The Pampas Grass Parable
May 18, 2010

A DISCUSSION ON BUSINESS ETHICS
May 12, 2010

Have you ever given any thought to business ethics or ethics, in general? Lately, I have noticed when I visit an establishment for any length of time, the subject of ethics pops into my mind. "Why?", I ask myself and then the answer becomes clear - ethics are becoming lost in a culture of "me first". I am blessed to work with a fantasitc group of youth my my local church and I learn valuable insights from these young people. What I have found is that the "normal" source of learning ethics - the home environment - is many times extremely disfunctional, which is leading to this prevelant culture of "fend for yourself rather than the family". So, with that being said, I began to ask my self the question "what is the primary source from which we learn ethics?".

The primary source - for me, at least - would be my parents. This is one of those questions that prompts be to think about how I first determined right from wrong, which was through the behavior of my parents when I did something they considered to be "right" or "wrong". When I did something good - from their viewpoint - I received praise; when I did something they considered to be wrong - I was punished.

Environmental Factors Contributing to Ethical Behavior:
Did my original source of ethics mold my ethical behavior completely? No. Why? Because I had friends that came from different social environments, I attended school that was filled with a myriad of people, I worked at several business that had varied ethical guidelines and I attend a local church that did not "practice what was preached".

The Development of Business Ethics:
As I mentioned above, one of the environmental factors that influences ethical behavior is the business environment. Depending on the business and those that are leaders within that business, business ethics are developed through simple assumption, written communication, active training, or "life by example". I have had both good experiences and bad experiences that showed me that business ethics are truly dependent on what the leaders of that organization define as ethical. Although common law defines the minimum "thou shalt nots", an organization can play the system, almost bending the rules of the land. I experienced this first hand in working for a very large real estate development firm. The unwritten rule was "if we need it, find a way to get it" and the leadership encouraged "after-hours" activities with influencers that could help "the cause" of the organization. This was my first major job and I was in my early twenties. What did this do to my view on business ethics? It actually led me to believe that this behavior was acceptable - even though my first source of ethics - my parents - taught against this type of behavior.

Communication Remuneration: Honing Our Communication Skills
February 24, 2010

There is a term that I began using while conducting sales training many years ago -- Communication Remuneration. The definition goes something like this: The Art and Science of expressing, impressing and relaying information to and from other people while being effective, efficient, sensitive and productive; which in turn, produces a two-tiered reward: (1) personal: increased integrity and (2) business: positive financial impact.

Without communication, there are no business transactions. Therefore, we need to pay special attention to this skill which should be constantly honed; it can either be the life or death of our professional existence.

I have learned that to be an effective communicator, you must first be an effective listener, which for me, is something that I really have to keep in the forefront of my mind. I will admit that it is the listening and the careful attention that I give to the other party that are in a constant state of repair. In fact, during the first "executive level" position I was given, I was immediately sent to a How to Listen Better program in Atlanta. The reason for this "schooling" was embarrassing (and funny now that it is many years later), but I did learn a valuable lesson from the experience.

Communication definitely impacts our bottom line: good communication builds relationships; bad communication will tear down. How about you? What have you learned or are still learning about communication and the impact it has on your professional (and personal) life?

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The Value of Green: Practice What You Preach
January 24, 2010

Do we really understand the importance of being good stewards of our natural resources and how this wave of “green” marketing can actually help our business integrity and profitability? Let’s start the process and begin to understand how you can take hold of this vision and add the strategy of “green marketing” to your existing plan. While pondering this blog message, remember two phrases: Resolve•Act•Educate and Practice What You Preach. Both of these phrases work together to create trust with the consumer. Trust will set you apart from the pack, trust will lead to visitor referrals and trust will secure your marketing efforts.

Is Green Marketing Good for Business? According to Green Seal, a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental stewardship practices, 82 percent of consumers are buying green despite our battered economy and, four out of five people say they are still buying green products and services – which may cost more – during this recessionary period. So, if we can understand what this data tells us, the answer is yes; Green Marketing is Good for Business.

Next, as a business owner, or manager you may be asking “Is Green Marketing Effective”? The answer to this question will lie with your commitment to Resolve•Act•Educate. The statement by Joe Makower, Executive Editor of GREENBIZ.com is simple and correct: “Effective marketing is never preachy, and green marketing is not different. And maybe a little fun, too. (Greenbiz.com, 2009). You will not be “preachy” if you live what you practice - your efforts will speak for you.

However, the consumer, like many companies that profess to be green, are a little wishy-washy. According to Green Seal, 87% of people surveyed said they recycled (greenseal.org, 2009 National Green Buying Research, March 2009). However, if we look at the EPA’s landfill waste report, we see that only 33% of solid waste is diverted from landfills (EPA, 2008). These statistics prove that we say one thing and do another...

This fact is just one reason that if you say you are something or you are going to do something, then, to earn trust, you need to act on what you have professed. As my parents always taught me – you must practice what you preach. If we translate this to the green movement and you say “we are green” then you should be actively practicing that statement. Otherwise, you are building your consumer relationship on sandy ground, which will filter away causing your business to fall.

This is the moment that you turn your resolve in to Action. If you say we recycle, then implement a recycling program. If you say we use green products or use vendors that understand environmental stewardship, then do it. Do not say you believe something or are doing something without acting upon those statements – practice what you preach – do what you say.

The third step in the green marketing process of trust is the act of educating those around you, especially your employees, your customers and your community.

Your Consumer needs to understand how your green commitment will benefit them. Do your research and let them know. Your employee need to understand your green commitment – they are your front line and will either help you or hinder you. You need to get your employees involved in your green commitment and give the freedom to generate ideas to help promote your green commitment.

The final education element is that within your community. You need to be an active servant within your community by partnering with other environment organizations and even creating your own community forum.

Without teaching others what you stand for, how will they ever know your commitment is true?

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Marketing With A Purpose
December 24, 2009

Marketing is a concept that, many times, is misunderstood as to its nature and purpose. To truly market something, you have to understand the wants and needs of those you are trying to reach and then, with tactical message engineering, you devise a plan. I love marketing when it is done with a purpose and is tangible. I have seen many attempts at "marketing" that have missed the mark; attempts that failed because of a lack of proper planning.

Do you have a written marketing plan for your own personal objectives in business?
Does your company have a written marketing plan?