Philanthropy

For some, this week's topic may seem a little off the regular theme of Business Ethics, but I think when you look at it closely, you will discover that it has everything to do with both business and personal ethics.  In fact, it epitomizes what ethics is really all about.  I'm talking about philanthropy.  Etymologically, the word is derived from two Greek words, phileo and anthropos.  Phileo is one of three Greek words for love.  It speaks of the kind of love expressed between people, hence brotherly love.  The other Greek word in philanthropy is anthropos, which means human, so together philanthropy means "the love we have toward our fellow man."  Webster's Dictionary defines it as "goodwill shown to fellow members of the human race".
  
Philanthropy was originally described by the Greek culture as the essential nature and purpose of humans, its culture and civilization.  Later, when Rome conquered the world, the Latin word used by the Romans was humanitas, that we translate into humanity.  In modern times, philanthropy is most often associated today with foundations whose purposes are to promote private initiatives for the public good.  Rarely, outside of the context of its modern usage associated with foundations, trusts and grant-making organizations associated with names like the Rockefellers, Bill & Gloria Gates, Warren Buffet, etc. do you see the word philanthropy used.  Today, the words charity and benevolence are used instead.   Charity is defined as "benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity; a generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering."  Sounds like the definition of philanthropy, doesn't it?  Technically, whether you use the word philanthropy, charity or benevolence, they mean the same thing, "the love we have and express toward our fellow man."

What does this have to do with Business Ethics?  Ethics is defined as "the principles of conduct or a set of moral principles governing an individual or group."  You see, philanthropy/charity, should be part of the set of our moral principles too.

Let's consider some verses from Proverbs.

Proverbs 11:24-26, "There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty.  The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself."

Proverbs 14:21, "He who despises his neighbor sins, but he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he."

Proverbs 14:31, "He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy."

Proverbs 17:5a, "He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;"

Proverbs 21:13, "Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard."

Proverbs 22:9, "He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor."

As you can see, the Book of Proverbs has a lot to say about this topic of charitable giving.  To ignore these verses, and many more like them throughout the Bible, would be a mistake.  What exactly is our obligation and responsibility to those less fortunate than us?  What is the correct ethical position concerning philanthropy?  I am fully aware that I am addressing an extremely delicate subject.  Many of you might not agree with my assessment, but I cannot ignore it, since the Bible is so clear on the subject.
 
To state it simply, what is our obligation to the poor?

Some of you may say, nothing.  They, the poor, are in that condition because of their own wrong choices; why should we help them.  Others may say, I donate money to my church; I leave it up to them to give to those in need.  Others may think that it is the role of the government to take care of the needy.
 
Let's take the first hypothetical response to our obligation to the poor, which is doing nothing.  How can anyone truly feel that way?  I'm tired of people who like to quote the words of Jesus, take out of context of course, where He said, "the poor you will have with you always," and use that as a justification of not helping those in need.  Look again at any of the verses quoted above.  Is it possible to truly have that position?

The next possible response of some to our obligation to the poor is to say, I donate money to my church, that is enough.  If so, how do you handle these verses?

James 2:15-16, "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?"

Is just giving money to a religion, a church, a ministry, enough?  Here is another statement I've heard more times than I would care to say, I've read it in books and newspapers and know personally that some people really believe.  It's this view, "it's not the role of government to support the poor; that belongs to the church."  That sounds so pious, so pure.  Do you really believe that?  I decided to crunch a few numbers for those that feel this way.
 
Consider these numbers:

• According to "Giving USA's 2011 Executive Summary", the total amount of Charitable Giving in 2010 was $291 Billion.  Of that total, $101 Billion was donated through religious institutions.  A respectable 35% of all the charitable donations came from religious contributions.
• According to the federal budget for Fiscal Year 2012, the combined amount of public assistance programs including federal, state and local is $679.2 Billion that helps support many of the nation's population of 314.1 million people.

Do the math.  If charitable giving only amounts to $291 Billion including what churches collected, that does not even cover half of the money needed to support the poor in this country.  Plus, when you consider that the $291 Billion is usually already accounted for, so in reality, how much would be available for public assistance of that amount?  I'm convinced; it would be little or none.  As noble as saying, "it's the churches responsibility to support the poor", it does not add up based on current giving levels.

