September 2007
You are currently browsing the articles from written in the month of September 2007.
I got yelled at tonight. Not the type of yelling that someone does when youve done something to tick someone off, but the kind of yelling that was a swift kick in the pants about something that I’m NOT doing.
I probably deserved it. I needed to hear it. But it made me edgy and I tried to make excuses.
Nope! That didnt work. I continued to get the lecture.
Now I know you are all dying to know what I did that wasnt exactly right. Mary? Got yelled at? How DARE they?
Heres what happened. Tonight my husband and I met out a friend from swimming and a woman I set him up with on a blind date. Lets call him Bill. If you read the entry that he dances to his own tune, then youve met Bill.
In my book, hes a consistent and dedicated swimmer. The lecture was about the fact that: IM NOT.
I miss practice. I get there a tad late. And, I miss practice.
I told him I HAVE A LIFE. I have a child! I need my sleep!
He reminded me that I have a goal. I want to make nationals. I want to lower my time. Im pretty close to doing it too.
So, here I am at 3 in the morning writing about the fact that I got yelled at. And I think it worked. I know hes right and Im going to change my schedule around a bit so I can make the practices more often. I was going to about 3 a week instead of 4.
Earlier this week I dropped a note to friend who is an entrepreneur. He and his partner had a yelling match on the phone. I know them both well and theyre both working hard at building their business. They had a disagreement and I tried to help smooth over the conflict.
I got this email from my friend that I liked:
Mary: Thank you for your insight.Every tree that yields fruit must be shaken to get the best from the top.
So, I thought about it for a while and realized that the conflict did shake things up. It got them both out of their comfort zone. It made them think about what really was the answer to their problem. Because they didnt dance around the problem and play nice they were able to solve the issues more quickly.
Im always the type that wants to avoid conflict. I think that a lot of people are like me. Its easier to talk things out than yell and get to the bottom line. But I see how that works.
Now Im not proposing that anyone else should go out and confront anyone just to be able to yell at someone, but I do think that honest confronting can be exactly the thing to make someone step up to the plate, take ownership and pull their weight or change some sort of negative behavior. Its sometimes quicker than having discussion after discussion. Its certainly more memorable. And sometimes, it can get you up at 3 in the morning to blog about it!
But lets just SEE if it’ll get me out of bed for 5:30am swim practice more times a week! I’m betting on YES.
Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABCs 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on September 25th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
Introduction
Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) is a system of marketing that has been around for some time. Also known as Network Marketing, it is a method of distributing products that involves little or no mass advertising. Instead, marketing of the product is spread by word of mouth of its users.
Of course, word-of-mouth marketing is around even longer than MLMs, so what makes it different? Unlike traditional word-of-mouth marketing, the users who spread the word for the company, and gets others to buy the products, gets a commission for doing so. The person who spreads the word is called the Sponsor or Upline, while the person whom he sponsors is called his Downline.
To make the deal even sweeter, the company gives the Sponsor a commission for products the Downline of his Downline buys! Many companies allow each Sponsor a network up to 6 levels deep. Hence the name for this style of marketing - Multi-Level Marketing or Network Marketing.
Legal Concerns
Legally speaking, MLMs have been legal in Singapore since June 2000, when the government finally recognised it as a method of product distribution, rather than a Pyramid Scheme. The U.S. government (the land where MLMs first originated with a company called Amway) has slapped a whole list of conditions on an MLM system to set it apart from Pyramid Schemes.
Ethical Concerns
To me, many MLMs toe a very thin line to Pyramid Schemes. The problem does not lie with the marketing system (which actually represents a very cheap method of product distribution for the parent company). Rather, it lies with the people who promote the products. In some cases, the way the system is run by the company also makes it a form of legalised Pyramid Scheme (if there is such a thing).
Why do I say that the problem lies with the people who promote the products? The problem is with the fact that it is promoted as a means to get rich. Its promoters want the downlines at all costs - it means more money for them. In order to get the downlines, they push the business model and use hype and emotional draws to appeal to those who are looking for more income.
