The book of proverbs says: Let your yes be yes and your no be no.

The idea being that either your word is good or it is not.

Is it just me or are business ethics a lost art today. Every day it seems we see businessmen selling their souls for the almighty dollar. We have seen this in sleazy politics forever.

With all the scandals we see in the press it seems that many have forgotten the simple principle of The Golden Rule today. Or is it just this generation? Not really! If you look back over they pages of history, greed and avarice have always existed and drawn many men and women astray.

I know it is not popular for many Americans to be in church today, and yet, is not that where, our training to stay on the right path comes from? Many of those who have written self help literature will admit that all the foundation of the entire self help industry was and is the Bible.

When I can, I read a chapter of the biblical proverbs to keep me on the daily straight and narrow path. It is interesting that proverbs contains 31 books. One for each day of the month. I heartily recommend reading proverbs daily to everyone. As you read these chapters over and over, you will continue to see and learn new principles to help you in your daily work.

The wisdom you gain will, hopefully, help you to keep your name from being the latest scandal in morning newspaper headline.

Finally, because good business ethics are so rare in the public’s eye, good ethics is simply good business. Being b

Darryl Van Kirk has been self employed the majority of his life and working from home 9 of the last 10 years. One of his current projects is the web site resource: start-a-work-at-home-business.com His newest business is Discount Grocery and More A Discount Grocery Store in Johnson City, Tn. He is also involved in other home based business ventures.

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Tags: ethics, business, research, articles, code

It occurred to me that I did not get there right away! There was no fumbling with bra straps and underwear on the first date, I did not just “”go-for-it”" right away!

I played it cool!

Just as in business, I knew I had to earn the privilege to share this space with this incredible person, not to show disrespect with a “”wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am, one night stand attitude.”"

I had to demonstrate that I was dedicated, I was here for the long term, before going to the next step.

I believe that if you give people a chance to get to know and respect you, before committing to any relationship, business or otherwise, it is the beginning of a wonderful relationship.

In the long run, you want to give them a reason to give it up for you, (money that is) because you are a professional (not that kind of professional) in what you do and moving forward with you is a wise and profitable decision for them and you.

It has to be win-win!

That is what we are going to discuss here…

Earning the right to having a long term, win-win business relationship.

How do you do it?

Well, first you go on a few “”dates”", get to know each other; ensure there is some synergy between both parties, ensure there will be a mutual benefit in moving forward.

This could be sharing some of your knowledge, seeing if there is some common ground, ensure that you can in fact communicate on the same level. Show this person that you are someone who can trust who you are and understand your “”intentions”"; you are not just here for a quickie!

Maybe you have something they want?

Give them a reason to go on more than one “”date”" with you.

Make an offer they can’t refuse, be willing to expose yourself without the expectation of anything in return, let them see some of “”the goods.”"

If they accept your offer and reciprocate, then you are in business!

The next step is to keep their trust!

This is crucial; make sure you call the next day, stay in touch, get past the initial awkwardness of taking their money from them in exchange for what you have given them, let them know that you are not going anywhere; there is more where that came from and it only gets better over time, as get to know each other better and advance in your relationship.

Finally, always be faithful!

Do not screw around on this person, not even once because if you do the relationship will be over and your name will be out there as the person who cannot be trusted. This way you not only lose the relationship you worked so hard to establish, but you have eliminated a great number of other prospects for the future.

Always remember that the truth, your own judgment of who you are being, is painted on your face, comes through between the words that you speak and in the words that you write and just like the scent of a woman, your partner will always pick up if you have not been true to the relationship and that it could soon be over for you.

I sincerely hope that you have been entertained by what I had to say, but more importantly that you get the message that you want to always be a person that can walk with their head held high because your level of integrity can truly only be judged by you.

So, how about a date? A business date! Come see what I have to offer, maybe it is just what you have been looking for!

Steven Donne is a practical entrepreneur, he believes that making money should be and is simple. Having owned a number of “traditional” business with real overhead and real employees, he switched his focus to the Home Business industry utilizing the Network Marketing model. After failing many times because of his own interference, he has found and developed great success in the Network Marketing arena. Donne knows that systems do in fact work and only recommends programs that will surely produce results.

Donne recommends the Reverse Funnel System, developed by Ty Coughlin:
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Tags: research, ethics, review, business, corporate

In order to fully understand ethics and how they relate to business, one must first define its key components. Ethics can be broken down into three categories: social, organizational, and individual. Corporations are bound by social ethics which challenge them to hold accountable for their own actions its company officers, management, and stakeholders, who aspire to gain financially from traditional and unconventional economic activities. Organizational ethics involve a shared sense of pride and responsibility for employees, managers and corporations. They are part of an overall business philosophy that is shared throughout the company. Individual ethics involve our conceptions of right and wrong which stem from many different sources. Religious beliefs can often play a significant role in the ethical path many choose to follow.

What prompts a company to act ethically in business? What prevents businesses from generating as much profit as possible, regardless of the ethical ramifications of their actions? The general public, as well as company stakeholders, have come to expect that corporations will conduct business ethically and with the highest regard for social accountability. When companies fall short of these expectations, the end result often involves punishment and harmful publicity. Companies which conduct business in an unethical manner run the risk of harming not only its stakeholders, but also the general public. Companies that act ethically impart a sense of trust and responsibility in both local and national communities; this type of trust can often promote strong business alliances.

Ethics problems occur in many forms for many different reasons during the course of business. Unfortunately, companies often unwittingly employ people whose moral values are less than that of a responsible corporate citizen. These employees often put their own greed and selfishness ahead of the welfare and safety of others, simply for their own financial gain.

Alan Barnes, IAPDA Certified Debt Arbitrator and President | CEO Debt Regret, Inc.
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Tags: business, ethics, issues, research, corporate

Ethics is important not only in business but in all aspects of life because it is the vital part and the foundation on which the society is build. A business/society that lacks ethical principles is bound to fail sooner or later. According to International Ethical Business Registry, “there has been a dramatic increase in the ethical expectation of businesses and professionals over the past 10 years. Increasingly, customers, clients and employees are deliberately seeking out those who define the basic ground, rules of their operations on a day today….”

Ethics refers to a code of conduct that guides an individual in dealing with others. Business Ethics is a form of the art of applied ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that can arise in business environment. It deals with issues regarding the moral and ethical rights, duties and corporate governance between a company and its shareholders, employees, customers, media, government, suppliers and dealers. Henry Ford said, “Business that makes noting but money is a poor kind of business”.

Ethics is related to all disciplines of management like accounting information, human resource management, sales and marketing, production, intellectual property knowledge and skill, international business and economic system. As said by Joe Paterno once that success without honor is an unseasoned dish. It will satisfy your hunger, but won’t taste good. In business world the organization’s culture sets standards for determining the difference between good or bad, right or wrong, fair or unfair.

“It is perfectly possible to make a decent living without compromising the integrity of the company or the individual, wrote business executive R. Holland, “Quite apart from the issues of rightness and wrongness, the fact is that ethical behavior in business serves the individual and the enterprise much better in long run.”, he added.

Some management guru stressed that ethical companies have an advantage over their competitors. Said Cohen and Greenfield, “Consumers are used to buying products despite how they feel about the company that sells them. But a valued company earned a kind of customer loyalty most corporations only dream of because it appeals to its customers more than a product”.

The ethical issues in business have become more complicated because of the global and diversified nature of many large corporation and because of the complexity of economic, social, global, natural, political, legal and government regulations and environment, hence the company must decide whether to adhere to constant ethical principles or to adjust to domestic standards and culture.