Finally, there are some that feel that government is the answer for the nation's poor.  Do you really think a body of politicians that make up our elected officials, that are primarily concerned with getting themselves re-elected, are capable of properly supporting the needs of the poor?  Adding more layers of bureaucracy is not the solution.  It has only helped compound our nations' problems.  Thirty years ago, the total federal, state and local amount spent on public welfare was $100.5 Billion to serve a population of 227.2 million.  In thirty short years, public assistance programs have skyrocketed with no end in sight.  I think it is clear to see that government alone is not the answer.

What is the answer?  Charitable giving, including giving through religious channels is part of the solution, but as I've already explained, that is not enough.  I believe the government, our tax dollars, provides a safety net for the poor that is necessary too, but support that comes solely from the government can never be enough.
 
What else is needed then?  I believe that an honest reading of the verses in Proverbs, coupled with our on ethical and moral principles, regardless of religious persuasion, shows us that we need to just open our eyes and look around us.  There are plenty of people who need our love, financial help and moral support beyond the reach of established charities and the government.  It may be a family member that needs help.  You have it to give.  Give it freely.  It may be a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker.  You have it to give.  Give it freely, and may I add?  Expect nothing in return.  Philanthropy is the love we have and express toward our fellow man.  Isn't it time we all become more philanthropic in our dealings with those around us less fortunate?

The Unethical Nature of Doing Deceptive Work

Proverbs 11:18:  "The wicked man does deceptive work, but he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward."

In a 2003 article of the American Psychological Association, a study conducted by a Dr. DePaulo concluded that 20 to 33% of the daily interactions of humans are deceptive.  Think about that.  Out of every four interactions with others, it is calculated there is some deception conveyed in at least one of those interactions.  Sobering to say the least, isn't it?  The verse today expands that thought by stating that deceptive people will perform deceptive work.

What is meant by deceptive work in the context of Proverbs 11:18?  It can be described as work that deceives and disappoints the worker.   Looked at another way, it is work that fails to satisfy.  And finally, I think it speaks of work that gives NO lasting profit.

In the blog this week, I want us to consider three sources of deceptive work.

First of all, the root cause and source of deceptive work comes from our inability or choice not to tell the truth consistently.  Putting it bluntly, lying will cause us to do deceptive work.  Being called a liar, or calling someone a liar is pretty serious, yet lying has many faces.  Let's consider three types. There is the "being two-faced" liar.  In the work environment, two-faced deception is usually done in order to seek some kind of personal gain.  Have you ever tried to discredit a co-worker in an attempt to make yourself look better to your superiors?  Maybe your behavior around your boss is totally a "put on" in order to get them to like you, because your motive is for personal gain.  That is being two-faced.  That will cause you to do deceptive work.  Next there is the "Cover-Up" liar.  Their whole work philosophy revolves on making sure they cover their "you know what" in every situation.  Covering yourself when you know you were wrong, whether it is producing shoddy work, blaming someone else for your mistakes or a host of other reasons will cause you to ultimately produce deceptive work.  Then, there is the compulsive liar.  The person that tells so many lies, even more lies are told to cover other lies.  Perhaps this is the person we've always considered to be the "true" liar, but that is not true.  This person is just a little more obvious with their lies, but that is, only if they get caught.  How many liars have lied their entire lives, but have managed to somehow never be caught?  Their lying, even though not found out, produces deceptive work.

Secondly, deceptive work is not only performed by individuals.  Sometimes that deception permeates the culture of a company, so that the deceptiveness of the employees of that company comes from the systemic deception of the corrupt business practices of the company itself.  Such workplace climates are incredibly stressful for honest employees who must learn to survive by expecting that their co-workers and supervisors will deceive them, adopting a deceptive work style in return, and simply grinding through work days without being invested in their work.  How would you, or maybe I should say, how do you cope in that type of work environment?  In a study put out by the "Workplace Bullying Institute" on April 23, 2011, a worker in this kind of company climate was quoted as saying, "It's just the culture.  So it's kind of like a survival of the fittest, but you've got to be a dirty dog to work there.  In my opinion, you can't be honest and survive."  Isn't that last statement sad?  I believe you can be honest and survive, but your survival may mean finding a new place of employment.  Maintaining your integrity should not be negotiable.