More often than not, the products are very expensive and marketable only to certain segments of the population (e.g. health products). In addition, many who are drawn to such MLMs are actually not prepared for the kind of sacrifices and time required for the business to work. It can take as long as 1-2 years, and thousands of dollars in expenditure before a profit can be turned in. These are the hidden stuff that many promoters did not mention, in their push for more people in their downline (and hence greater wealth for them).
Another practice many companies have (that makes for high dropout rates) is that of a maintenance. Each month, their distributors must buy a certain amount of their product to keep their downlines. With increasing expenditure and of both money and time (especially time) and sometimes alienation from friends and family (due to overzealous promoting of the products to get a downline), the distributor gives up - and all their work goes down the drain.
The final point that personally bugs me is the fact that the promoters always harp on the fact that MLM is a sure-win business model. They insist that everybody can succeed in having the MLM as a business, to attain financial freedom.
Let me put it across very plainly. Is it possible for everybody to earn money from MLM? In order for a person to earn money from MLM, you need a critical mass of downlines (as little as 256 persons or as many as 1024, if not more). Mathematically, it is a folly to assume that there is no bottom of such a pyramid network. For those near the bottom, where are their critical masses coming from?
Ultimately, there must be somebody who is taking money from outside of the MLM structure, and pumping it into the network of sponsors above. Now, I have no problem with that. There might be those who buys the products without taking it as a business (also known in network marketing circles as consumers). I was one of them (my money comes from outside of the MLM structure). However, to push MLM as a business where everybody can make money is simply unethical.
Conclusion
I personally do not have an anti-MLM pose (I used to be a consumer, but not an active MLM business leader). To me, it represents a distribution system that takes away the wealth from the big boys (the advertisers, the warehousing systems, the transport systems, etc) and put it in the consumers themselves. For those who went in early and helped the company market their products, their income will increase.
For those who come in later, however, it is a different story. My desire, for those who read this article, is to warn against the hype and emotional traps that comes from a desire to get rich quick. I also hope (against hope, perhaps) that those promoters who have been pushing that mathematically-impossible model will at least tell the truth to their potential downlines.
I welcome all feedback on this article. Till then, may you find health and wealth in your endeavours.
Michael Chan used to be a teacher, before he left to run a managed fund. When his business failed, he returned to teaching, and is currently a Department Head at the Shanghai Singapore International School.
He constantly applies his business acumen to his job, to add value to his employer. His thoughts on K-12 education and on financial education can be found in his blog at http://www.senseimichael.com
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on September 25th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
While insurance fraud schemes have evolved over time to fit within the circumstances of modern society, the foundation of them has been in place for centuries.
Insurance fraud is one of the real threats facing the industry. The growth of the claims culture, together with research shows consumers believe insurers are fair-game, making for a dangerous combination. The costs to manage these claims come with a risk factor; bad faith suits, medical expense, investigation expense to name but a few. The utilization of third party providers to assist in managing these claims has opened the door to the added risk of provider fraud. The cost to the industry is enormous and affects the way the public view insurance companies and their service offerings.
MetLife director of special investigations, John Sargent stated in an article that eliminating fraud is an unachievable goal. But that hasn’t stopped his company or other industry leaders from trying. “Our goal is to pay what we owe, and not a penny more or a penny less,” Sargent says. “The more efficient we are at identifying and preventing fraud, the better we can be at writing business at a more competitive rate.”
Insurance fraud costs Canadian policyholders over $1 billion each year. To the average Canadian citizen, that means at least 10 percent of their total insurance premiums are used to cover the cost of fraud.
http//:www.insurance-canada.ca/claims/canada/CCA1F200212
There is nothing new about fraudulent insurance claims or in the way they are adjudicated. The high cost of insurance fraud is passed on to the consumer and therefore, creates a situation where the industry might fail to seek a better solution to combating it. We’ve seen insurance claims directors reduce the numbers of claim handlers in order to ‘contain costs’, frustration amongst investigators when insurers exhort them to reduce fee’s, and then make a “commercial decision” to pay unnecessary claims. These cost cutting solutions are not and havent been effective, instead insurers need to re-focus on reducing claims before they become costly and problematic.