Managers have to remember that leading by example is the first step in fostering a culture of ethical behavior in the companies as rightly said by Robert Noyce, “If ethics are poor at the top, that behavior is copied down through the organization”, however the other methods can be creating a common interest by favorable corporate culture, setting high standards, norms, framing attitudes for acceptable behavior, making written code of ethics implicable at all levels from top to bottom, deciding the policies for recruiting, selecting, training, induction, promotion, monetary / non-monetary motivation, remuneration and retention of employees. “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get” – Warren Buffet

Thus, a manager should treat his employees, customers, shareholders, government, media and society in an honest and fair way by knowing the difference between right or wrong and choosing what is right, this is the foundation of ethical decision making. REMEMBER: GOOD ETHICS IS GOOD BUSINESS. “Non-corporation with the evil is as much a duty as is co-operation with good” – Mahatma Gandhi.

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Tags: ethics, business, article, work, research

We often hear a lot about the need for Transparency in business; to protect consumers, shareholders and to insure that the companies are following the rules and regulations. Unfortunately, what we do not hear much about is the flip-side to that coin; transparency is a double edged sword. Let me explain.

You see, too much transparency is a Real Problem because each business has methods that give them advantages, if there is too much transparency then the competition gets this important information without earning them. This is bad because it allows those who try new things and learn the hard way to be instantly copied while the same school-of-hard-knocks were not endured.

Too much transparency gives intellectual property to competitors. Often government agencies demanding transparency actually harm the market place and help competitors steal insightful information, while they create barriers to entry with such incessant over regulatory demands. Thus, the government agencies are in a way in cahoots with competition and work at un-leveling the playing field often for off-shore or foreign competition.

This forces American Companies to lose profits, hurting shareholders and causes good jobs to leave. Perhaps this is why you have a low-paying job a retail box store instead of something better, although everyone has to and actually should start behind the counter or on the floor. Read Ray Kroc’s book; Grinding it Out.

Meanwhile on ethics read; Warren Buffet’s Essays, because he discusses the importance of transparency and ethics also. Beware those who demand transparency to help the consumer, shareholder or ethical business practices, because the flip-side is over disclosure and transparency hurts the very people the regulators claim to be protecting. Transparency must be dealt with in a serious manner with all the issues addressed.

“Lance Winslow” – Online ThinkTank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: ethics, guidelines, business, code, research

Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” To whom do we owe our affection? Do we bless the shareholders without thought of anything more, or do we consider ethical and environmental obligations? Is there a balance that can be struck between the two?

The Wall Street Journal reported Rick Wagoner, General Motor’s chairman and chief executive, announced on Sunday, January 13, 2008 that the company was purchasing an equity stake in Coskata. Coskata, a start-up company in Warrenville, Illinois, plans to make ethanol without the use of corn. G.M. would not disclose how much it paid, nor the amount of stake they took in the company. This is the first time that a car company has gone on record to invest in alternative fuel sources. Was this an act of environmental obligation? “I really don’t see the logic of it,” Christopher Flavin is quoted as saying. Flavin is the president of Worldwatch Institute, a Washington environmental group. He believes that G.M. should concentrate on maximizing the fuel economy of their current line. Lee Schipper, from the University of California, Berkeley, has given a stamp of approval for the project. “Ethanol made from waste materials could result in substantially less carbon per mile.” He goes on to say later in the article, “Why wait for someone else to invest?”

In a similar movement, Wal-Mart recently “helped reduce the package of a popular toy. As a result, they were able to ship the product using 230 fewer containers, saving 356 barrels of oil, and 1300 trees.” Constance E. Bagley writes in his book Managers and the Legal Environment, “Issues of social responsibility arise in the areas of product safety, sweatshops, and underpaid foreign workers, advertising, campaigns, antitrust violations, client conflicts of interest, managed earnings, and Internet companies.” Most companies find a large gray area in the social responsibility angle. In the early 1990′s, for example, Wal-Mart had made claims that products were made in America. In truth however, 12 year- old children were making the product in a Bangladesh sweat shop. Now, Wal-Mart clearly labels their products of origin, and has gone to the “Save Money, Live Better” slogan. They ease the conscience of the consumer with the promise of living better by spending less money. In recent years they [Wal-Mart] have adopted social and environmental standards. In further efforts to clean-up their social policies, Wal-Mart has also begun to support local companies, such as Nectar of Life Coffee Company. Nectar of Life Coffee Company is a 100% organic and Fair Trade certified coffee roaster with roots in Spokane, Washington, and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Wal-Marts pushed to improve their image this decade, and it is paying off. They have increased the amount of organic products (crops produced without harmful pesticides and herbicides) offered nationwide.

Wal-Mart has also begun to build “green” stores to meet their energy needs. You can view more information on how Wal-Mart is attempting to, “provide cost effective merchandise while reducing their environmental footprint” on their web site. With G.M. now on the environmental cleansing bandwagon, you can expect more companies to find ways to compete to provide alternatives to fossil fuel, energy, and other resources. Countries around the world are shifting their focus to filling the need for alternative fuel.

Published in the New York Times on the same day, was an article by James Kanter, Europe is considering banning the imports of certain biofuel crops that lack sustainability. In countries such as Malaysia, and Indonesia mass deforestation is occurring in an effort to plant palm trees for the palm oil export. Palm oil is currently one of many crops that are being produced for use as alternatives to fossil fuel. Although Europe’s current ethanol consumption is only at 1% as of 2005, they are thinking ahead to the impact of using food for fuel. “Farmers growing corn for ethanol could also be affected, because the European rules contain provisions on preserving grasslands, said Mr. Drinkwater.” Matt Drinkwater is biofuels analyst at New Energy Finance in London.

With all the efforts of reducing a global impact are we really making any headway? “A flurry of studies has discredited some of the claims made by biofuel producers that the fuels help reduce greenhouse gasses by reducing fossil fuel and growing carbon-dioxide-consuming plants. Growing the crops and turning them into fuel can result in considerable environmental harm.” (New York Times, January 15, 2008). So turning food into fuel is not a good idea after all.

The shareholders of General Motors may not have all agreed on the financial choice of Mr. Wagoner, but perhaps his announcement will help boost stocks as perceptions of the company’s standards “change.” The goal of improving stocks could be as simple as showing their care about the earth. While steering away from biofuel, Mr. Wagoner and G.M. stepped into the unknown world of ethanol made from waste. G.M.’s equity stake purchase will most likely be viewed as a very intelligent maneuver. There is a growing surge toward consumers demanding companies show their financial, and environmental responsibility. They are touted on commercials from companies such as Subaru that have 0% waste plants. McDonalds that purchased $3 Billion in materials made from recycled products. Ford Motor Company has even created a new “guilt-free” luxury vehicle, made from recycled materials, and “chrome-free” leather. It would seem only logical for companies to hedge their pocketbooks where America is buying. Clearly, America wants good to work.

Hannah Jennings is a student, wife, mother and Co-Owner of Nectar of Life Organic Coffee Company. Nectar of Life is a gourmet coffee roaster specializing in sustainable Fair Trade organic coffee.

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Tags: business, code, ethics, professional, research

P.T. Barnum, the famous circus entrepreneur supposedly said that “there was a sucker born every minute”. However, I believe P.T. was being somewhat generous in his statement because it appears as if there are several born every second. In any event, it seems as if the idea of quick cash turns many of us into completely irrational beings. It doesn’t seem to matter how much we are told “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”, many of us still fall prey to the quick buck hustlers and scam artists. I’m not trying to preach because I’ve been guilty of chasing the fast buck from time to time myself. Why is it that many of us throw caution to the wind when it comes to these money schemes?

