"Always do right; it will gratify some and astonish the rest."
At the center of all you do in selling is all that you are. It's the core issue. Your ethics are not a discipline you learn. Your ethics are a statement of who you are; a way of life that is intricately woven into your daily selling activities. Your "Code of Ethics" is not a set of principles to be framed and hung like a picture collecting dust on a wall.
We like this description of ethics: Something that you do for the soul. It's doing the right thing because doing the right thing is the right thing to do. That's ethical behavior.
What is your ethical base? Can you articulate it? Can you identify how it influences your personal and professional behavior?
Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's Restaurants, said, "Success begins inside." Unless your attitudes and beliefs are right, you can never be a real success in the world around you. He contends that people cannot ever really have their act together unless three things are true about them:
- They are honest
- They believe in something
- They are self-disciplined
A pebble dropped in a pond has an amazing effect on the entire ecology of the pond. Such is the influence of your behavior. The ripple effect is beyond measure. This kind of awareness is the beginning of ethical behavior.
Your recommendations do have a positive or negative effect on the life of your clients. Your dealings with the companies that provide your product line affect their bottom-line results and thereby the service they are able to provide for your customers. Your behavior impacts your own reputation and business success. Your life is a part of many other lives.
Maintaining high ethical standards is the right thing to do, and it's also good business. A spotless reputation is an invaluable marketing asset. Competency and trust comprise the framework for marketplace success. Build them every day with your commitment to excellence and by selling ethically.