So far, we have looked at two sources of workplace deception that are both quite extreme.  The last source of deceptive work may not seem quite obvious.  In fact, it is practiced daily by a large number of honest, well meaning, respected individuals and companies.  I'm referring to the deceptive works that result from "cutting corners".  Unfortunately, most, if not all, of us are guilty of cutting corners from time to time, but that does not make it right.  Cutting corners produces deceptive work, work that gives no lasting profit.

Businesses take risks all the time.  It's just part of running a business.  There's almost no such thing as a business that runs with no risk; but cutting corners is a different story.  Cutting corners is doing things less than your best to achieve some end goal.  It may feel like you're making progress by cutting corners, but at the end of the day you're not.  Current economic challenges have forced a lot of companies to make cost-cutting measures to protect the bottom line.  Cost-cutting and cutting corners are not the same thing, but too often, they become one and the same.  When you cut corners, you cheapen the product or service.
 
Consider the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.  After Hurricane Dennis in 2005, BP's new oil platform, Thunder Horse that was designed to produce 20% of the gulf's oil output was knocked to its side by the hurricane, before it could produce one barrel of oil.  During the cleanup, multiple construction flaws were discovered including shoddy welding and pump valves installed upside down to name a few.  It was quite evident that a number of corners were cut in its construction.  Yet five years later, apparently the lessons of 2005 were not learned when oil begin to pour out of the platform at Deepwater Horizon. (NY Times 7/12/10)

Have you started cutting corners on your job?  You skip a step here, fudge a report there.  It's no big deal, right?  Wrong!  It's deceptive work.  Deceptive work will yield no lasting profit. 

How to Recover from Making Bad Decisions

Last week, we looked at the merits of genuinely asking for advice.  As Proverbs 11:14 stated, "In the multitude of counselors there is safety."  Most have discovered the wisdom of listening to wise counsel, seeking Godly advice, at least most of the time.  What about those times you should have listened, but you didn't?  Now, you are living with the consequences of making and now living with a bad decision.  How do you recover from that?

First of all, let me start by saying everybody at one time or another makes bad decisions.  The post today is not intended to show you how to never make another wrong or bad decision.  That is impossible.  Hopefully, between last week and this week, you will learn how to minimize the amount of bad decisions by seeking the advice of others.  Just remember this; no one will ever get to the point of never making another wrong decision.

Let's first define what we mean by bad decisions.  I'm calling a bad decision as one in which you override your senses and choose an option that you know you should not.  Your senses say NO, because your internal guide or umpire, that some call conscience, is telling you and advising you, not to do it, or your senses are saying NO, because it wants to override the advice or counsel others are giving you.  We should also clarify that sometimes the consequences after making a decision don't always turn out the way we planned.  Sometimes the outcome is unpredictable and unexpected.  Please understand that does not necessarily mean that we had made a bad decision.  Decisions, whether right or wrong, don't have predetermined outcomes.

Any decision carries consequences.  When a person ignores the internal or external warnings and make bad decisions, there will be consequences.  For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, as Newton's Law of Motion stated.  You make a bad decision (action), there will be results and consequences (reaction).  Here are some of the consequences that you may experience or have experienced when you've made bad decisions.

1. Your integrity is compromised.
2. You end up not getting what you actually wanted. 
3. You hurt the ones you love, both family and friends.  Too often it is the ones you love the most that you hurt the most.  Bad decisions can severely damage or even destroy relationships.
4. The emotions go haywire.  You may feel anxiety, stress, depression, apathy and guilt.
5. Physical symptoms may occur like headaches, stomach aches, indigestion, increase in blood pressure and sleeplessness.
6. It can cause you to lose your job.
7. It may cause you to turn to drugs, alcohol or even over or under indulgence with food.
8. It can cause financial ruin. 
9. It wastes precious periods of time, and if left unchecked, can lead to a wasted life.
10. It can even lead to death.

In doing research for today's blog, I came across a website that allows people to tell their stories of what happens when bad decisions are made.  These are actual posts from people who visit this particular site.  Here are two that I read.  I must warn you.  They are extremely depressing.

