Ethics 101

Due to some requests of Meal Assembly Owners, I am re-posting, This is a great Book!

John Maxwell wrote a great book on the subject of ethics. The title... Ethics 101. Sounds a bit basic to you? It should, because doing what is right is very basic.

When Mr. Maxwell was first approached about writing a book on ethics he was asked something along the line of "John, why don't you write a book on business ethics?" To which Mr. Maxwell replied, "there's no such thing." Not understanding his reply, his friend asked him to clarify at which point Maxwell made this statement:

"There's no such thing as business ethics, there's only ethics."

Simplicity is profound isn't it? So ethics in selling, or any other facet of business, is the same as non-business ethics and can be defined by simple (thus the 101) principles. Most notable by Mr. Maxwell - The Golden Rule. Treating people the way you would like them to treat you.

Maxwell writes, "Asking the question 'how would I like to be treated in this situation?' is an integrity guideline for any situation."

Now plug this concept into selling, and situations that arise in selling transactions, and you have some great questions to ask yourself... check this out:

*How to do you treat individuals that don't say yes to your offering?
*How do you treat gatekeepers that don't let you in?
*How do you report your expenses on your expense report? *How do you speak about your competition?
*Are you honest in all your dealings with your clients and your company?

Finally, if you were a client or you owned a company... how would like to be treated?

The Fred Factor

The book proposes three simple yet powerful principles:


1. Everyone Makes a Difference

The fact is that everybody is already making a difference every day. The key question is, What kind of difference is each of us making?

To be someone who makes a difference every day, you need to be doing something that you love and are passionate about.
To make a difference you need to be aware as you journey through your day, looking for opportunities to “make a difference”. Audit your day asking, “What kind of difference did I make today?”

As Tom Peters says, he doesn’t want his tombstone to read….

“Thomas Peters, He Would Have Done Great Things, But His Boss Wouldn’t Let Him.”


2. Success is Built on Relationships

What percentage of your interactions with others is transactional as opposed to relational?

Relational interections as opposed to transactional interactions recognize that how people are treated is as important as the outcome!

Relationships require an investment of your time, however the higher quality results produced by strong relationships is well worth the effort.


3. You must continually create value for others, and it doesn’t have to cost a penny.

The truth is that you compete against your own potential every day. And most of us fall short of what we are capable of doing and being.

Look for ways to add that which will create value for others by adding the good stuff and subtracting the bad stuff!

Tom Peters recently posted manifesto states:
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”

It Is That Time Of Year....Curl Up By A Fire & Grab A Good Book

It seems like this time of year I Crave Good Books to read. I love curling up on my couch or snuggling under a blanket in my car while I wait for the ferry to read a book.
This is what I have read in the last 15 days!
Five-Star Families: Moving Yours from Good to Great (Mothers of Preschoolers
Even though I do not have Preschoolers at home, I do have a family of Teenage Boys. Carol gives practical, easy tips; on moving your family from Good to Great, along with a great sense of humor that leaves you wanting more of HER. You can’t seem to glean enough of all the wisdom she relays thru each page. Go grab a copy for you and a girlfriend- your Friend will Thank you for years to come! http://www.amazon.com/Five-Star-Families-Moving-Mothers-Preschoolers/dp/0800730593

Another great book I read (In 2 Days)
I was driving into work Monday morning listening to Dr. James Dobson on the radio. His guest was Dr. Tim Irwin, featuring his new book called ‘Run with the Bulls with out Getting Trampled’ Over the weekend, I just happened to researching How to Get Along in the Workplace- Or better yet- How to Make a Company use me in what I do best…Sales & Marketing! When I came across the Book Title, ‘Run with Bulls with out Getting Trampled’ it did not capture my eye. Now, I am listening to an interview about this very book! Dr. Irwin’s voice is captivating. He is descriptive, Kind, and a solid speaker. His Career Highlights are with a number of America’s most well known and respected companies including SunTrust Banks, Chick-fil-A, Bank of America, Corning, Inc., IBM, Hoechst-Celanese, Gerber Products Company, The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, and Turner Broadcasting Systems. He is a frequent speaker on leadership development and other topics related to organizational effectiveness. As soon as I got home from work, I raced to take the assessment test. I like that it is emailed to you in minutes with a detailed list of HOW to make the appropriate changes in your life and workplace. Anyone who works outside of the home needs to read this book and take the test. Leave your comments if you have read the book- I would love to hear what you think!