Back in the early 1900′s, a man named Charles Ponzi was working a plan that made him rich, infamous and later landed him in jail. What this enterprising young man was doing was promising fantastic rates of return to ‘investors’ willing to hand over their money to him. He made claims such as being able to double your money in 90 days. The high returns were supposed to come from exchanging international postal reply coupons or some such thing. Before Mr. Ponzi was brought to justice, about 40,000 people had gotten involved in this scam. The main reason these things collapse is because there really is no product or earnings from which to reap profits from. Still, it did prove to be very profitable for individuals who got into it early, but at the expense of people who got involved later in the game. These type of scams have been around forever in various forms, and new variations arise from time to time.

Speaking of doubling your money, just a few short years ago, ‘Doublers’ were all the rage on the Internet. So called advertising entities and other types sprung up promising that you could double your money by investing in advertising, email leads or some other type of generally useless product. The way most of them were setup was that you would join the ‘matrix’ and once you cycle through the matrix, you would receive double your money. Again, getting in early was the key. As more people joined, the matrix in time became so large that the cycling time became extremely long and people stopped investing money and the matrix stalled. Most of the people were left with lots of money sitting in a line that eventually collapsed. That’s the thing about these types of programs; some people do make lots of money, but it’s the few who originate the program and the ones who get in early.

Many of these programs or money games are really hybrids of Ponzi and Pyramid schemes. While many appear legitimate, the thing that sets most of them apart is that there really is no ‘real’ product, but what matters is that your success and ability to make any money is contingent on you recruiting other participants or suckers into the program. Eventually the numbers needed to make this type of program work become unsustainable because it’s based on a multilevel structure where you have to recruit ‘X’ number of people through numerous levels and rely on others to do the same. In order to make the money advertised, you and everyone else would have to have about 6 million people in your network.

Unfortunately, all of these scams have given a legitimate form of business known as Multi Level Marketing, a bad rap that is hard to overcome. Having belonged to a couple of Network Marketing or MLM companies, I can’t recall the number of times I have had prospects say to me, “that’s not a Multi Level Marketing program, is it?,” with a look as if they have just seen Lucifer incarnate. With all the scammers out there, it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference; just remember that legitimate MLM companies offer REAL products and the income you make with them isn’t based solely on recruiting others into the business.

One thing you can say about scammers is that they are very flexible in that they have adapted to the technology of the Internet very well. I must receive 10-20 emails a day telling me that someone in some little place like Timbuktu wants to send me 7 million dollars or so if I just give them my bank account information. Between that and all the lotteries I’m winning, I shouldn’t have to be spending hours each day staring at this computer screen trying to eke out a living. Hmm…

William J. Thomas is actively engaged in Internet Business pursuits. He also contributes articles on life, business and other topics. His current website is..Create Income from Home With Your Own…Cash Generating Website….Visit Bill’s Blog for tips and discussion about Earning Income on the Internet

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Tags: business, code, ethics, professional, research

You can be the most intelligent and learned person in the world, but without wisdom you do foolish things.

What do I mean by that? Think of all the scandals or mistakes involving important persons that have taken place throughout the world at various times. Think of the Watergate Scandal, Enron collapse, child abuse, failed marriages, bankruptcies, misappropriation of funds, corruption…

When these events take place and it involves high profile persons, one begins to wonder what on earth makes them do such things. Clearly, it is not because they are not aware of such consequences. And it would not be their lack of intelligence. Almost all the time, these people are excellent in their field of endeavor – to the public.

To the public, these people are exemplary and many of them have become role models for the younger generations or even to their colleagues.

Why then do they make such foolish mistakes?

Was it greed, overconfidence, abuse of power, selfishness? It’s a strange thing though. When a wrong action has not been brought to the public’s eyes and still within closed doors, nobody dares to comment on it. We have a way to tone down the words to make it sound right. Thus greed will be described as ambitious, go-getter, successful, achiever, top scorer, best performer…

Nobody bothers how it will affect the other person. Everybody minds their own business. Everybody has to toe the line – even when something is not right.

“”When I speak, everybody listens!”" “”If you don’t listen, or dares to reason out with me, you are against me, you are fired!”" These are the favorite words of leaders who have become too powerful for their own good.

One thing stands out very clearly. No matter how powerful a person has become to the eyes of the world, there is still some invisible force(s) that is even more powerful than they are, that they cannot control. Something that can control their actions to make them do foolish actions.

It’s called human weakness. It’s a very real characteristic of our human condition. This weakness cannot be overcome by studying in the universities, colleges, scientific research laboratories or any other places you can think of. It’s ever present as our inheritance when we were born into the world.

People who have become powerful are prone to forget about this, after all, they are more powerful than most people and they can do almost anything, and get away with it. They have become proud and their hearts are hardened so that they cannot accept advices anymore. “”Nobody can touch me, so why bother to listen?”"

Do you agree that there is something even more powerful that can guide us to do the right things rather than to do things right? Do you notice that children can sometimes be wiser than adults? The ability to see the truth is a God given gift.

Acknowledging that humans are prone to make mistakes could be the first step to becoming humble. And to become humble is to find wisdom. How can one become proud when one realizes that one is just a tiny drop of water in the vast ocean of the infinite universe?

The leaders of the world need to discover this thing called humbleness. Then only can they avoid making foolish mistakes.

Thomas Yoon specializes in cartoon illustrations that will make an impact on people’s opinions. Subscribe to engineering facworld ezine. More information on engineering at Marine and M & E Engineer.

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Seasons change and the weather goes along for the ride. Sometimes the heat is so oppressive you can literally fry an egg on your driveway. At other times, there is not enough warm blankets and quilts to keep the chill out. This is all a natural process, but the cold wind can blow in many ways, in your life and in mine.

People talk about a “”cold shoulder”" or a “”cold heart”" and everyone seems to know what this means. What if a cold wind blows through your life at any given point
and you may or may not be expecting it, or even be prepared for it? What does a erson do to fend off the ill effects of such a cold spell?

Whether in private life or in corporate life, the cold wind will blow and it will ustle up some emotions, not to mention paperwork and even ideas and concepts. If you look at such a squall as a “”natural”" part of the seasons of everyday life, then you don’t need to be prepared or even lay in a supply of warm snuggly underwear. What you do need is to open your mind and spirit and let the wind do what it will and you stand tall and hold your ground. If it strikes at your heartstrings, then this should bring you to examine the circumstances and maybe, just maybe, the illusion you were under was starting to unravel and you would have really been destroyed later on down the road. If it strikes a worthwhile project you had onceived that would have meant a promotion or at least a pat on the back, the papers strewn bout just may reveal a flaw in your fine plan and it may be able to be remedied and be better than it was orginally.

The point is that even the cold winds of life should not cause the roof to cave in. What it hould do is shake you up a bit so that steps can be restructured, facts re-examined, and relationships given a once over. In the long run, the sun will come out and the heat of the moment will take your breath away. You won’t even remember the cold
icy fingers that caused a commotion way back – when was that? Just hang on tight, button up your defenses, and stand tall. You will survive, and the learning
experience is worth the single digit temperatures for the opportunities it opens and the blast of “”new”" that was just what was needed.
ENJOY!

©Arleen M. Kaptur
January, 2007

Arleen has written numerous articles on living life to its fullest and enjoying every minute of it. She is the owner of A & J Northwoods, a gourmet food, gift, and book shop.

