Honesty & Business Ethics

Thinking about the importance of Honesty and Ethics within a business I remembered the invitation we received for the introduction of the lesson: To look in the mirror and ask, "Who am I, really?" and "How do my habits and behavior affect my ethical decisions? 

Those questions make me ponder about my behavior in all aspects of life, in every environment, and how every action affects my decision and has consequences.

Elder Lynn Robins affirms: "Working in this world to make a living as part of the Lord's plan for His children, not just to survive, but to see how we would get along with others in making that living - to see if we would be honest in our dealings with our fellowmen".  Honesty is a Christlike attribute we can develop and apply throughout our whole life. We will be judged according to how we treat others and how we conduct ourselves regarding our principles, values, and covenants.

In a business environment, we can apply the well-known rule called: "The Golden Rule". Elder Robins states that this rule is a "Principle of Happiness and Success".

He said: "The most basic of all marketing principles is a principle that was taught by the Savior which we know as the golden rule, "Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets".

As important as Honesty we need to develop "the virtue of integrity". Having integrity means doing the right thing in a reliable way. It's a personality trait that is admired since it means a person has a moral compass that doesn't waver. It literally means having "wholeness" of character.

President Joseph F. Smith called integrity “the cornerstone of character” and President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of integrity this way: “Men and women of integrity understand intrinsically that theirs is the precious right to hold their heads in the sunlight of truth, unashamed before anyone”.

 "Integrity engenders confidence and peace of mind…Integrity is the foundational virtue upon which all other virtues are dependent. It is the first rung on the character ladder. Where there is integrity, other virtues will follow. Where there is no integrity, other virtues have no chance of developing".  This was the definition mentioned by Sister Sheri Dew in her talk: “ True Blue, Through and Through”.

Why is Ethics Important? Ethics is a system of accepted rules about behavior, based on what is considered right and wrong.

“There’s a right way to do things; there’s a right way to treat people.  We just care for good, if you’re really good, go ahead and lead”. (Frank Levinson; Finisar Corporation.)

If we want to be successful in our business and in our life we need to live with honesty, be totally integrated, and set rules and principles of ethics. Living in this way assures us the respect and confidence of others, and people can trust blindly in us.

Hopefully, at the end of our life as entrepreneurs, we can affirm these words written in The Annotated Christmas Carol: "Mankind was my business.  The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business.  The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business".

 IT´S ALL ABOUT:  STARS, STEPPINGSTONES, CALLINGS, AND GUARDRAILS

Steven Covey advises in his book: “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” the following statement: “To begin with the end in mind”.

What did he want to teach us with this suggestion?

Life is a journey, not a destination. However, it shouldn´t be an aimless journey, it should have a vision that gives meaning to our lives. To begin with, the end in mind means to begin each day, month, year, task, or project with a clear vision of our desired direction and destination. In other words: To find our STARS, the STEPPINGSTONES that will help you to reach them, the CALLINGS that you are meant to be on this earth, and the GUARDRAILS to help you to stay on the right path.

The STARTS should reflect our vision for the future.

STEPPINGSTONES are HOW you get there, setting lifelong goals, making course corrections,s and establishing priorities that balance your individual needs, desires, and values.

A CALLING helps you decide what to do with your life and who you want to become. When you are living your “Calling in life”, you use your strengths, gifts, and talents in a way that not only gives you joy and happiness but also it gives you the opportunity to serve others with passion and love.

The GUARDRAILS can be defined as: “I would never line”, they warn you of the danger to do something that violates your principles and values. They can keep you toward your goals with the necessary correction and in the right direction.

If we want to see all of these aspects in a chart, it would be like this one:

It´s all about finding a purpose, understanding what is important, setting short and long-term goals, and making corrections.

It´s all about BEGINNING WITH THE END IN MIND.

 The Life´s Journey of an Entrepreneur

Someone once said that the two most important days of your life are the day you are born and the day you figure out why. Living a life of “Meaning” is about living a life with “Intent”.

It is about knowing ourselves, developing skills, talents, abilities, gifts, etc. as well as facing challenges, taking risks, and recognizing every day that the greatest struggles lead to the most powerful growth and development.

The life of an entrepreneur starts with taking responsibility for ourselves and turning big dreams into small realities.

There are some important aspects to consider in this wonderful and exciting journey. First and foremost, you need to DREAM BIG, this is the core of the journey. Then, remember that a long journey STARTS WITH A FIRST STEP. Take into account that LIFE IS HARD and seldom fair. PERSEVERANCE, NEVER GIVE UP, and MOVE FORWARD are the engines for this journey. Please EMBRACE FAILURE AS A FRIEND, you cannot control the uncontrollable, you sometimes will fail. Last but not least: SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD FELLOW TRAVELERS; smart, talented, driven, helpful, and honest people should go with you across this path.

Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha affirm: “For life in permanent beta, the trick is to never stop starting. 

The star-up is YOU”

A few questions can help to diagnose where we stand on the journey and decide what to do next:

A)           Who am I?

B)           What commitments must be made and kept?

C)           Am I making progress in the right direction?

D)           Who is walking with me?

E)            Why am I here?

 

Discover an entrepreneurial “calling” that will help you decide what to do with your life and who you want to become. By reviewing these questions frequently you will have direction and purpose.

Remember our WHY and Learn with a “strong mind” and a “mighty heart”, as Elder Bednar has taught, will lead us to wonderful and successful journeys in our life.