A recent TV program reported that the average adult lies about 25 times a day.
Honest — I wouldn't lie about a thing like this.
The show explained that from the time we are children we are conditioned to lie. We watch as our parents, siblings and others around us tell lies. We are encouraged to tell lies so that we "don't make someone feel bad" or just to "be nice." Most of the lies we tell are harmless, but unfortunately we live in an environment where lies are tolerated, even encouraged.
As business owners, we cannot change society, but we can let our employees know that we require honesty. In my company, each new employee is taken through the normal routine of filling out forms and getting them registered in our programs. Then I sit down with them one-on-one and give a short presentation about our company vision and values. Our management team believes it sends a very important message to have the company president sit down with the employee face-to-face on the first day of employment. In that session, I tell them that we expect them to be absolutely honest with themselves, with their fellow employees and with our clients.
The dialogue includes the following points.
Be honest with yourself — Be on time, work the schedule that you have agreed to, schedule your vacations and don't take unnecessary sick days. Don't take from the company in any way, be careful with company time and property, don't copy software for home use. Don't spend work time on personal e-mail or personal use of the Internet. Think about the position that you have accepted. Is it the right one for you? Are you qualified for your position? Is it the job that you want? Are you happy to come to work? If the answer to any of these questions is no, let your manager know.
Be honest with your fellow employees — Each of your fellow employees should be considered a client. He is a user of your services. He is depending on you to do your task so that he can do his. Let him know if you are having problems or if you are going to be delayed. Your relationships in the office are based on trust. Never lie to another employee or that trust will be destroyed. The best job security in this company is to contribute to your team. Share your knowledge freely and help everyone grow.
Be honest with our clients — Our business is built upon profitable, long-term relationships with our clients. It is much more difficult and expensive to acquire a new client than it is to retain an existing client.
Some companies will tell you that the client is always right. We disagree. Many times the client will request something that is outside the scope of our work or does not make business sense for us. Our clients will respect us if we tell them the truth.
It is important to manage client expectations. First, be reasonable in your own expectations and communicate a workable schedule to the client. Then work hard to make that schedule.
We cannot change the world, but we can stand for something in our businesses. Encourage, promote and reward honesty, and your business will be better for it.
Craig Earnshaw is associated with the BYU Center for Entrepreneurship. He can be reached via e-mail at cfe@byu.edu.