"At 33, I have nothing.  No house, no girl, no job, no life, no motivation.  I used to be pretty cool and popular, now just a loser.  Pretty much failed at everything I've ever set out to do.  Getting too old to follow my dreams I had as a youth.  Wish me luck, cause I'm done.  Thanks for listening."  My heart broke, as I read this person's words.  I hope he found help, healing, hope and forgiveness.

Here is another one.

"I've made a lot of wrong decisions in my life and no real way of fixing any of them now.  Too late.  I spend time looking, wishing I had a good life.  Like how did they get so lucky.  No job, no money, no love and no real home."

These are so sad, aren't they?  We may not have reached the depths of despair that these 2 people did, but you know you have experienced some of those consequences in the list above.  Yet, we continue to make bad decisions.  Is there no way to prevent them?  Is there no hope?  Is there no answer?

I'm here to say, I believe there is hope.  We are never going to stop occasionally make a bad decision, but here a few simple steps that I hope you find will help you recover when you've made a decision you know was wrong.

1. Acknowledge it.  Admit it.  Face yourself.  You blew it, and you know it.  Ask for forgiveness from God.  If you are too proud to turn to God when you make a mistake, you are making the greatest mistake of all.  Ask for forgiveness from those you may have hurt.  Forgive yourself.   
2. Pick yourself back up and keep moving forward.  Don't stop.  Proverbs 24:16 says, "The godly may trip seven times, and rises again..."  I heard once that a person who wins at life is someone who gets up one more time than they fall down.  You've blown it.  Now get back up, brush yourself off and keep going.
3. Try to be more proactive.  Avoid the pitfalls and situations that you know have led to bad decisions in the past.  Listen to the advice of people you know and trust.  Ask God for wisdom and guidance.

Proverbs 12:15, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise."

James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

I have made some profoundly bad decisions at different times in my life.  I think I experienced 9 out of 10 of those consequences I described above at one time many years ago.  Yet, here I am today, saying that recovery from a bad decision is possible.  How do I know?  It worked for me.  I found forgiveness, I picked myself in spite of some pretty incredible odds and kept moving forward with life and I now try and avoid those things that I know have led to bad decisions in the past.  It has worked for me.  I know it can work for you.

Asking for Advice

Do you seek advice from others?  When it comes time to make one of life's major decisions, do you ask for advice, or are you one that prefers just to make decisions relying on your "gut"?  Can you look back at decisions you've made at different times in your life, where you can now say, 'I wish I had followed the advice I was given?'  Have you ever been asked to give your advice only to discover that once you've given it, the person or persons you gave it too, resented it?  Asking for advice is harder for some people than others.  In today's blog, let's take a closer look at this topic and see how it is addressed in the Book of Proverbs, and how it relates to Business Ethics.

Proverbs 11:14:  "Where there is no counsel, the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety."

In this passage we discover two primary reasons why we should ask for advice.  It will keep you from falling.  Literally, it can and will keep you from making wrong business and personal decisions.  It goes on to say that there is safety in seeking counsel from multiple sources.  In other words, if you are about to make a life decision that could alter the course of your life or the lives of those in your circle of influence, asking for advice from a number of people will improve the prospects of making the right decision.  For example, if I get a diagnosis from a Doctor, it is expected that you will get a second or even third opinion.  If I need financial advice, I should seek the advice of more than one financial adviser. 

Who should you listen to and get advice from?  There is a danger in getting wrong advice too.  Who can give you the help, advice and the emotional support you need in achieving your goals?  Anyone can give advice, but with the advice given and received, how can we know it is the right advice?  Let's take friends and family.  They are usually the ones that we most often turn to for advice.  As well intentioned as they may be, do they have the particular life experiences that you are seeking advice for?  Their motives and intentions are good, but like all of us, they see the world through their own fears, faults and failures.  They are guided by their own feelings.  They may be sincere with the advice they give, but they may very easily be sincerely wrong.  Following their advice may lead you down a wrong path, and it may be because they are not experienced with the topic you need advice on.  Using the examples in the previous paragraph, if you get a bad diagnosis from your doctor, you are not going to your mechanic for a second opinion, or if you are looking for financial advice, you are not going to turn to a friend or family member that can't pay their bills.
 
