wife leaves him, yet be able to see years later that it was all for the best; the utility of what was originally considered to be a loss may become plain. Similarly, those Harvard MBAs & PhDs who were lucky enough to get job offers from Enron undoubtedly patted themselves on the back and were certain that their careers were guaranteed to be successful; then many found that they were unemployable due to the taint of the Enron name.

Thus when considering the utilitarian value of any event we have to take the long view of the situation; what appears to be a positive event producing good can ultimately be shown to have been the worst possible event, while what appears at the time to be a bad result can turn out to have been for the best.

References:

Bentham, J. (1781). An Introduction to the Principles or Morals and Legislation (electronic version).

Shaw, W.H. & Barry, V. (2007). Moral Issues in Business (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thompson Higher Education.

copyright (c) 2009 Paul Croushore

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Tags: ethics, know, person, question, ability

I was looking through an old notebook the other day – and stumbled upon a card someone had given me – and inside it said: Resurrect a childhood dream, let your passion take flight.

I kept the card on my desk and glanced at it throughout the day – and then, it hit me, all the ‘stuff’ that’s been ‘up’ for me as of late, and the clarity that I’m receiving about my True Purpose, and the next phase of my own business, is something that I see others struggle with too which is: having an immense distrust in the true intentions of other people who are in business.

The card spurred some very old memories – and reminded me that – ever since I can remember I’ve always had a passion for business – it was (and is) – in my blood and I LOVE it.

So, it’s no coincidence that I went off to biz school, and then to Corporate America, and eventually decided to become an entrepreneur. And it’s been a beautiful, wonderful, challenging journey with lots of emotions and twists and turns – which has contributed to tremendous personal growth as well as an immense spiritual awakening.

And through this spiritual awakening, and personal growth, lots of clarity, and lots of realization has come to the surface. And what I’ve realized is: my original LOVE for business was based on what I see as the TRUTH about why I believe that we’re in business to begin with which is: to serve others with our gifts and of course make a profit in doing so, while also growing personally, professionally, and spiritually in the process.

Yet, everyday, we’re all inudated with so much ‘stuff’ that is screaming all the options available to help you ‘succeed’, that it’s hard to decipher and determine who and what to trust. Do you agree?

And, in looking back, I can see that my own trust in business and what I see as its true intention, got covered by some serious muck as I took on many false beliefs around what others’ true intentions were with their businesses. Some of my false beliefs were: ‘everyone is out to screw you’; ‘they’re all crooks’, ‘don’t trust anyone’. I can hear my Dad’s voice now as I type this, and God love him, he is right in many cases.

Yet, based on my love for business, I wanted to prove my elders wrong. So as I made my way in the business world, I became tremendously gifted at having lots of compassion, strategic forethought, and solving problems for people in an extraordinarily creative and consultative manner.

However, in that same quest to prove my false beliefs wrong, I also kept unconsciously collecting evidence to prove them right. Over the years, I’d get myself into situations whether personally or professionally where the whole ‘they’re out to get you’ belief got proven right in one capacity or another.

I see now that my decisions were coming from a good place – a place in me which wanted to believe that at the core people are good – and not everyone is ‘out to get you’, and that people really do have your best interests at heart.

And thank goodness as I’ve transformed my own false beliefs, I’m collecting more and more experiences and people in my life who I know have my best interests at heart – and reinforce my true intention and mission with my own business: Live To Give!

And what I’ve learned through all of it, even some very expensive ‘mistakes’ is this: My money is best spent with people who have the same value system that I do – they are in business for what I consider to be the ‘right reasons’, and their main mission and intention is to help me find my own answers, rather than feeding me theirs.

It can be an endless trap constantly looking for the answers from someone else. You wind up continually buying paint for their paint brushes and masterpiece, rather than discovering your own ‘true colors’ to paint your own.

There are plenty of people who will take your power, and your money, and show you the ‘way’, their ‘way’, which is fine in many cases, if that’s what you want.

But, if you’re a woman who knows she smart, knows she has tremendous creative gifts, and simply needs a way to get at them and express them, with lots of confidence and courage, then you don’t need an external plan, you need access to your own internal map.

That’s it, seriously.

You already have your own ‘true colors’ within, the masterpiece may be lying dormant under some muck that got thrown on it throughout the years, but it’s there, and what’s also there is your own unique ‘way’ of how you are uniquely designed to express it.

Sure, tactics and industry standards can help you, without a doubt, but you also have the power and smarts on your own to create new standards, new innovative ‘ways’ of doing things, and new, unique ways of sharing your gifts within your own business – all while helping people with sharing your gifts!

The entrepreneurial world needs new leaders – new innovations – new ideas – new businesses that are built on a value system of service – and businesses that are run by powerful, smart, feminine women who have their hearts in the right place and who want to make a difference and be of great service – while sharing the wealth in numerous ways.

Are you ready to join this ‘the new generation of female entrepreneurs’ and design a business and a life that contributes to a new world – a world that is full of meaning and overall fulfillment – where you share your wealth not only for your own benefit but for the benefit of others?

If you feel the call in your heart, there is no better time then right now.

And, as always, its your choice.

Brenda Stanton is a leader in the field of female empowerment. A creative visionary, business advisor, and personal coach, Brenda supports women to Claim Your Worth™ in all aspects of life and business. Brenda specializes in helping women to value themselves and show them how to go from feeling like “not enough” to “more than enough” – while transforming their perceptions and beliefs so they feel capable, deserving, and worthy of the life-style and business of their dreams. To learn more about Brenda and her Transformative, Life-Style programs visit her at Here

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Tags: ethics, problems, person, trust, business