The History of Insurance Fraud
While insurance fraud schemes have evolved over time to fit within the circumstances of modern society, the foundation of them has been in place for centuries. For example, one of the earliest fraud schemes involved the purposeful sinking of ships, otherwise known as ship scuttling. One of the first incidents of ship scuttling was recorded in ancient Greece. The problem became increasingly worse, and by the early 1700’s ship scuttling became so prevalent that England passed one of the strictest insurance fraud statutes ever, providing for death by hanging as a penalty for conviction.
The sinking of the ship Adventure is typical. The Adventure was purposely sunk off the coast of Brighton, England in 1902. The ship owners, Easterby and MacFarlane, purchased the Adventure at a salvage auction (which like vehicles in modern day schemes, was where the most scuttled ships were purchased). The ship was then repaired so that it could earn the lowest passing grade of seaworthiness. The ship owners then, over-insured the Adventure and told its Captain (Captain William J. Cotling)to sink it, so that they could collect the insurance. As with many schemes, the characters committing the fraud were careless.
To maintain structure within a company you need a solid foundation. Insurium delivers practical solutions to bridging the GAP of escalating insurance claim costs
The Captain ordered an inexperienced mate to open the scuttle so that the ship would sink. The ship, however, was in shallow water and was sinking so slowly that the Captain had to refuse assistance from a nearby fishing vessel. In fact, the next morning the masts of the ship were still visible from the shoreline. In the end, the Captain was prosecuted for his actions and hanged. The shipowners however, were neither prosecuted nor fined.
The earliest recorded life insurance fraud a case of pretended death comes from England in the 1730’s. A father and daughter staged a succession of schemes in which the daughter appeared to convulse, with heart spasms then go limp in apparent death. While the father stood by in convincing grief. These schemes traveled from England to America and eventually with the advent of automobiles that we began to see related injury claims. Today the same schemes exist, though the mediums have changed. In a nutshell resourceful individuals have been quick to seize opportunities to steal money from insurers in just about every imaginable means.
Insurance fraud comes in many different flavors, ranging from isolated crimes of opportunity to sophisticated organized schemes. While it is unrealistic to expect insurers to eradicate fraud in its entirety, it is however, realistic for insurers to reduce their exposure to this multi billion dollar a year industry
Time for Change
Fraud Investigations are being scaled down, on the basis that it is reactive rather than proactive. Fraud has to be beaten by a more strategic approach, involving consumers, employers and claims handlers. The fraud problem in insurance relies heavily in the skills and effort of the insurer and their agents to uncover and manage fraud.
Lack-lustre investigations will not result in a dossier that is effective as evidence in a court. To discharge the burden of proof in a criminal trial, insurers need to provide evidence to convince a magistrate or jury beyond all reasonable doubt of any guilt. In civil cases, the usual standard of proof is on a balance of probabilities, in fraud cases there is a very high degree of probability. The costs associated with investigating fraud come with additional risks which could lead to reputational damage and loss of public confidence. This is an area of cost management that requires review and reconstruction.
To help reduce claims related costs and reserves, insurers need to become more proactive than reactive, to unjust claims and provider fraud. Being proactive requires a good understanding of the root cause. The root cause associated with fraudulent claims begins long before the claim is submitted and can be traced to human behavioral traits. The lack of understanding by employers or empathy by claims personnel coupled with a lack of good communication between, H.R, claims and investigators can a create a GAP in process and provide a green light for the claimant to fabricate, inflate or exaggerate their claims. With GAPs, like these, theres little wonder why insurers are seeing a rise in their claims portfolio. The answer is a lot simpler than it seems and corporate buy in is necessary. Proactive methodologies and practices will assist a company identify the motivations of individuals who are most likely to direct an act of fraud towards the insurer or their employer.