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It may shock you to find out how many companies and even government agencies outsource their identification card needs. Is it only due to the price tag of the equipment and software needed to allow an organization to produce ID cards internally? ID cards are dictated by law in some cases and in others they bring an instant appearance of credibility to the carrier. In any case, many organizations are no longer purchasing expensive software and hardware to meet their requirements or wishes.

Personally, since I’ve been in the identification and tracking industry for over 10 years, I have worked with many different types of organizations in helping them develop solutions for their registration or simply photo identification needs. One thing that has become clear is the providers of these services have either chosen the high road or the low road. Many of these service providers have become self governing to ensure only individuals that should carry identification proving the person is really a police officer, EMT, or whatever the case may be. While others have chosen a more profitable route of selling ID cards to anyone who is willing to pay the price. You can search the internet for “Fake ID Cards” and you will find a plethora of companies that will provide you a card that will cost as much as $30. When searching for a legitimate solution the range is commonly in the $4 to $8 range. Because of the high level of profit, it’s easy to understand why some would choose that more lucrative path.

If you accuse the organizations that have chosen to sell fraudulent identification cards of breaking the law, you have to look at the fine print in their advertisements. Many offer “novelty” identification to anyone willing to pay the price. Or you will find that some may not be based in the same country that their goods are being sold. So deciding that the companies that have chosen to sell fake identification are engaged in illegal activity isn’t always the case simply because of the fine legal lines that are drawn.

So when you consider how easy it is to produce or purchase a fake id card, I have to ask myself if identification cards mean anything anymore. Well, just look around and you will find that they are simply required for even the simplest of services. Many banks require two forms of photo identification to start an account or cash a check. The airport requires a form of photo identification and just about any type of secure area requires some form of identification.

Recently there was even a law passed that allows retired police officers to carry a firearm anywhere in the country if that officer also carries an identification card stating the officers retired status. Even bounty hunters and private detectives are now required by many states to carry ID cards that indicate their status and organizational affiliations. And guess what; there is not a government agency to supply any of these required cards so these people have to seek out a provider.

Beyond being required by law, if I consider an emergency services person such as an emergency medical technician or fireman I even have to admin that seeing photo identification on them makes me much more comfortable. So I guess ID cards are needed even in the sectors of society that are not mandated to carry ID cards.

So, as long as our society doesn’t trust someone just upon their word, I’m sure we will be in a culture that requires some form of identification. Future technologies may change what is required for credentials, but in my observation, we will always need some type of photo ID card even if it’s just for the latest book of the month club we joined.

Founder of FullIdentity website and Virtual Tournament Director, Allen Richardson has created applications for registering and distributing identification cards for over seven years. Allen is also the author of Personal Discipline, and serves as a consultant to many organizations such as Southwest Airlines and BNSF Railway.

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Pick up any newspaper, watch any television network, listen to any radio station or scan the Internet and you can learn a myriad of reasons about why the U.S. is in its current economic crisis. After hearing or reading hundreds of economists to political pundits, I have yet to hear the real problem why our economy is in its current fix.

As a business consultant and sales coach, I have witnessed this same issue in small to larger organizations and even within individuals. People still confuse symptoms with problems.

In 2008, I wrote a column for a local newspaper in Northwest IN about how I observed a local businessman who paid for one paper and took two. This is the problem. This is “800# gorilla” in the room that everyone continues to walk around and ignore. We continue to give the “Wink and a Nod” to business ethics and individual behaviors.

The writing has been on the wall for many years from declining work ethics to the increase in white-collar business crime. Even within the U.S. government, a bill starts as a few pages and ends up as 400 pages because of all the pork that has been added. Sure the pork may help one community, but overall, it does not help the country. In business it is no different. Executives add pork to the budget for their own personal greed and the company suffers. A prime example is insurance giant, AIG, that was given a bailout and then their executives received a golden parachute.

I believe that well over 95% of all adults know what is right and what is wrong. Yet, individuals in all roles in all types of organizations continue to engage in the “Wink and the Nod” behaviors knowing full well what they are doing is wrong.

During the last couple of decades in the U.S., we have experienced countless examples of what happens when positive core values and ethics are missing in the individuals involved in private and public organizations. Organizational examples include Arthur Anderson and Enron. Individual instances can be read any day of the week from fraudulent business people to politicians.

However, these behaviors can be reversed, but to be honest it is difficult. For individuals will have to be committed to doing what is right and not what is easy. In effective and authentic leadership, this is called making good choices and tough decisions. Watch the classic movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, to understand that being true to your core values, those non-negotiable behaviors, does challenge your head (thoughts), your heart (beliefs) and your hands (behaviors).

Take Action Business Ethics Coaching Tip: Sit down and revisit the Values Statement within your strategic business action plan. Be able to clearly describe the behaviors that you and your employees will demonstrate in all interactions with both internal and external customers. If you do not have a Values Statement, write one. Then read it each and every day. Be prepared to accept the consequences that may include turning down business because your know it is not right even if it is profitable.

Unlock more business results by standing out in your marketplace. Sign up to receive notification of Leanne’s forthcoming sales coaching book to help you be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits.

Chicago Sales Coach Leanne Hoagland Smith helps to achieve business goals because the real Issue is not “Do they (you) know it (business ethics), but “Do they (you) want to do it? (business attitudes)

If you would like to how leadership development and business ethics can help you increase your business results, you may wish to visit this site

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Tags: ethics, work, business, person, research

In the past few years a lot of folks have complained about so-called credit counselors who don’t get them out of debt and charge them a lot of money. They pay a fee to get counseling and receive nothing in return.

Well, it turns out one reason these companies increased exponentially is because they were given tax-exempt status for claiming to be credit counselors.

The IRS commissioner is focusing on dishonest credit or debt counselors, 41 debt counselors have lost their tax-exempt status of the 61 they recently audited. These organizations exist mainly to prey on debt heavy individuals by charging them excessive fees for little or no service.

Everson, the IRS commissioner, said that these 41 agencies collected 40% of a billion dollar industry, most offering little or no debt service. The 61 agencies audited by the IRS represent half of the revenue generated by the credit counseling industry. An additional 740 agencies will be notified shortly.

Groups who want to make a quick profit would cold call people in debt, read a script and convince them to pay high fees. A red flag when you are contacted is:

1. Does it sound like a script is being read from a book.

2. Are fees high? That is, are initial fees more than $50, and monthly fees more than $25.

3. Are they offering a quick debt management plan over the phone?

Getting into debt is easy, getting out of debt is difficult, but the best person to get a debt heavy person out of debt is that person.

Read savings and debt articles for free here. The book, Let’s Get Financial Savvy! has over 45 charts and tables to gracefully guide you out of debt.

Sign up and get a free ecourse at the website.

Lois Center-Shabazz is the founder of the personal finance website, and the author of the award-winning book, Let’s Get Financial Savvy! here.

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Tags: ethical, form, research, business, moral

Workplace bullying is real. It’s often passively condoned. It affects the target’s physical and mental health. There is no legislation to date to protect a target of workplace bullying.

According to the Workplace Bullying Institute’s statistics, 57% of targets are women and 71% of bullying happens by a woman to a woman. If you are a target you have a 77% chance of being driven from your job.

If you leave your job without challenging your employer, the odds are that you will find it more difficult to bounce back from the trauma.

I was a victim of workplace bullying.

In my case, the person who bullied me was a person I reported to directly. HR as well as district operations managers knew she had targeted and pushed out many former employees. They had filed complaints to both HR and her direct supervisor (the VP).
The bully always had a plausible excuse for what was happening and therefore seemed “untouchable”.

