In
Business, As In Life, Character Counts
By
David P. Kowal, APR
If
nothing else, recent events should remind us of the
importance of trust. In business, character is as important
as competence. Maybe even more so, since competence can be
taught. Character cannot.
Bill
Clinton, Mike Barnicle and Patricia Smith have betrayed the
public trust. They are a disgrace. When a world leader
jeopardizes the future of his country for the sake of his
libido and his re-election, it is nothing short of treason.
When journalists fabricate information, they demonstrate a
disregard for the readers who rely on them for information.
They taint their entire profession, because they cause us to
question the credibility of others who are more honest,
though perhaps less successful, than they are.
The
business world, of course, also has its examples of flawed
character. And we should be troubled by such individuals. A
dishonest employee, associate or vendor can ruin a business,
causing irreparable harm to its reputation as well as its
balance sheet. The management of a company's reputation,
which is at the foundation of public relations, begins with
reputable people.
None
of us is perfect, although, just as we strive for quality in
our products and services, we must strive for quality in our
character - and we should demand the same of those with whom
we do business. "Zero defects" is an unobtainable goal, but
that should not prevent us from striving to attain it.
Relationships
Built on Trust
The
good news is that most people in business are honest.
Hollywood characterizations to the contrary, every day I
encounter business people who take pride in their work, who
serve on boards and otherwise contribute to their community,
and who recognize that long-term business relationships are
built on trust and reliability, not on deception.
During
the eight years that Kowal Communications has been in
business, I've dealt with only a few dishonest people. In
each case, I severed the relationship when it became clear
that the individuals I was dealing with did not deserve my
trust. But I also asked myself what compelled them to act
the way they did. Did they, like Bill Clinton, think they
could get away with it by talking their way out of it? Did
they, in some warped way, think that business is business
and that dishonesty was acceptable?
Every
business is motivated by profit. That is the foundation of
capitalism. But it is a cynical person who believes that the
self interest of profit is best served by deception.
Long-term business relationships must be based on trust and
reliability. A business that is always chasing new clients
because it has burned its existing clients is not going to
be very profitable.
In
each case when I've encountered an ethically challenged
businessperson, dishonesty had both an ethical and a
financial cost. A printer lost future business. A client
lost both my business and referrals I was making to his
business. A freelancer lost what could have been a long-term
source of income. In each case, the deceptions I encountered
kept me up at night, and I wondered whether they had the
same effect on the other party.
Often,
when presentations are made to potential new clients, the
decision to retain our services depends, at least in part,
on intangible qualities that are intuitive and immeasurable.
The "chemistry" must be right. The "fit" must be
appropriate. I hope, too, that, prominent in this mix of
intangible qualities, is a decision about whether or not we
can be trusted.
All
of us should take great care in choosing both our business
associates and our elected officials. If Bill Clinton were
my employee, he would have been fired a long time ago. If he
were a business associate, I would take my business
elsewhere. And yet he is the leader of the free world. We
deserve, and should demand, better.
David P. Kowal is President of Kowal Communications, Inc. of Northboro, Mass. He can be reached at kowal@kowal.com.
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