By being more proactive as apposed to reactive you have a better chance of reducing your claims exposure, reduce reserves and better manage your service providers while reducing the potential for litigation, bad publicity and poor public perception and at the same time ensuring compliance with your companies vision. In the war on insurance fraud, chasing the carrot will no longer yield the desired results. We need to stop looking at trying to remove the opportunity and focus more on the motive, thus understanding the root cause and effectively set about cost containment.
Insurium Inc., www.insurium.com Enterprise Defense and Responsibility Consultants “Your Key To Corporate Preservation”
Insurium Inc., http://www.insurium.com
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on September 24th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
Many Westerners who come over to oriental societies have to immediate grapple with one reality - the strong culture and presence of gifts-giving and even bribery that takes place in our societies. It can range from the blatant (Indonesia or Vietnam) to the indirect (China or Philippines) to the legalised and regulated (Singapore!).
I remembered my first encounter with gifts as a teacher - I got a very expensive book from a parent. It was very, very difficult for me to return that gift without offending the parent so I approached my principal for advice. Public servants in Singapore (of whom teachers are a part of) have very strict instructions regarding gifts (declare value, report to superiors, etc), to avoid any problems or even appearance of bribery. I decided to make that book publicly available to all my colleagues.
Over at the Shanghai Singapore International School, I encountered Korean parents - and I realised that Korean parents took their gift-giving very seriously. Its something like a mark of respect or even face to them to present a gift of nominal value (chocolates, for example) to a teacher they respect. But since Im no longer a public servant, I could accept them without any problem.
There was one gift I had to return though, and that really destroyed my relationship with the parent (sigh). It was a very beautiful idol of some Indonesian tribe or something, which we suspect to be a totem of some sort. I dont think its very appropriate for a Christian family to have this in the house so I wrote a card explaining my position and returned the gift. That parent never spoke to me again.
I know that God has very serious instructions regarding bribery.
And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous. Exodus 23:8
You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. Deuteronomy 16:19
A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back, To pervert the ways of justice. Proverbs 17:23
In other words, bribes are given to blind the eyes and to pervert justice. When money is given for the judge to award you his judgement, thats a bribe. When money is given for a person to award you the contract, even if other parties obviously gives the better deal, thats a bribe.
How about gifts? What does the Bible say about gifts (remember that the Hebrew society is an oriental one)?
Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts. Proverbs 19:6
A mans gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. Proverbs 18:16
I think it is very clear here - a gift is an introduction, a means to put ourselves in good standing before a person in an oriental society (I suspect it works in western societies as well!). Herein lies the great power of the oft-acclaimed Chinese guanxi 关系, which literally means connections or relations. You can get guanxi by being a childhood friend or relative, or by being friends later in life (mostly through gifts - monetary, in kind or by being the leverage for your own personal guanxi elsewhere).
What gifts have I given so far that has given me some of this guanxi? Ive a friend who has connections with government officials - she likes me, and Ive been a great help to her in establishing herself in Singapore. Ive leveraged upon my network to create opportunities for the school to perform in public venues - both sides are happy in the process.
I learnt one thing though - that ultimately, we need to be discerning over what constitutes a bribe and what constitutes a gift (I suspect many of my definitions of gifts are considered bribes by most governments of today). I believe that as long as we are sure we are not perverting justice or blinding the eyes of the decision-maker, any gifts we give to make room for us in high places would be regarded by God as wisdom. And what is the value God has placed upon wisdom?
My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; Proverbs 2:1-6
Michael Chan used to be a teacher, before he left to run a managed fund. When his business failed, he returned to teaching, and is currently a Department Head at the Shanghai Singapore International School.
