Over the years, many people have benefited from following the simple advice, “Do the Next Right Thing”. It sounds so simple. After all, what could be easier than step-by-step self improvement? But who decides what the next right step is? If we could figure that out, would we ever make a wrong step? I'm pretty sure that most of us, (if we're not psychologically impaired), don't go around saying, “Today I'm going to decide to do the wrong thing and foul up my life.” And yet, every one of us, from the parent who spoke harshly to their child unnecessarily this morning to the mass murderer, has made those wrong decisions that led them to where we each find ourselves, every day of our lives.
Without putting too fine a point on it, allow me to say that I believe that in business, as in life, if we conduct ourselves according to the highest moral standard, we will receive the benefits of our work. I also believe in the God of the Bible, which is His written Revelation to us, and in His Son, who paid for the sins of the world by dying sinless, and being resurrected from the dead to an eternal life, which He offers to all who receive Him.
If that puts me out of step with what you believe, I hope you will continue reading. My ultimate goal in this forum is not to proselytize. While it is my privilege to share the salvation offered by Christ, in this venue, it is my purpose to point out that even if you reject His salvation, and deny His existence, the lessons to be learned through following His advice (commandments), have led many great men to further greatness. Many others who, like me, were not great, have gone on to achieve far beyond what we ever dreamed possible.
So what do I mean when I say that we must conduct ourselves according to the highest moral standard in order to enjoy true success? Simply that if we achieve success by any other means it will not last, and we will be unable to enjoy it. I base this not only on my belief in the Bible and the teachings contained in it. We need look no further than the headlines in the checkout aisle at the local supermarket.
Week by week we see an endless parade of sports, entertainment, political, and yes, even religious heroes who after experiencing the pinnacle of success, end up losing everything, based on not having done the next right thing. Sports heroes felled by performance enhancing drug scandals, entertainment stars felled by politically incorrect rants fueled by drugs, alcohol or ill-considered, if sincere remarks, politicians rocked by accusations of bribery and favoritism, and religious leaders accused of every heinous sin they have ever preached against all fall by the same sword.
That lack of integrity called in some hypocrisy, and in others an unfortunate moral lapse, all boils down to one thing. They have, for whatever reason, ceased following the path that lead them to success, and instead chosen to follow what seemed right in the moment to them.
We've all been there. One minute, things are going along just fine, our lives are following the path we have chosen, then an alternate choice appears, and without considering the consequences, we choose what seems to be the right path, but ultimately, that choice causes nothing but grief. That consideration of potential consequences forms the basis of much of our discussion. It is the same in business. We are working hard, winning some and losing some, slowly building, when we see an opportunity to jump ahead of the pack, and all it will take is one decision, one act, that gives us the competitive edge.
If the question of right and wrong doesn’t enter the decision making process, the idea of consequences never comes up. Without those limits to guide us, a simple decision can have a disastrous result. Throughout the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, hundreds of financial geniuses were busy making the ultimate investment tool, one that couldn’t fail. By bundling bad loans with good loans, the theory, simply put, was that even if the loans that they expected to fail did fail, by being combined with other, much more profitable loans, the net result would still be a net gain for the investor. This is how the derivative market that fueled the economic collapse of 2008 was born.
All along the way, there were individuals who had the power to prevent the implementation of the derivatives, and, once they were out there, to mitigate the damage they would eventually cause, chose to ignore the potential risk in order to maximize their own political gain, financial profit, or business reputation. Ironically, the lust for power, profit, and repute caused the loss of all three to most of the players, along with the destruction of ten to fifteen percent of the American economy.
How does this apply to the small businessperson in America? What kind of power does a business with a net worth of less than $5 million have to alter the economy? Isn’t it enough to just do my job and pay my bills the best I can?
In upcoming posts I hope to explore these and other questions about the positive and negative effects our every day decisions have on the world around us, and how seemingly insignificant, isolated decisions can have profound consequences on the world around us. My ultimate goal in this blog, as I said earlier, is not to proselytize, but to help us all to better understand that the universe appears to respond in predictable ways, and that by understanding that our decisions have consequences beyond ourselves, we might begin to think ahead and plan for lasting success, rather than moments of triumph. If, through the ideas shared in these posts, someone comes to realize that the Bible is God's Word, and Jesus is the Messiah, then I will be twice blessed.