Proverbs 12:15:  "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise."

Proverbs 16:9:  "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."

Proverbs 20:18:  "Plans are established by counsel."

These verses show us that we should ask for advice because sometimes our way, as right as it seems to us, is wrong.  For some, that may seem harsh but it needs to be said.  We make plans.  We ignore advice.  We think in our gut that our plans are secure.  Then what happens?  Too often, we jump into something based on a unilateral decision that we make on our own, only to find out that it was a mistake.

Proverbs 15:22:  "Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established."

Proverbs 21:5:  "The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty."

Even after you have sought advice, and have made your decision with the help you received from that advice, continuing to ask for counsel is recommended.  Why?  Even good plans, solid plans can easily get off course.  Maybe early on you received some great advice that helped you make a decision initially, but over time, you start thinking that you have the answers, and you change course hastily or in midstream, and then bingo, you veer off course.

Here are 3 things you should ask yourself before seeking advice.

1. Are you looking for advice or validation?  Don't bother asking for advice if all you are looking for is approval.  There are times we have already made up our minds about a decision, and we are just looking for someone that will agree with our decision.  That is not really asking for advice.
2. Are you ready for the truth?  Seeking advice without an open mind is like mining for gold while blindfolded.  Sometimes the truth hurts.  If you are not ready to face the truth, don't bother seeking advice.
3. Are you ignoring advice out of emotion, logic or pride?  Someone gives you advice.  You don't like it.  It irritates you.  You ask yourself why you asked for it.  It's not what you wanted to hear.  You ultimately reject it.

How does this apply to Business Ethics?  Is it not obvious how?  If we would learn to seek advice from trusted, reliable sources with regards to ethical and moral issues, we could save ourselves from a lot of pain and grief from making wrong business and personal decisions.   I will go another step.  For those reading this blog who believe God's Word is the ultimate source for advice, you have the added advantage of not only getting advice based on the human experiences of those who give the advice, but you also have the added security of getting solid spiritual advice found throughout the Bible.

Coming next week:
You should have listened, but you didn't listen to the advice that was offered.  Now, you are faced with the consequences of making and now living with a bad decision.  How do you recover?  I will offer some suggestions in next week's post.

Making a Fair Profit

Proverbs 11:1:  "Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight."

When you buy a pound of coffee, a pound of lunchmeat, a pound of bananas, or whatever, are you really getting a pound?  How about gasoline?  Do you get an exact gallon of gas just because the pump screen says you do?  Thankfully in America, the National Institute of Standards and Technology carefully defines units of measure that are the legal standards for commerce.  Retailers are required to use "honest scales" that are calibrated, checked and certified to be accurate.  Our laws are pretty strict when it comes to weights and measures.  This verse makes it clear that dishonest scales are also an abomination to the Lord.  The Book of Deuteronomy makes it even clearer that the Israelites were not to have differing weights in their bag, a heavy and a light, or differing measures, a large and a small, but they were to have a perfect and just weight and measure."  God puts a pretty high premium on integrity in business practices and looks at dishonest business practices very seriously.  Notice this verse does not pinpoint any particular group.  Dishonest scales are an abomination, whether you are Jewish, Christian or profess to be nothing.  He does not differentiate when it comes to dishonest scales.  God hates deceitfulness and deception of any kind when it comes to how we are transacting business.

You are probably already thinking, 'what does this verse have to do with the topic, making a fair profit?'  It has everything to do with it.  You see, if you alter the weights on a scale, and you give 15.5 ounces for a pound of a product that costs $1.00 a pound, you are increasing the profitability of that product by 3.2%.  If you weigh that same item 32 times and give 15.5 ounces each time for a pound, you will have saved an extra pound thereby increasing your profit. 