I was one of the 77% who left a job I loved due to psychological and physical stress.

After I left my position I stood up. I wrote a factual letter detailing the instances of abuse. I copied everyone directly involved with my abuser including the President of the company. People started coming forward. Calls were made to former employees. Three months after I left she was fired.
Six months after that she was rehired into a different district.

If you are being targeted at work, there are some things you should know.

• You are NOT alone. Chances are you are not the only person who has been targeted by your abuser.

• You are not in anyway deserving of abuse. You did not cause it to happen.

• Seek medical and psychological help immediately.

• Keep detailed records off site of dates, times and examples of the abuse.

• Go to HR at your own risk. Know that they may tell you that because this activity is not illegal, you are on your own to deal with it.

• Do not react emotionally to your abuser.

It took me a full year to recover. I have since started my own company and have spoken out about workplace bullying. There is now pending legislation in 15 states.

For more information contact the Workplace Bullying Institute at: http://bullyinginstitute.org/

Jill Betz Freeman is passionate about helping individuals and companies grow their businesses. With over 15 years experience in business development, sales, marketing, customer service management and training, Jill has become an expert in her field. Her approach to solving business growth challenges is straight on, collaborative and creative. Jill has consulted with entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, small and mid-sized companies to overcome their business development challenges.

A former client, Stacy Kelly, CEO of PM Squared in Houston, TX said, “Jill is an extremely talented professional whn pointed the way through my sales and marketing challenges. “Being a business owner doesn’t necessarily mean you have sales or marketing skills.” “Jill was an inspirational sales and marketing consultant and coach.” My business has grown 50% within the last year”.

Jill Betz Freeman is the CEO of ROAR! Growing Your Business With Pride You can contact her through her web

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Tags: ethics, work, business, place, research

The values below are selected from a company with internet presence. The management of the company has put significant effort in setting the values up. This can be deducted by the amount of values that are selected.

Decreasing the amount of values would increase the credibility of each individual value and it would be easier to manage them. Once you introduce a corporate values system it should support your organization. Having too many values will make this more difficult.

As there are up to ten separate statements, the first one’s will be the most important. You can understand this if you practice the piano and you are to study a certain passage. IT is always the beginning that will go fine, but at the end there comes the toughest part and there is where you will make most of the mistakes. You stop in the middle and start all over again. The first bars will be amongst the one’s you will dominate perfectly.

Quality in everything we do

Quality is normally managed by support and this means that this company chooses to invest in indirect business processes. As any company should choose, increasing resources for quality will in the same time mean that fewer resources will be available for the primary process in which quantity dominates.

Exceeding customer expectations

This means investment in communication and sales.

Trust, respect and integrity in all of our relationships

Relationship also belong to the area of sales; remember the client database or client relationship management.

Continuous improvement, innovation and embracing change

This statement is ambiguous. You either choose for continuous innovation and change or you opt for continuous improvements. Instead, the “Continuous improvement,” should belong to the quality statement.

Teamwork and open, honest communication

This statement is also sales related. “Honest communication,” could be further specified. For example – we value a rational and objective communication.

Each employee’s responsibility for contributing to the company’s success

This statement would fit better with the teamwork statement. You want teamwork, but each employee has it’s own contribution. This weakens the teamwork statement.

Creating a safe, productive and rewarding work environment

Safe is part of quality. Productive goes without saying and Rewarding is what receives the emphasis in this statement.

Building a high-performing, diverse workforce

High-performing. This is mentioned at the end. Meaning … in the end, we want performance… This one is tricky.

Promoting the responsible consumption of our products

This one is mentioned because of the special character of the company. Good to mention.

Preserving and protecting the environment and supporting communities where we do business

The company accepts it societal function. Could be part of Teamwork and it means that the company cooperates not only with internal stakeholders but also with external stakeholders.

In the end a fine set of corporate values, but limiting the number of statements would increase the credibility.

© 2006 Hans Bool

Hans Bool is the founder of Astor White a traditional management consulting company that offers online management advice. Astor Online solves issues in hours what normally would take days. You can apply for a free demo account at that site.

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Tags: ethical, review, law, aging, research

We sure hear a lot about companies that over hype their products with false misrepresentations. In fact, the government is always going after some company for something due to consumer complaints. Even the government itself gets in on the action “over-hyping” it’s efforts in combating consumer complaints and going after the companies that make pie in the sky advertising and marketing claims.

Still, the biggest hype, I have ever seen in my life hasn’t come from the government or the private business, rather it comes from organizations that are between government and business or quasi-government agencies. I call the Government Like Organizations (GLOs). So, now that I’ve enlightened you to this fact, I bet you are wondering which organizations I am talking about.

Well, none other than the Economic Development Associations. They work very hard to recruit businesses to the area and help them get funding, get tax incentives, and get set up. And they are notorious for over promising and under delivering. Sometimes they take flak for it, but usually they get away with it. What is the Moral of the story? Sure; Don’t be lured by hype.

A company must weigh all profit potential benefits in the market place over promised tax benefits. A business must make decisions based on market reality not promises or benefits from government, as those can disappear at the drop of a hat. Politicians move like the wind based on public sentiment, uncomfortable environmental activism, and adverse media stories.

If you are a company decision maker please consider these issues before agreeing to anything and “trust but verify” when it comes to economic development associations. Think on this.

Lance Winslow – Lance Winslow’s Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance

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Tags: ethics, work, business, person, research

Many believe that it is human nature to make up stories, embellish and tell tall tales. Indeed it appears that these folks who say this are right, it must be human nature, because it is getting harder and harder to get a straight answer out of people? Maybe it is all this political correctness that people have just given up on the truth, instead a perceived or contrived truth will do just fine?

If you think about this for a second; “It is human nature to propagate!” Sure especially in groups, government agencies (as they defraud and misrepresent) and such. And Monkeys do this too (sometimes the same). Monkeys in observation use deception to mislead to allow them selves a better helping of a meal by crying wolf, when their pecking order does not allow for what they desire in the amounts they desire.

It seems deception, camouflage, hunting tactics are innate in most all species on Earth and I suspect as we learn of life elsewhere we will see more of the same. It might be interesting if we all might move beyond that someday. So, does that make lying okay? No, because we have agreed to live by certain rules in society. It would be best for all concerned to be a little more honest, have a tad bit more integrity and perhaps, just maybe turn down the BS a notch or two. Indeed that my friends would be the best for all concerned. Think on this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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When reading Trade Journals it becomes quite obvious of the problems with many of the articles. They appear to be news worthy articles, but are simply trying to bend the mind of the reader over to their view of the industry in order to sell them something. Of course for the Trade Journal it works because it is free filler articles and means less cost in paying writers. It also gives the chance that the author of the articles or series of articles may advertise in the Trade Journal in the future.

Corporate crime? I’m not sure that there is such a thing. If we want to reduce the crimes that are given that lable, we need to quit handing out large punitive fines to corporations. The idea isn’t as radical as it sounds.

First of all, when I say that there isn’t such a thing as corporate crime, I simply mean that it is always individual people who commit crimes. With that in mind, you can imagine what my better way to reduce this crime is: Go after the criminals!

Who Pays For Corporate Crime?

Exactly who pays when a large corporation is fined for breaking the law? To begin with, the stockholders pay. Many of these are innocent retirees who have money invested with the company and had no idea they were breaking the law. Then the employees pay with the loss of jobs, if the financial situation of the company is damaged by the fines. Who doesn’t pay? Just the criminals – the individuals who chose to break the law.

