Michael Fortin recent recently posted this blog post:  "The 10-Point Ethics Checklist" … it was submitted by a student of his Darrin Clement and since it is consistent with what I have been teaching for the past 17 years, I thought I would share it with you here.

I personally believe that it firmly supports the role of Ethics in a person's long term business success.  Read my post on The Speed of Trust - Personal Ethics for a more detailed description of the power of Ethics and trust in the business equation.  Business typically calculates results as Strategy x Execution, but there is a Trust Multiplier that is an important factor in long term success:

(Strategy x Execution) x Trust = Results

Here is Darrin's 10-Point Ethics Checklist, I hope you enjoy it!

1. The Golden Rule: Would I want people to do this to me?
2. The Fairness Test: Who might be affected and how? Is this fair to everyone?
3. The ‘What if everybody did this?’ Test: Would I want everyone to do this? Would I want to live in that kind of world?
4. The Truth Test: Does this action represent the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
5. The Parents Test: How would my parents feel if they found out about this? What advice would they give me?
6. The Children Test: Would I be willing to explain everything about this to my kids and expect them to act in the same way?
7. The Religion Test: Does this go against my religion?
8. The Conscience Test: Does this go against my conscience? Will I feel guilty?
9. The Consequences Test: Are there possible consequences of this action that would be bad? Would I regret doing this?
10. The Front Page Test: How would I feel if my action were reported on the front page of my hometown paper?

That is a wonderful list Darrin shared.

Greg Watson

What is the speed of trust?

I routinely integrate the subject of Ethics into every thing that I do.  A person's true character eventually will always show through in the manner in which they conduct themselves in every aspect of their life.  Personal integrity is all that a true man has once the thin veneer of a surface showmanship is stripped away.  Yet it is this reality that many fail to truly grasp as life's bumps pierce the thin veneer of their life exposing the character beneath.

Covey says that the Speed of Trust is one of the most powerful forces of life.  Stephen Covey does an excellent job of discussing the life effect of one's ethical charcter in his book titled "The Speed of Trust" available at Amazon.com.

In his book, Covey talks about how trust flows throughout our lives and directly impacts our relationships in everything that we do.  I consistently choose to live by the rule that integrity, ethics, and honor are the root character of who I am, and that those characteristics are demonstrated in the actions and successes that I experience.  Covey argues that this essence is integrated into your personal and professional life and is largely responsible for your succcesses and failures.

Covey adds the variable of "trust" to illustrate this impact in business success.  Covey states that business success is traditionally illustrated with the formula:

Strategy x Execution = Results

Covey illustrates the role of ethics or trust by adding Trust as a variable to that equation:

(Strategy x Execution) x Trust = Results

The illustration drives home the point that no matter how good your strategy and execution may be, if you are missing that personal characteristic of ethics and trust - your life successes will be reflected in diminished results.

More on The Speed of Trust - Personal Ethics

Today, national news reported on a card marketed by Hallmark to benefit aids in Africa.  But the news report didn't cover the benefits and contribution Hallmark is making to help people living with aids in Africa.  8% of the net wholesale proceeds from the sale of their new (Product) Red line are contributed to the Global Fund to help fight aids.

So what was the focus of the news report today?   A greeting card!

The outrage reported is about a card that appears to be offering a glass of wine with the following message:

Front Message:  Pardon Me

Inside Message:  Would you care for some Liquid Clothes Remover?

More on Liquid Clothes Remover

Obama will win the Iowa democrat caucuses tonight.  The fascinating factors are the overwhelming number of first time voters brought into the process by Obama.  45% of the voters in my precinct were first time voters - having never registered to vote before - the Obama Factor.

The Iowa Caucuses are begining to wrap up and the Obama factor is driving Obama to a win.

Statewide Obama is getting 37% … but in precincts where the Obama factor kicked in drawing stunning numbers of new voters into the process, Obama won 50% of the votes.  A powerful factor that can not be ignored as the canidates move to New Hampshire and beyond.

Disclosure:  I did not vote for Obama.

I will always put customers first. In this way I know that my business will last.
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I will strive to continually educate myself to become an expert about the products and services that I offer so that I may provide increased value to customers and visitors to my online business. 
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I will strive to find newer and better ways of presenting my products and services to make it easier for customers to do business with me. In this way I shall gain customers trust, confidence and continued patronage.

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