What is a fair profit?  Isn't that a subjective question?  What is fair to one person may not be fair to someone else.  I believe the verse is speaking directly to the subject of profits, emphasizing the importance of making a profit fairly.  The fundamental rule of capitalism is, "profit, but fairly," but making a profit "at any cost" is not fair.  When the sole intent of a business is to make money for the stockholders regardless of what it does to a people and its culture, the quality of the product itself, or even the effects on the environment, is that still making a fair profit?  Too often, we want to point at the obscene profits of Big Oil or Apple or Microsoft, but before you pick up stones, if you have a Retirement Fund or 401K, aren't we primarily only interested in growing that nest egg, and don't those investments grow as a direct result of the growth in that particular companies' profits?  Is ignorance bliss with regards to this?  We don't know if the profits made on our mutual funds were fairly made or were they profits made at any cost.  Thought provoking to say the least, but I don't think this blog will settle this emotionally volatile issue.  The differentiation between earning profits fairly and earning profits at any costs is starting to work its way into the curricula of business schools.  "Business schools are moving beyond business as usual. Across the country, MBA programs have responded to growing criticism that graduates are fixated foremost on shareholder profits. Amid the unending financial scandal and the worst downturn in decades, the curriculum has shifted toward sustainability, long-term profitability, and integration of specialties. The question is how deep the changes will go." (Bloomberg Business Week, 11/10/11, "Business Schools' New Mantra:  Ethics and Profits")

I think the broader topic in our text this week is whether one is honest or dishonest in business, period.  Don't you think that God's opinion would be the same?  Absolutely!  Let's consider some examples of dishonest scales in today's business world.

If you are in sales, (I'm sorry salesperson.  Why do we always have to start with you?) would deceptive sales techniques, overpromising on a product or a service and other forms of stretching the truth, not be the same as dishonest scales?  I bought a vehicle a little over a year ago.  I went ahead and purchased the "lifetime limited warranty" too.  While I was in the decision making portion of the transaction, all I was hearing from my salesperson and even the owner of the dealership was the virtues of this extended warranty.  I knew, and they even explained to me that maintaining the service on the vehicle was key.  Once I made the purchase, the doublespeak started.  Three different people at the dealership, the owner, my salesperson and the service manager, told me something differently, as to when the oil should be changed to maintain the warranty.  What's worse, the emails direct from the manufacturer and the owner's manual said something different too.  What happened here?  If you don't keep up the maintenance, the warranty is voided.  Getting 3, 4 and 5 different answers to the same question, do you think they were trying to confuse when the maintenance work should be performed?  Sounds like a dishonest scale to me. 

I believe a salesperson can be honest and maintain his integrity.  You don't have to compromise to be in sales and marketing.  I love being a marketer, and I want to be known as the ethical marketer.  Gaining the trust of your customer is huge.  Remaining honest regardless of the consequences will only solidify that trust.  Be deceptive once, and that trust can be lost in an instant. 

Here is another one.  Have you noticed the theme of car insurance commercials lately?  "Just fifteen minutes, can save you 15% or more..."  You've heard them.  Each one is promising to save more than the other competitor will save you.  Here is something you can try.  If you switch from Company A to Company B, you can save, let's say $300, but if you switch from B to Company C, they will save you $300 more than B, and if you switch to D, they will save you $300 more.  Get the point.  Do you think if you keep switching, that ultimately the price will get down to $0?  Of course not. 

Now I know not everyone is in sales, but everyone is a buyer of goods and services.  Negotiating price is okay, and has its place, but if you pay less than the honest value of an item, do you feel that you got away with something?  How about when you thought you paid for an item, and you find out that the clerk forgot to charge you for it?  How does that make you feel?  It's there loss, you say.  Isn't that an example of dishonest scales?

I have one more, and I'm done.  This one happened to me over 30 plus years ago, and it still bothers me when I think about it today.  I had a young family then, and I wasn't making a whole lot of money.  I remember going to the bank to cash my payroll check.  I pulled up to the drive up window.  When the bank teller gave me my cash, I took the envelope and left.  When I opened the envelope, I realized she had given me $20 more than she should have.  What did I do?  What should I have done?  I must confess.  I kept it, and thought no more about it, or at least I tried to convince myself of that.  Wasn't my action an example of a dishonest scale?  Since then, I've found out that when a teller is short or over on cash that there is a massive effort by several bank employees to find out if a transaction was missed or something was miscounted.  Even worse, if the particular teller I had that day had made other transaction errors, she could have been on probation already, and my gain of an extra $20 could have resulted in the loss of her job.  I never knew what happened to her.  If memory serves me correctly, I think I started using a different branch.  Do you think guilt might have driven me to another branch?

