Inclusion

As a consultant or a business owner it is important that you actions in every aspect of your business take the thoughts, feelings and sensibilities of your clients and employees or contractors into account. Think about it like this, say you are traveling abroad and everyone speaks a different language, do you not appreciate those who took the time to address you in your native language and who stopped to help especially because you felt vulnerable and helpless. That is how people who rely on you or your business feel though they never verbalize it. Knowing this you must make every effort to assure them through your words and actions that they are valued and respected even when they do not agree with you. I realize this is almost counter culture but it is the difference often between good and great.

Let me use the current election as an example – whichever side of the fence you feel on this was historic – either way. Yet what is so disappointing is in people joy they are perpetuating the very behavior they so despised – exclusion. This was and is a great time for bridges to be built – granted celebration and joy but I see people who now perceive they have the power doing to others what was done to them instead of taking the higher road and reaching out to the people that lost and reassuring them – being noble. It is said he who has the gold makes the rules. That maybe true but with that comes a great responsibility and not one because you are someone better than but because you remember what and how you felt and should want no one to have to endure that and should adopt a posture of lets move forward together and take care of each other.

This leads me to the thought that you should also have a moral or ethical compass. You and your business should have lines you simply will not cross. Granted there are some whose value system is money which in turn causes them to prostitute themselves and their respective businesses to acquire it yet would you not prefer to be the business who is respected? Which reputation do you think can survive changing economics better? Which do you think a client will trust during difficult times? Which do you think an employee or contractor will remain more loyal to?

What reputation do you want your business to have?