He constantly applies his business acumen to his job, to add value to his employer. His thoughts on K-12 education and on financial education can be found in his blog at http://www.senseimichael.com
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on September 23rd, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
Often in communication either written or verbal we see people using phrases such as; “Well to Be Quite Honest With You” and they will use such sentences in the middle of a very long conversation, but when they do it totally raises red flags and here is why;
You see when someone is discussion people, events or concepts in a conversation, electronic email or while giving a speech you expect that person to be honest with you, because you are being honest and attentive with them. But if they say something like; “Truthfully Now” or “To Tell You The Truth” then you have to wonder if they have been fibbing all along up until that point?
If they have uttered compliments, then perhaps they were not sincere. If they are recommending a product then maybe that is horse crap too? If they were talking about another behind their back, maybe they are lying and vindictive? Maybe the story they told, they simply made up?
And when they say “TRUTHFULLY” don’t they consider or think people might assume that the rest of their conversation is BS, because NOW they say TRUTHFULLY? So, what was the rest of all their conversation about? Have they been lying? If the answer is NO, why would they use “Truthfully” it raises red flags like someone with a “chickenshet” handshake.
I would expect that people who correspond with me remain truthful with me at all times and in all their endeavors. You see I believe that dishonesty is not a very favorable human trait, although some say deception is the reason that human brains are so large. Gosh I wish that is not the case, however it just might be?
Maybe a law career might be good for them if they seem to be able to slip in and out of the honest reality so easily? After all if you are less than ethical in your conversations, you might make a decent lawyer? I hope you might consider this in your online correspondence and conversations in 2007.
“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on September 22nd, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
In business management classes across the country MBA students study business ethics. In fact, there are now MBA degrees available that are called Ethics MBAs. But in the real world how ethical is the business community? How ethical is our own government?
How many business travelers for their corporations charge personal items to their credit cards of their corporations? Corporations watch this very closely to make sure everyone follows the rules. Not everyone follows the rules and often there are people who go to extreme lengths to hide their misdeeds.
From a business ethics standpoint corporations and their workers are much more honest and forthright than those who work in government. In fact government credit card abuse at all levels of government is at an all-time high. It is so bad that the federal government actually had to make another law to try to curb the abuse of government credit cards. Has this new law helped?
Actually it looks as if it has on paper audits but in reality those fine folks in government still abuse their government credit cards, which is taxpayers money. The problem is so severe and the punishment so little that nothing is really being done. That is to say the problem is running rampant still.
Simply instituting controls and checks and balances on government credit cards does not alleviate the fraud. Dishonesty in government is the norm and although many people believe that those who work in government are of less IQ they are still clever enough to beat the system and steal taxpayers money.
From an MBA standpoint of fiscal management this is a good case study. A piece of corporate credit cards or government credit cards must be followed up on. It is essential to make sure that the purchase is made by government employees are indeed for a facial government business and not personal pleasure; such as gentlemen’s clubs, personal car washes or a dinner for a family of four for personal use.
It appears we cannot trust those fine folks in government and it is about time that we enforced the letter of the law on to the government and the workers who think they are above it. Consider this in 2006.
“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on September 22nd, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
Are you surprised when you read and hear about all of the corruption within business these days? I’m not. The way people act in business situations is nothing more than a reflection of how they act in their normal lives. Why would we expect anything different?
I am a follower of rules. I believe that rules are there to give everyone an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits that our great nation provides. I get angry when people don’t follow the rules.
I don’t like seeing people park in handicap zones, with or without a handicap tag, when they don’t need to. I get irritated when shoppers take 15 items and check out in a 10 item or less line. I don’t like to listen while people talk about how they managed to by-pass the cable company and get their cable TV for free. You get the idea. When people don’t follow the rules, those of us who do pay the price. I guess those folks believe that the rules are made for everyone else and not for them. Their selfishness comes before rules.
