Business Ethics For Many Continues To Be Do As I Say and Not as I Do

The recent news revealing that Gov. Spitzer of New York engaged in unlawful activities once again shows that ethics for many is for others and not for their selves. This individual was known for his high ethics specific to the behaviors of others. He forced many to resign and yet he was still in office.

What is interesting is to listen to everyone's comments such as in Europe this would not be a big deal to this one it is his private life. NOTE: America is not Europe.

Elected officials give their pledge to uphold American laws. Yes, this incident involved his private life, but the news suggested that he was violating the law (innocent until proven guilty) that he had pledged to uphold. Also, there appears to be some critical and questionable financial dealings that may reach into his public life.

When we have elected officials to chief executive officers behaving unethically, how can we ask others especially employees to young people (future employees) to behave with high work ethics and to have personal responsibility and accountability?

Ethics is not a one-time thing. Having established non-negotiable behaviors is critical to each person's success be it in business or in personal life. Individuals take their personal lives, their personal experiences and therefore their personal ethics into each and every position or role that they hold during their lifetime. All interactions are based upon personal ethics.

Now is the time for a business for review its values statement within its strategic plan. Are these values or ethics being consistently demonstrated by everyone? Do you need to have a review of what is acceptable behaviors and what is not acceptable behaviors?

For example, are your people timely in returning phone calls? Yesterday, I heard from a business associate who complained that she called someone who asked her to call and 3 days later she still hasn't heard from this company. The failure to return phone calls is not a time management problem as many allude to, but rather an ethics problem.

When you as an individual business owner to C Level executive to professional sales person demonstrate your ethics for all to see, you will be recognized as someone who can be trusted. And, remember, people do business from people they trust

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