Making a Difference: business ethics & integrity

For Londoners, and for people in cities across the UK, it has been a turbulent and distressing week. Watching pictures of burning buildings and homes, of people being robbed in the open street, looting and violence, it has been hard to understand the thinking and emotions of the people involved.

We have been seeing the worst people can do to each other this week but thankfully, we have also seen the best.

We’ve seen communities rallying around to support the homeless and the dispossessed, mustered together by Twitter, broom in hand, cleaning and repair in the damage, the dignity of a bereaved father appealing for calm & unity, and a website set up to help the Malaysian who was robbed and beaten by a gang of youths in broad daylight.

The troubles have inspired many people here and outside the UK to make an active contribution towards repairing the damage inflicted on the vulnerable. It has been heartening to see instances where people are striving to make a difference for good.

As making a difference is a subject close to my own heart, I’ve made it the basis of my blog today.

As you’ll know from my work and newsletter, I help fellow business owners and managers work more effectively & productively to grow their businesses. As well as giving me personal satisfaction, my work allows me to make a real contribution to the lives of others through charitable work.

One of the objectives I had when I set up my business was to establish a charitable body, in memory of my late father and in honour of my mother.

The aims of this body will help four main causes: vulnerable children (offering schooling, healthcare, and life opportunities), vulnerable women (particularly in the areas of childbirth and genital mutilation), vulnerable animals (abused and threatened with extinction), and the environment. I hope it will be a legacy that my children can support in the future.

I know that many of you have specific charities or causes which are close to your heart. Some of you are actively involved with these causes and some of you wish you could do more to help.

Whether it’s supporting projects through activity or through financial donations, the way you approach your business work can help you have a real impact elsewhere. By working “smartly” and charging the right prices for your work, you’ll have the funds, time, and resources that will allow you to make a real difference to your clients, your community, and to your friends & family.

This might seem a quite commercial approach to some people – talking about money is inappropriate when all they want to do is good work. This is part of an over-all mind-set block that prevents many small business owners from asking for money or charging to reflect value. They feel that they are taking from other people when actually their intentions are the very opposite.

When I create products and services which will generate income, a proportion will go towards paying bills and looking after my home & family, but an increasing proportion will, over time, support my charitable work. This is not a new concept – many religious and humanist traditions include “tithing” in their cultural practises.

In my mind, my clients and community are helping me in my charity work – each time they invest in my products and services, and each time I share knowledge and value, we are all working together to support my causes and make a difference to the world.

As I’ve said before, intention and good wishes aren’t going to make a difference, but action (and resources) will. You are not short-changing anyone by working efficiently & to your highest capacity and then charging appropriately. By being mindful of your intentions to do well and make a difference, you are being true to your ideals and ethics in a very practical way.

This is why I dislike the phrase “giving something back” as it implies that you’ve taken something away in the first instance.

I hope that this approach will motivate you and inspire you. Always keep in mind as you give value and integrity in your work, that your clients are helping you support the charitable causes close to your heart…