With todays economic challenges every business owner, operator, manager and employee face decisions that potentially cross ethical standards. When faced with seemingly overwhelming odds we all have the urge to react quickly and take any measurer possible to avoid pain. Unfortunately many times these decisions are not thought through logically or rationally, and often they’re made without consideration of the long term effects.
Transparency in business today is becoming a reality at a very fast pace. So before you make that choice to throw your colleges under the bus to save your own reputation, or place orders on credit accounts knowing you will not be able to pay the bill, think again! Are you being true to your nature? Who are you hurting to gain personal satisfaction? Are you making an ethical decision your comfortable having the world know about? Like it or not with the power of today’s electronic media (the web) that news will spread fast, and it will tarnish your reputation both personally and for your business for an infinite period of time.
To give you an example of this I sent an employee down to our local oil change shop on Monday. (Now because I’ve not finished working with the shops management to resolve this issue I will avoid posting their name in this article) I explained to my driver that he was only authorized to get the basic oil change. I also explained to him that they would try and sell him everything under the sun, however just to get the basic oil change. The ethical challenge the service person faced was this; a man drives into the shop and asks for a basic oil change (and he speaks broken English). Now the technician is responsible for selling upgrades to consumers; so the technician goes through the standard procedure and pulls the air filter out, recommends its replacement, then recommends several other services based on manufactures guidelines. The man says “well if it’s covered”. So the technician has two options 1. Tell the man its “covered” meaning yes I can bill your account for the services, or 2. Take the time to explain no it’s not covered under the cost for the basic oil change you’ve requested, however yes I can bill your company’s account for the services. They could really step up and further explain (because it’s quite obvious there’s potential for a misunderstanding) the oil change you’ve requested has a cost of $19.99 however if you select to have the additional services performed the cost will be $111.39.
What do you think?
In my experience it is not always necessary to take these extra steps to pinpoint every line item. However whenever there is a language barrier or the potential for a misunderstanding, you face a new challenge. Do you take the extra steps to make sure they fully understand, or do you think “this is an easy sale” and simply push through it? Have you thought about the long term effects?
It has been disheartening to me that just in the past week I’ve seen several similar scenarios play out with other business owners I know. So keep this in mind; short term thinking will only provide short term results. Long term thinking will provide long term results. Sound simple? How many times have all of us forgotten these basic principals?
Live a strong genuine fun life by Loving, Laughing and Living at Full Throttle!
Chris S. Founder & Senior Partner
Maximus Ladd Consulting, Speaking & Adventures.
Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved. Maximus Ladd Consulting, Speaking & Adventures
In today’s high speed life you need a way to maximize every opportunity in the most effective way. Maximus Ladd Consulting will teach you how to increase your conversion rates with Personal Emotional Connection, solidify the relationship with World Class Service & Quality and increase your retention rates by creating Raving Fans.
Other topics offered are: Social Media Efficiency, Personal Emotional Sales Strategies, Motivation for the Soul and Adventures for Life.
Helping you maximize every opportunity in the most effective way with Maximus Ladd Consulting at www.maximusladd.tumblr.com
The wise understand life only has a play function. There’s no pause, rewind or fast forward. The stop function is game over, so don’t use that one!
Remember the past is the past, as long as you lean from it and you operate on the highest of ethics, there really is nothing in your past to worry about.
And that is an amazing feeling!
Over the last few weeks I’ve personally experienced a flood of emotional changes. At times I was at the top of my game, other times it seamed as if everything around me was descending at an unbearable pace. Only to return back to a state of control and confidence…
The interesting thing about facing life’s darkest moments and most challenging experiences, is that once you make it out of the woods (even if it’s only a temporary meadow) you gain a better prospective each time.
It is vitally important for all of us to keep our eyes on the path ahead of us! Yes there are looming challenges or obligations that we cannot deny. However do not let them consume you! Continue pushing forward, always know the dark wooded forest will eventually open up to a beautiful meadow full of life. If you ever doubt this, simply look at the physical world we live on, Earth! The oceans eventually lead to land, the desert eventually turns into lush green grass, which eventually leads to a mountain top.
The cycle then repeats; water flows down a small streams, then into a roaring river, and eventually back to the ocean. Right? This is physically impossible to deny.
Your life is no different. Emotionally you will travel the swells of stormy seas, enjoy the lush meadows, travel through barren desert heat, experience the dark forest, and of course reach the highest peaks of success. And yes, you will then continue this cycle forever.
Life is about growth and experiences. As someone once told me; You are either living or dying, there’s no pause button and there’s no rewind. The cycle of life only stops at death.
I know it seams obvious when you read it, however sometimes we lose sight during those dark gloomy periods of life. So use these analogies to help you refocus and keep moving forward; regardless of what monsters are pulling you backward. This unrelenting forward movement will (nature has no choice) eventually lead you to a new peek in life.
Enjoy the ride, understand and respect the natural process.
Live a strong genuine, fun life, by Loving, Laughing and Living Life at Full Throttle!
Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved. Maximus Ladd Consulting, Motivating, Speaking & Adventures
Keep in mind as you gather information from many sources, many “guroos”, and many “already successful people” that there’s no absolute 100% magic secret that’s going to propel you to guaranteed success and wealth. What worked for them or their recipe for success is never a guaranteed blue print for anyone else. We are all different! There are no two people with the exact chemical make up, right? Equally there’s no guaranteed 100% sure fire pre-designed plan for any of us. I know that sucks, however what value would we place on “success” if it was simply mapped out and handed to us in a book or video? For the sake of argument; if there was it would cost a whole lot more then $20! Right?!
I see too many people today trying to carbon copy someone else’s success. Know that they provide valuable insight, great ideas and even better; motivation! These folks are absolutely amazing in many ways, they are the examples that more people every day, even regular people like you and I can make a difference. We can impact the world and society in a positive way, leaving a legacy to be proud of.
Just know; all the experts and the success you see or read about are simply providing you more tools for your tool box. It is you, it is your passion, it is you and your path in life, and it is for you to find your calling in life to find your own success. It’s there for you, however you are the only one that has the key.
Learn from their successes, learn from their messages, adapt those lessons to your life, but re-tool them to match up with your DNA. Be true to yourself! Don’t try and carbon copy their lives, they are not you! Define what success is for you. Determine what makes you come alive inside, and go do THAT!
Live a strong genuine fun life by Loving, Laughing and Living at Full Throttle!