The Lord delights in just weights as the verse says.  He is looking for us to be honest in all of our business dealings, so that making a fair profit is honorable.

Practicing Verbal Restraint

Have you ever been in a conversation when you know you've said too much?  How did you reach that conclusion?  Rarely will someone just tell you to zip your lip, be quiet or shut up.  Maybe you reached that conclusion based on some non-verbal cues you saw from your listeners indicating that maybe you've talked too much.  You noticed their fidgeting, or the glazed over look in their eyes, or you've seen them scratching or rubbing the back of their neck, or you've seen them looking away, or noticed they frequently interrupted you, or maybe their "uh-huh" answers were an indication to you that they were just trying to speed up the conversation, so you could get to the point and shut up.

I'm sure most of us have been guilty at one time or another knowing we've talked or said too much.  A familiar quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln says, "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt."  The problem with saying too much is that it increases the likelihood of saying something hurtful, critical, slanderous or destructive about someone else.  Words are powerful.  The childhood saying, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," is so far from the truth.  Words can and do hurt.  Words can divide families, friends and fellow workers.  Words can destroy relationships.  Words can destroy your integrity.  

As I worked my way through the Book of Proverbs and developed the list of upcoming blog topics that I would like to share over the coming weeks, I was amazed at how much this Book had to say about this particular subject.  There were far more verses dealing with this subject than any other subject.  Do you think it might be something that we take a closer look at?

Consider the following verses.

Proverbs 10:14, "Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction."

Proverbs 10:18-19, "Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.  In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise."

Proverbs 13:3, "He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction."

Proverbs 17:27-28, "He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.  Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive."

Proverbs 20:3, "It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel."

Proverbs 21:23, "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles."

I could have given several more.  I think these convey the point extremely well.  Those who consider themselves ethical in business and in life must learn how to practice verbal restraint.  Do you think that is a fair assumption? 

The verses above contrast the wise person from the foolish person with regards to practicing verbal restraint.  The wise person stores up knowledge, restrains his lips, guards his mouth, spares his words, stops striving and guards his tongue.  What is the result?  He "keeps his soul from troubles."  The mouth of a foolish person is described as near destruction, hides hatred, spreads slander, can't keep his mouth shut, talks too much and starts quarrels. 

Is it easy to practice verbal restraint?  Absolutely not!  Why then is it so hard?  Why do our words often cause so much harm and hurt, especially with the people we love the most? To better understand this dilemma, consider these thoughts from the New Testament Book of James.  The writer of James describes the tongue as something that no man can tame, that it is an unruly evil, that it is full of deadly poison.  Ouch!  That's not a very glamorous picture is it?  He compares the tongue to the rudder on a vast ship.  The ship however large it might be can be turned by the movements/actions of its very small rudder, just like the tongue can control us.  He goes on to say that with our tongues, we bless God and curse men, often at the same time.  He even says a person's outward demonstration of their religion is worthless if they cannot control their tongues.  Does this leave us without hope?  Again I say, absolutely not!

The pilot of a ship is the one that controls the rudder.  "No man" can tame the tongue, but God can.  When we allow Him to pilot our ship, He can help us control our tongues.  He is the One that can teach us how to practice verbal restraint. 

I realize not everyone reading this blog believes in having a personal relationship with God.  Some may even doubt the existence of God.  I respect your beliefs or lack thereof, but today's topic about the destructive tendencies of one of our smallest body parts, the tongue, when the mind has it flapping out of control and saying too much, I cannot but acknowledge the reality that something so powerfully destructive needs something even more powerful to control it.  That's why I could not leave this topic without expressing my personal conviction that controlling the tongue requires Divine help. 

The Value of Integrity

Have you ever considered how valuable personal integrity really is?  I'm not talking about worrying about how your conduct appears to others.  I'm talking about that inward character that manifests itself outwardly in how you live your life.  Can you really put a price tag on it?

Proverbs 10:9, "He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known."

Proverbs 19:1, "Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool."