I have a sign on my wall that reminds me of this, it says, “He who follows the rules gets screwed.” It is not there to suggest that I not follow rules, rather to remind me not to get too angry when people don’t. Every now and then I get comforted when I see someone who did not follow the rules get their just reward.
Last week a news story reported that an elementary school teacher was arrested in her classroom in front of her class. The story, and of course, the lady arrested, thought it was horrible that the police came into the school room in front of these young children and embarrassed her over a parking ticket that she did not pay. It turns out she had more than one outstanding parking ticket and they were several years old.
To bad lady, you broke the rules and thought you could get away with it. The fact that you were embarrass in front of your class is your own fault. Do you think those of us who follow the rules should be considerate of your feelings when you obviously don’t care about ours? And the kids, let them see what happens when people don’t follow rules. Let us reinforce good actions by clearly punishing poor actions.
My hope is that by doing so, these kids will grow up following rules. Remember, the way people act in their normal lives will carry over to their business lives. Do you want businesses to become less corrupt? Cheer the small victories we get when those who refuse to follow rules get caught. I want to change my sign to read, “He who follows the rules wins.”
To Your Success -
To receive a free copy of the audio CD “The 5 Foundations to Business Success” go to http://rgstephens.com and sign up to be on our mailing list.
For information on our e-mentoring program go to http://rgstephens.com/mentor.php
Rick Stephens is a recognized business advisor and consultant. He specializes in working with small to mid-sized business owners to strengthen their business processes and ultimately grow their business. Rick has been accredited by the Institute for Independent Business, an International accrediting body for senior executives.
Rick holds an MBA from the LeTourneau University located in Longview, Texas.
Rick Stephens is the Principle Advisor of the Consulting firm RG Stephens & Associates located in Plano, Texas. Rick offers business owners the opportunity to meet confidentially to discuss any business issue they may be experiencing. His initial meeting is always free and without obligation. Call him at 972-578-7895.
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on September 22nd, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
I am not a business major by any means, but I have taken an interest in business, particularly home businesses, since I was in middle school. Even though I have had an interest in business for quite some time, I chose not to continue my college studies within the realm of business as a business major, but rather within science. I currently attend Kansas State University and I am an animal science major. Yet, even with giving my preference to science, I still continue my research of entrepreneurship, businesses, and home based businesses.
Everyday, I see ads over the internet offering ways to make thousands of dollars, but they turn out to be scams. On average, I would say that for every legitimate work from home or home business opportunity there are fifty or more scams. The population of those wanting to work from home seems to be growing everyday and the population for scams, particularly internet scams, seems to be growing just as fast if not faster. Luckily for me, I was able to find a good business that fits within my busy college lifestyle.
I really believe that research is of utmost importance and should be conducted before any type of investment into a business or any other work from home opportunity is made. Often times we become lazy and do not take the time to do any research. It is this same laziness that attracts us to false business opportunities or work from home scams that promise an outrageous income without you having to do any work whatsoever.
At one point I probably would be considered as one to be placed on the most likely to be scammed list, but now I have forced myself to become a little more skeptical of new opportunities. I make sure I do my research before I decide whether or not to become involved with anything.
http://www.bigcatcash.com
Work at Home
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on September 21st, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
Every Monday night a group of 7 committed individuals who are considered to be business coaches, executive coaches and business consultants meet via teleconferencing to mastermind. During these 90 minute masterminding sessions, weekly successes and missed opportunities are shared. We learn so much from each other. For reinventing the wheel is truly a waste of time.
The mental energy and output from this masterminding process is incredible, but the email threads that are shared provided even greater opportunity for reflection and learning. One of the coaches revealed a conversation that he had with another business coach who belonged to a local chapter of a national coaching association.
During their conversation, the other coach made the statement that “executive or business coaches who coach other business or executive coaches were preying on their own by taking advantage of all the problems currently existing within the business coaching industry.”
