Ethical Standards Apply To Everyone

Within the last several weeks, there has been a flurry of news about high-profile people engaging in less than appropriate behavior. From Roman Polanski's 22-year flight from justice to David Letterman's admission of relationships with women working on his show, the details of their actions have been reported and discussed all over the world.

I have heard it said more than once over the last few weeks that as an example, these two men are a part of a "different professional environment" where the standards are different, than say a politician or a Fortune 500 CEO. It has been suggested that the entertainment industry is not necessarily subject to the same ethical standards that other professionals or industries are. To me, that is a convenient way to avoid accountability.

The reality is, ethical standards are just that...a level of quality and excellent actions viewed as the customary pattern of behavior by our society. There is no room for exceptions in this consideration...actions viewed as appropriate and ethical for business are universal.

So I ask you to consider all business circumstances under the same ethical umbrella. It is never acceptable for a superior to sleep with a subordinate...it is never acceptable to steal or misuse company property...it is never acceptable...and the list goes on and on, without exception for profession or industry.

DWYSYWD

Many years ago, a fellow employee gave me a desk sign made by a local West Michigan company. The sign read, “DWYSYWD”. As a young professional, I was eager to learn and I expected the details about the sign to be full of profound business insight. As my colleague explained, the acronym on the sign stood for “Do What You Said You Would Do”. My first thought was that this was no exceptionally inspiring saying on a sign… just a trinket to have on a desk.

However, through my work and life experiences, I have learned that the acronym and all it stands for is one of the most powerful truths an individual can grasp. Professionally, it is important to follow through with what you say – whether you are a salesperson speaking with a customer or a co-worker collaborating with others. If the people you work with and for every day know that your “yes” means yes and your “no” means no, you will gain respect and reap the rewards of integrity.

It is easy to say and it looks good on a sign, but when the rubber-meets-the-road, is it really worth it to stick to that truth…to do what you said you would do? If it means losing the sale, the order, the contract, the promotion? I have had many experiences in my career where I was faced with the dilemma…do I say what they want to hear or do I tell them what is accurate and factual? Time and time again, it was obvious that taking the high-road was more difficult in the beginning but the end result far outweighed the value of a single, momentary “success”.

I kept that sign and still have it today, sitting in my office and reminding me every day.