All crimes are committed by PEOPLE, not companies. When a company dumps poisons into the environment, a PERSON made the decision to do that (or several people). When a company steals from a pension fund or violates workers rights, INDIVIDUALS made those decisions. People commit corporate crime, not corporations!

If you want to stop corporate crime, start putting the individuals who are involved in the crime in PRISON. Our current system often has company officers making cost/benefit calculations as to whether the profits from certain crimes are greater than what the occasional fines add up to. Even though laws are broken, they stand little chance of being held personally responsible. Why not hold them responsible?

To fine companies for the actual costs imposed on others by a crime is appropriate. We have to clean up toxic messes, and in other cases compensate those who suffer damages. This also means that shareholders have a reason to be careful in who they elect to the board of directors. However, “punitive” fines are ridiculous unless they are levied against the individual criminals. Make the person who committed the crime pay the fine.

Is this such a radical idea? I don’t think so! By the way, which do you think is more likely to deter a corporate officer from committing a crime, a fine that is paid by the company, and doesn’t even affect his salary, or ten years in jail? The answer to that gives us the answer to corporate crime.

Steve Gillman has been exploring new ideas for decades. Visit his site for invention ideas, business ideas, story ideas, political and economic theories, deep thoughts, and more. Get a free gift too: New Ideas

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When Merriam-Webster assembled their list of most searched definitions for 2005, they could easily reason why certain words would make the list. Levee, tsunami, filibuster, and refugee were tied to events during the year. Even insipid was explainable due to the timing of the hits and comments made by Simon Cowell of wannabe singers during American Idol. Yet one word, the top word, seemed to be more wide-spread than caused by a single event. The word: Integrity.

More people searched for the definition of integrity than any other word during the year. The searchers were potentially hungering for the days when one’s words coincided with their actions under an umbrella of honesty and morality. There was a day when one could trust their supervisor to have concern for their interests and for the heads of the organization to be concerned about the future of the people working for them. You could work for a company your entire life and depend on them in retirement.

Yet in 2005 we saw cuts in pensions for retirees, the threat of double digit pay cuts, and hefty benefit reductions for workers across industries and supply channels. Even former lifelong employers like Ford, Sears, GM, Kmart, and others announced new layoffs while upper management seemed oblivious to the hardships created for their employees.

For Baby-Boomers, integrity in the business world seems to have vanished – evaporated from a glass once half-full.

People want to trust their customers, employees, and employers. At the same time employee theft is on the rise, pension funds are being raided, and customers are increasingly treated as interruptions.

Integrity slips away quietly even under the loud cries of those that inevitably see it happening. Customers complaints silenced by uncaring frontline employees or deaf managers and owners. Leaders isolated from the frontlines of the operations. Employees seeing owners buying beautiful new cars and homes while payroll and benefit deductions are reducing discretionary income.

A Life Lesson from Kmart

Failed integrity is often the result of good intentions derailed by business needs. While working at Kmart in the mid-1990s there was heavy investor pressure to the number of out-of-stock items in the stores. Wall Street was bitterly complaining about Kmart’s slumping market share, blaming the empty store shelves as a customer turn-off. Anderson Consulting had been brought in to assist in determining a way to get the merchandise on the shelves, especially during ads. At first the program had noble intentions.

A vendor report card would show each manufacturer which shipments were late so that supply chain impediments could be identified and eliminated. Unfortunately red ink was beginning to show on initial balance sheets and the scorecard became a way to generate revenue through penalties. Kmart’s president at the time had used the same tactic to save a supermarket chain ad previously led from almost certain bankruptcy. Before long the program was assigned huge income goals which destroyed many longtime vendor relationships.

As the manager of vendor development, I had been the most visible executive on the program in its early days, teaching vendors how to use the scorecard. As pressures built to generate revenue from the scorecard through vendor fines, I resisted. As the face of the scorecard, upper management spun off the compliance program and left the scorecard and training program under my responsibility while a different team was chosen to automate and expand the compliance program. As it grew to a nine figure income stream, my continued training and consulting duties solidified vendor thoughts that it was still my program.

Knowing what I know in hindsight, integrity would have taken me down a different road.

So it is with integrity. People do not judge your integrity by motives or intensions. They discern your integrity by outcomes.

My experience, exhaustive research, and interviews with experts, I developed a concept I call Trust Ball™, a vivid correlation of integrity, honesty, and trust built on the game of baseball. It follows a simple notion that trust is disciplined game with procedures and rules that make it easier to follow and understand. Just as in baseball, you get to go straight to the batter’s box when you first encounter a new individual or team. If your initial impression conveys honesty, integrity, and trust, you get to move to first base. Specific attitudes and actions will allow you to move around the bases, one at a time, until you eventually score a home run. If at any time you break one of the tenets of trust, it constitutes an out and you must return to the dugout. No longer can you simply go to the batter’s box, from this point on you must make a stop at the on-deck circle before you can get back into the game.

Five Important Questions

When you are faced with a new situation, policy, procedure, or opportunity (which I’ll refer to singularly as an “event”) ask yourself these questions:

1. How does this event apply to my personal belief system?

2. How will others view this in hindsight when the event is over?

3. If something goes wrong or is changed/expanded/shifted in mid-stream, how will others in hindsight view me?

4. What can I do in advance to prevent a negative impression of my integrity and honesty when the event is occurring and when it is completed?

5. Is the price worth it?

Integrity is an essential leadership quality. What are you doing in your day to destroy trust? Are your words consistent with your actions? Do you catch others off guard or do they know what to expect from you? Master integrity and you will build relationships stronger and faster than you ever imagined possible.

Rick Weaver is an accomplished business executive with a wealth of experience in retail, market analysis, supply chain enhancement, project management, team building, and process improvement. Building on a strong retail background, Rick moved to full supply-chain involvement, working with hundreds of companies to improve sales, processes, and bottom-line results.

As Rick’s interaction in varied industries expanded, he became troubled as he increasingly noticed that people and companies had untapped or unfocused talent.

Coupled with Rick’s passion for training and development, popular style of interactive workshops and seminars, and strong desire for continuous improvement, he founded Max Impact Corporation to be singularly focused on helping individuals and organizations achieve high performance.

Rick is a popular speaker at seminars, workshops, and conferences. He has spoken in 43 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, and in Canada and Puerto Rico. He is available to speak at groups of all sizes.

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Tags: ethics, practice, research, professional, corporate

As a business owner and coach, I come across the issue of building integrity and reputation on a daily basis. It is something I feel strongly about, as who can build a business without integrity and a good reputation. As business owners, we know that if we want repeat business and referrals (both of which are the foundation of growing our business) then we need to include integrity and reputation in everything we do. Now, this may sound like common sense, but sometimes business owners forget these 2 important key concepts and make a mistake. That one mistake, let’s call it a step forward, can take their business back 20 steps. From time to time, it may take them so far back that they won’t be able to recover and their business will fold. So how can we, as business owners ensure that we are continually moving forward in building our integrity and reputation in a positive light? Actually, if we remember a few simple “rules,” then we can continue to build and grow.

Rule 1- Always be timely.

I know, this sounds like common sense, but how many times have you been told something, and it has not been carried through. For example, you ordered a birthday present and it was promised you would receive it in 2 days (1 day before the birthday), and then not received it for 4 days. Now you don’t have the gift to give because someone was not timely. This is a simple example but I as a business owner live by this rule. In fact, if I tell someone I will have their project to them by a certain time, I shoot for 24 hours before. Why do I do this? What happens if I plan to send it to them when it is due, but oops, my hard drive crashes? They don’t get the project on time-even though it was finished in advance, and it puts them behind. This does not help my integrity or reputation, and it will probably affect if the client will do business with me again, or not.