Everyone within this mastermind group has head similar statements before, but my enlightened colleague took this opportunity to truly reveal the ethics of this coach. So he replied, “Gee, you make that sound like a piranha preying on their young.” The other coach responded, “Well isn’t it?”
My colleague continued with “I guess that assumes that we either prey on our own if we work with coaches, or, instead we prey on our other clients, and the latter must be OK. And does that mean that coaches just prey on the weak?”
The coach who started the conversation staggered backward, stammered a bit and said, “Well no. I do help my clients.” At this moment, my coaching friend then asked the other coach, “Does that mean that you are implying that I dont help mine?” Her response was, “Of course not. Who are your clients?”
Before my friend answered this question, he responded with a question, “You said that you help your clients. Tell me, what kind of measurable differences do you provide to your clients.” Again, she heed and hawed a bit, and answered, “Well.ummmmost of them get better.” He quickly followed with “How much better?”
The coach responded with “I have so many different clients that I really have no idea.”
Then my friend quietly concluded with Well, lets see I prey on a few small business clients who typically double their business in 3-4 weeks..but of course I also have a few of my young that I prey oncoaches I mean. Would you say that preying on someone might have a different perspective depending on whether you are helping them to secure measurable results or not?”
The other coach was stunned and walked away because she had no answer.
Given that research revealed less than 5% of all coaches make over $100,000 a year, my colleagues niche market of helping other coaches is valid. What also makes this coach different as well as the other 6 coaches in this mastermind group is that everyone can share actual measurable results. For their ethics and values are all about delivering a positive return on investment for their coaching services. Without such core values, why would anyone hire any of us?
The simple reason is that most coaches fail to earn more than $100,000, fail to have more than 20 clients during the course of their practice is because they cannot consistently deliver measurable results. This failure is truly one of ethics and core values. So the final question is: Are your ethics as a business coach centered around just helping people or securing measurable and sustainable results?
Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. is a business coach and executive coach with offices in Indianapolis and near Chicago. She writes, speaks and coaches people in businesses to quickly double or triple results through the creation of an executable strategic plan along with the necessary leadership skills “to pull it off.”
One quick question,if you could secure one new client or breakthrough that one roadbloack holding you back from success, what would that mean to you? Then, take a risk and give me, Leanne, a call at 219.759.5601 to experience incredible results.
Visit http://www.processspecialist.com/ and explore everything from free articles to connecting with Leanne.
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on September 20th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
Within the past four and a half years or so, I have been “fortunate” to run into and in certain instances work quite closely with - some unscrupulous, or “not very honest”, entrepreneurs. In most cases, I was heartbroken to find that the impressions I initially had, tended not to be accurate representations of what they did in reality(I say “fortunate”, because I learnt quick, valuable lessons as a result, that now make it possible for me to write THIS article for the reader’s benefit).
Quite a number of these individuals seem willing to - every once in a while - allow themselves a little indiscretion here and there. Some are greedy cheats, and will go out of their way, given the slightest opportunity, to take advantage of another person - even if s/he is a relative!
Yet they KNOW it is wrong to deceive or defraud customers, clients or indeed anybody. James Cook in his book, The Start-up Entrepreneur was obviously familiar with the widespread nature of this problem, and hammered quite a bit on the need for entrepreneurs to be ethical in all their business dealings, at all times. The fact remains that no matter how many people openly engage in dishonest or fraudulent business practices, it will still be wrong for YOU to do the same thing!
But Why Do People Do It?
We must not be too abstract in the way we discuss this problem. To understand it, one could ask the question: Why do some people in business appear to so readily succumb to the temptation to cut corners?
The truth is that many who embark on entrepreneuring with honest intentions, often encounter traumatizing trials, challenges, setbacks and disappointments. In Think And Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill acknowledged that an individual, due to the pressure of a prolonged period of adversity may become temporarily dishonest, in a bid to secure some relief for the pain s/he feels.