Integrity is defined as an adherence to moral and ethical principles, a personal authenticity.  Integrity is doing what's right when no one else is looking.  Bobby Jones was considered the greatest golfer in the world during his time in the 1920's.  He held the record in winning major golf championships, until Jack Nicklaus broke his record in the 70's.  One day during the U.S. Open Championship, Jones drove his ball into the woods, and accidentally nudged it. Although no one saw him move the ball, he penalized himself one stroke, which caused him to lose the game by that margin. When praised for his integrity, he said, "You might as well praise a man for not robbing a bank."  Think about that.  No one saw it, yet he knew he had moved his ball.  No cover up, no ignoring the rules.  He did the right thing, even though no one was looking.  That's integrity.

Let's look at the verses again.  First, the person of integrity walks securely, he never has to look over his shoulder to see if anyone is watching.  He never has to rehearse a story in his mind or to other accomplices to keep it straight.  Dishonesty and moral failure will come out, eventually.  Mark Twain, said it best, "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything."  You will walk securely.  Secondly, the verse in Proverbs 19 puts a value statement with integrity.  It is better to be poor, and be a man of integrity, than to have great wealth and be a liar and a fool.  Victor Kiam, the businessman who loved the Remington electric razor so much that he bought the company, once said, "As an entrepreneur, a reputation for integrity is your most valuable commodity. If you try to put something over on someone, it will come back to haunt you."

If ethics can be taught, as I concluded in last week's blog, even though some may differ with that conclusion, can integrity also be taught?  Aren't they really one and the same?   If you are grounded in sound moral and ethical principles through your developmental years with sound teaching in both word and by example, will that not help to shape your character to be a person of integrity?  It takes years to become known as a true person of integrity.  You live life to a higher standard.  You seek not to please men.  You speak the truth.  You do what's right, decent and moral.
 
BAM!  All of that reputation, all your integrity, all your moral character can evaporate in an instant.  That which took years to develop, can be gone in an instant.  Moral failure, compromised ethics, dishonesty can take all of the integrity that you developed over the years and flush your reputation down the toilet.  It can be gone in an instant.  Trust me.  I know what I'm talking about here.  It is painful.  It is devastating to you and the people you love and respect.  It can destroy you.

Do you fear that you may have lost your integrity?  Maybe you feel your credibility has been damaged.  Can integrity be regained?  Can you ever be trusted again?  Can a tarnished character ever be made whole again?

I'm convinced, and I believe it can.  If I didn't, I wouldn't be writing this blog.  I struggle at times with what makes me think I'm qualified to write this blog on Business Ethics.  Me, of all people, who's integrity was lost in an instant.  What makes me think anyone would listen.  Why subject myself to even closer scrutiny and professional ridicule by those who know or learn about "my story".  Why listen to me?  I honestly have struggled with this, but I started looking at the men in the Bible.  Men, whom God used to do His work on earth.  With the exception of Jesus, who was the Perfect Man, all of the characters in the Bible had flaws.  Some of them major ones too.  Think about the Old Testament.  There was Moses, living high in Egypt, yet he killed an Egyptian and had to flee Pharaoh.  His reputation was ruined, yet God used him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt.  Then, I think of David, King of Israel, whose immoral deeds are clearly spelled out in the Bible, yet he was known as the "man after God's own heart".  In the New Testament, I see Peter, who cursed and denied that he ever knew Jesus, when accused, while Jesus was on trial, yet Peter later preached on Pentecost and helped spread the Gospel to distant lands.  Then there is Paul, the human writer of 13 books of the New Testament.  He persecuted the early Christians severely, yet God used him.  Why?  These men's characters were flawed.  What I learned was that when failures come, and we set out to make things right again, that God will take failures and make them winners.  It shows what God can do with someone's life.  It is a testimony to the working of God in lives.  He can take the useless and make them useful again.

Let me warn you though.  That which can be lost in an instant, may take years, and in some cases, the rest of your life to restore.  Once integrity, trust and honesty are lost, healing and restoration takes time.  If your lost integrity has hurt people extremely deep, some people may never forgive you.  You may never be trusted by some, ever again, but with time, slowly, little by little, as you live your life redeveloping your inward moral integrity, that trust can return for most.

Integrity is something that you cannot put a pricetag on.  It is invaluable.