Now, all of us understand that acts of God can interfere with our work or we can make a mistake (after all, we are all human). It’s bound to happen sometime. So what do we do?

Rule 2- Always be honest.

This is a hard rule to live by, because sometimes you are so ashamed of your mistake, you don’t want to admit your foolishness. Let me share a horrifying mistake I made that could have destroyed my business. I was creating an e-book for a client. I found beautiful pictures which I designed the cover with and added throughout the book. I sent the book to her and she was delighted. The day before she was to send it to her webmaster to get it added to her site, I happened to realize that the pictures were not royalty free, which means we did not have permission to use them. I could have pretended I didn’t know and let the book go on the market and hoped that no one said anything about the pictures and my client didn’t get in trouble. I didn’t do this. I embarrassingly relayed my mistake to my client as soon as I discovered it (who is by the way, still my client). Because I was honest, she was understanding. Now, do you think I charged her to fix this mistake? See the next rule.

Rule 3- Always fix your mistakes immediately.

Do you charge for your mistakes to be fixed? Absolutely not! It is not your client/customers fault that there was a mistake! How did I fix my big mistake? I went and bought royalty free pictures (with my money). I then redid the whole book (on my own time). I stayed up late that night and got the book fixed and ready to go. My client did not have to pay out a dime for my mistake. I took full blame and then went the extra step to fix the mistake. This client has been with me for a year now, and continues to refer me to everyone she comes across. We have a wonderful relationship, that could have been ruined had I not followed Rule #2 and #3.

Now these are just 3 rules to help you along the way in your business. There are many more things we must do to build our integrity and reputation, but if you follow these 3 rules, you will not take those 20 steps backwards, but go 20 steps forward.

If you would like to see the book I did for my client, Kimberly Chastain, you may visit her at www.kimberlychastain.com and check out her newest book “Help, My Preteen/Teenager is Driving Me Nuts!” If you have preteens/teenagers or children who will eventually hit these stages, this is a fabulous book!

In the meantime, take the extra steps to grow your business by being an honest, timely, and committed business owner!

© 2005 JERPAT

You have permission to reprint this article electronically or in print, as long as the text and byline remain unedited. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

Patty Benton is the owner of JERPAT Virtual Assistants and JERPAT Web Design, which provides affordable administrative and web design support to coaches, small businesses, religious organizations, and realtors. Additionally, Patty is a coach for new entrepreneurs interested in venturing into the virtual assistance industry. She has developed a program that is affordable for all. Get program details and great business resources. If you would like to receive Patty’s articles and other tips in your mailbox every month, you can sign up at JERPAT .

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Many companies these days are getting on the Green bandwagon. If a company is marketing their products or services as being environmentally friendly, they sometimes scramble to find office supplies that back up their message. Turning to the big box office supply companies doesn’t always give you the best selection of recycled office products. Most companies find what they are looking for at smaller “Mom & Pop” type office supply stores; which are few and far between these days. These smaller stores know that they have to provide better competitive advantage to their larger competitor that will beat them almost every time on price. Some of these small office supply stores have turned to environmentally friendly office supplies to maintain that edge.

There are some great recycled papers that have a higher post consumer recycled content than what the bigger companies are carrying. Living Tree Paper out of Eugene, Oregon has some great papers that are 90% recycled and 10% Hemp/Flax. We are starting to see pencils made of recycled paper. One of the biggest problems has been with vinyl. Vinyl or PVC is a petroleum based product that is toxic to manufacture and dispose. When your binder’s rings bend or your cover rips, it’s off to the landfill where it will be thousands of years before that material can break down. Manufacturers really need to think through the impact their materials have on the environment. There are many materials like corrugated cardboard, non toxic chip board, recycled bending chip and even bioplastics that would make excellent materials for office supplies and recycled binders.

Office supply stores that carry these types of products will give them the competitive edge over their competition, as well as, give them the satisfaction that they are doing their part for the environment.

Brad Hole is President of Sustainable Group; a Seattle based manufacturer of environmentally friendly office supplies that include Rebinder and Repocket.

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Sales training and marketing tips based on reality selling becomes almost obselete when you enter the world of online marketing and selling. The average marketing person stands amazed at the millions of advertisments, listings, promises of success and money.

This is something every online marketeer will experience. Be careful of the undercurrents of being drawn in to such excitement, if you do not keep your wits about you. I am not going to scare you away. but I do want you to listen. This can prevent you losing a lot of money because the REST of the package seems geniune.

After spending lots of time and money, seeing some results but not having the time or patience that is needed to drive a proper marketing project for business or product, one tends to turn to the one that says: I am a millionnaire and I will show you the shortcuts to get there.

Very easy writing, very clever words, lots of things that make sense. Nothing wrong with that.
I am even able to identify that it is similar to doing magic.

You visualize, you use tools, you get manifestation into reality. Watching the results are really exciting, when you see that this different strategy makes your hard work visible to the millions using search engines.

Tempted further, you make use of the massmailing program underwritten by such an advertising guru. They too seem very geniune. Speaking of legal opt in e-mails etc.

And you make the mistake to sit back and relax. And Believe. Nothing wrong with that either, except never to let your guard down. You are afterall a “protege” of this big, sucessful man with his empire.

Let your alarmbells go off when the phone rings. You had to submit your telephone information when you made the purchase for the book, or when you subscribed to the program.

Listen, LISTEN when that call comes. At first your heart races, when you are told that this is the time to act NOW. Not tomorrow, not waiting for the hardcopy document. Careful, clever questions are asked about your budget, how much money you would have available on your cards, whether they via/mastercard. You are smoothly being told that you will be assisted by a professional to drive your business to ultimate sucess. Brilliant initial sales pitch.

The executive will be insistant. Grab your creditcard and give out the information over the phone! Along with the little 3 digit key at the back. Yes, now over the phone! And to agree to give away thousands of the big US dollar because unless you act NOW, this chance will be gone forever!

DO NOT do that. Ever. This is when your alarmbells should be ringing so loud, that you make an excuse. You play for time. You get a reprieve for delay from the executive of this marketing giant.

This is the time surf the Web and use the right keywords. They are : Scam + the Company name.

Dear marketeer, so eager and so keen, be prepared for the shock when you see tens, even hundreds of listings of people who have been caught. Because nine out of ten times, THAT phone call IS a scam.

You can report it, you can mail the relevant company and ask for an explanation. Chances are that you will get an automated reply telling you that they will come back in 24 hours. Which they do not.

Suddenly all the companies that are so heavily promoted by the guru, this saviour of online advertising and marketing, send out urgent emails that they not in any way associated with this company. They agree that you should NEVER give out this information on the phone!

Your emails from the mother company will remain unanswered. The phone number will be different.

You came away from a huge scam. Scared out of your wits perhaps, but intact. Never, NEVER work with a company that calls and just asks for your credit details over the phone. Do not think that just because the owner shows off his new car, and pictures with his boat and throws around huge names, that they are 100% geniune.

For if you do, you are easy prey to scam.

The emails to you will stop after your queries, no more advertising emails sent to you. And no, even if you insist, you will not even get a remote explanation of why they need to do this.

I have been a sales and marketing manager for many years. I am not blind to opportunity and chances to grow. I am not adverse to new strategy. I give motivational talks to business people and it works. The reason for this warning is clear. If they can ALMOST get me, would they succeed in taking your money?