So the necessary suffering that a person undergoes in the pursuit of a challenging goal might make him/her do one or two things that are dishonest, for a while. Ideally however, his/her conscience would eventually force him/her to take corrective action to discontinue the bad habits.
Where it becomes a problem is when the affected person, or another who does not even have such a problem - but who seeks a quick and easy route to success - makes engaging in dishonest or insincere acts a regular habit. In other words, s/he adopts routine and repetitive corner-cutting or crooked dealings, as a preferred alternative route to reach a desired goal(s).
You Do Not Need To Do It
I want anyone confronted with this kind of challenge to understand that IT IS POSSIBLE to weather those rough periods of adversity without engaging in unethical business conduct. Simply dig in, learn quickly from your experiences, and correct your mistakes. Keep in mind ALWAYS, the proven fact that periods of difficulty and hardship WILL help you develop psychological stamina, and become more resourceful in dealing with problems you encounter while pursuing your goals.
Again, and at the risk of sounding boastful, I know this to be true because Ive been there. Had it not been for those terrible losses and disappointments that I have continually overcome in pursuing my goals, I would not have become as self-confident, as I am today, when it comes to discussing entrepreneuring or what it takes to persistently pursue challenging life goals under situations that appear utterly hopeless and discouraging.
What Will You Do, If/When Confronted With A Fraudulent/Tempting Offer ?
Before you give me an answer, I will ask you to read the following statement I use to guide myself: you will never know if you will steal, UNTIL the day you find yourself presented with a perfect opportunity to do so, in a way that you can be certain no one will ever find out that you did it.
Now that you have read it, think about my preceeding question again. Do you KNOW for certain what you will do if/when confronted with a tempting proposition to do something dishonest or unethical in business(or elsewhere) in exchange for a reward/return you place a high value on? For many, what they are willing to do is usually dependent on how they feel it will make them look to those who KNOW about it. This is the reason why people keep getting caught for corruptly enriching themselves: they ALWAYS think no one will find them out!
I believe every person who desires to achieve authentic success, must be able to successfully say NO to the above stated type of fraudulent/tempting opportunity (i.e. one known only to him and which s/he is sure no one will find out about). It however takes HAVING a compelling vision, strong values, plenty of self-discipline, great will power and an achievement orientation, to behave in this manner consistently - especially when you experience painfully prolonged periods of lack and hardship.
Work Hard To Immunize Yourself Against The Temptation Of “Corner Cutting”
You must work hard to develop the needed moral strength to resist the temptation when it does come…and it will! In the case of the entrepreneurs described above, they allowed their desperate desire to succeed quickly, to cloud their judgment of what was proper and ethical, and consequently adopted shameful practices.
Sometimes (especially in societies where entrepreneuring is not yet widely accepted as a viable means of earning a living, and social welfare schemes are absent or in their infancy) clients or customers may push the point(where they consider “switching from honest to dishonest”), by refusing to pay up after the entrepreneurs had delivered requested products or services. When this happens, those entrepreneurs who are unable to stay strong under these conditions, look for ways to cushion the pain: they begin to cheat those who do bring business to them! Having said that, there are certain entrepreneurs who don’t need any “tempting”, because they are just naturally greedy cheats - perpetually on the prowl for unsuspecting persons they can take advantage of.
BUT the truth must be said: Whether or not you have been cheated by clients, punished, exploited, or betrayed, there is absolutely no excuse for becoming fraudulent in your dealings with others. You wont last long if you go on doing that. So, its up to you to decide where you want to stand. I hope when you take your decision, it will be the right one: which is to act with integrity at all times, in all your dealings, be it in business or life in general.
Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist Tayo Solagbade - works as a Multipreneur, helping individuals/businesses develop and implement strategies to achieve their goals, faster and more profitably.
To get more useful Tips, Information And News that can help you do what you do more successfully, visit http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/news/sdacn_current.htm to subscribe to Tayo’s “Five(5) Minute Read” Performance Enhancement Newsletter.
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on September 20th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.