Listen to your instinct. ASK for more detail, whether by fax or email. Request references.

Search the internet and check if maybe, just maybe this is a scam.

Just a word of warning.

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This is for those who don’t believe me when I talk about the dangers of “mystery money” schemes.

The terms “pyramid scheme” and “Ponzi scheme” are used almost interchangeably. However, the scheme for which Charles Ponzi is most remembered was not a pyramid.

If you aren’t aware of the story of Ponzi, you’ll likely find it familiar. This man promised to double your money in 90 days, and he kept his promise — until the day he was arrested for fraud. He had created such a personal mystique that he continued to receive money from new investors while in prison.

How could someone with so many satisfied customers end up in prison? Because fraud is fraud no matter the results. Ponzi claimed to be investing peoples’ money and giving them the proceeds. What he was actually doing was giving peoples’ money to people who had previously “invested” in order to make it seem like everything was OK. Meanwhile, he was living a lavish lifestyle while he was millions of dollars in debt.

He had no trouble getting the ever-increasing numbers of opportunity-seekers necessary to fund his business. He probably would have kept it up for many years if the government hadn’t stepped in. Therefore, the lessons learned by those who wished (and wish) to follow in Ponzi’s footsteps are…

* Hide the money trail better.

* Improve the illusion of selling a real product or service.

* Don’t promise anything.

It’s very difficult to prove that a chain letter originated with a certain person. Many pyramid schemes are organized in such a way as to conceal who is at the top. If there is an actual product or service being sold, it’s difficult to prove that the main purpose of being in an organization is to recruit others (and their money). Finally, hype it up, but don’t get too specific. You can’t get sued for disappointing someone.

Are these the lessons that should be learned from Ponzi? No. If Ponzi was good at anything it was lying. A lesser con artist trying to do what he did would have been run out of town long before millionaire mode set in.

Also, things are different now. If you want to set up your own Ponzi operation, you have a lot of competition and a very savvy audience for your sales pitch if you choose to do it online. A simple Google-based investigation of your Internet trail can allow a scambuster to publish your entire history of crime on his home page for the world to see.

Also, the Internet provides ways of making Ponzi amounts of money legally and with less effort. Let’s all just stop giving out money to the scammers and trying to emulate them. Make the Web a better place.

Mike Jolley is a writer and programmer who recently turned to Internet marketing and publishing full time, with a big focus on business ethics. Find him and his other articles at this site.

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Tags: ethics, issues, business, research, article

My grandfather was a very wise man. Simple but wise. He once told me “The only thing you get in life for free is hungry.” There is a lot of truth in that. I see it all the time online and offline that people are looking for the perverbial “free ride.”

Online it takes the form of “get rich quick schemes” and overnight success stories. Promises of quick money for doing nothing. While setting back and doing nothing and watching the money roll in would be nice, the truth is that very few if any get rich quick promises ever pan out.

The thing to look for if you are seriously wanting to start an online business is one that shoots straight from the get go without making promises of exhorbitant amounts of money falling in your lap without you having to do anything. The greatest companies in the world took many years to build and lots of hard work. While it is true that you can start a company with little or no money the flip-side of that coin is you will have to put in extra time promoting and advertising it.

So one way or another you invest whether it be money or time. If you hear someone tell you something like “You don’t have to do anything but cash the checks” then the check you send them will probably be the only one cashed.

There are some easy signals to spot when looking for a business to get involved in. Like red flags that should tell you whether the business is worth checking out or not.

They want to charge you to sell their products:

If their products sell so good and you will be selling them for the company then why should you pay the company for the right to sell? After all you will be making profit for the company right?

They want money upfront for information about their “Opportunity”:

You see this a lot especially offline. People are duped into sending money for information about a “Business Opportunity.” When you receive the information it is pretty much useless and more times than not they ask for more money for more info. If it were a legit opportunity especially online they would let you check it out for free.

They offer you FREE products:

This is a very popular ploy online. You are offered free products only to find out that you have to buy something to receive your “Free Bonus.” If someone says this and this are free then they should give them to you free. After all that would be the honest thing to do wouldn’t it?

Is it a real business or just a Storefront?:

Both online and offline there are fly-by-night companies that pop up, take peoples money and then as quickly as they appeared they are gone. One of the main things to look for in a Business Opportunity is to make sure the company is well established. How long have they been in business? Do they have an actual brick and mortar business or simply a P.O. Box they operate out of? Do they use only auto-responders to answer e-mails or can you get a response from a real person?

These are only a few things that you can look for in determining if a company is reputable or not. Most times just common sense is enough to tell you if they are worth checking out. The most important thing to remember is don’t pay money to anyone for anything until you at least have an idea as to what you are getting. At least then you can decide for yourself if it is worth it or not.

John Dyer is the creator of the T.H.I.S. Online website. T.H.I.S. stands for Truth Honesty Integrity Sincerity. Dedicated to the presentation of ethical online opportunities, products, and tools, T.H.I.S. Online has very stringent guidelines for anything promoted on the website.

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Just a few minutes ago I was debating what to write about this week — something interesting, perhaps, or maybe it was about time to give some credit to snails, I thought. Then, by some random stroke of luck, fate or writer’s lightning (a term I created just now), I received a phone call from a credit card company…

“We are all ready to complete your application,” the woman told me. “We just need to ask you a couple more questions.”

In theory this makes a lot of sense. I mean, hey — when someone applies for a credit card, it’s only logical that questions would follow. It’s like that snail I was going to compliment earlier, whereas I must give credit when — and only when — credit is due. But this theory should not apply to me, as I have not applied for a credit card within the past couple of years, not even to get a free mug or basketball with my favorite baseball team imprinted on it…

“I didn’t apply for a credit card,” I told the woman.

And this was true, of course, because who I am to lie to a person on the other end of the phone without being a politician?

“Well, you were recommended to us,” she told me.

Now, this is a nice gesture as well. I am normally honored when people recommend me for something, even when I am recommended to give up my place in line, or to give up my seat on the bus. But in this case I needed more information…

“Who recommended me?” I asked.

It was a question so succinctly worded that it could only produce an accurate and succinct answer…

“Ummm,” she said. “Well, we thought you would be a good fit.”

I can understand being a good fit for a college, a job or even a sweatshirt. But what exactly does it mean to be a good fit for a credit card? The fact that I have the desire to buy things and often must act upon those desires in order to live? I bring up this whole debacle in the column not only out of lack of other subjects to address, sans the snails, but more so because I think credit card companies need to learn from the phone call I just discussed, in the following three ways:

1. Never tell someone he or she is a good fit unless the person tries on the credit card beforehand, at which point the card is probably so stretched out that it no longer works. But then again, neither does this whole telemarketing plan regardless.

2. If you tell a person he or she was recommended by someone, make up a name of a person who served as the recommendation-giver. In times of creative lapses, use the name “Jason A. Creditcard.” This may seem incredibly fake, but the level of fakeness will never be surpassed by the false level of sincerity involved in this phone call.

3. Rather than telling a person that he or she has applied for a card but apparently didn’t realize it, use a snappy line such as “We’re trying to give you credit, dude!” This takes away from the professionalism of the phone call, but on the flip side, everyone likes to be called “dude.” And some of us even like credit.

Following these tips will probably destroy the purpose of marketing ploys, but then again, I guess that could be the point…

But I digress.

Greg Gagliardi is a teacher and writer. His stream-of-consciousness weekly humor column, “Progressive Revelations,” has been ongoing since 1998.

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Tags: ethics, marketing, research, strategy, communications