week 3 Honesty and Business Ethics

This weeks study on honesty, and integrity were very interesting. My husband and I have had a couple of challenges in our lives. My husband worked as a city manager for the Village of Suamico, WI. When a new Mayor was elected, she began doing some dishonest things that profited herself as a business owner and as a property owner. When she told my husband to do something dishonest, he refused and eventually wound up reporting her to the state Ethics Board. (I didn't even know there was such a thing.) He quietly as possible stepped down and we were without work for almost a year. He applied with different cities, but found the council members to be as dishonest and contentious and turned down the job even when we were needing it so badly. A man that owned a company to help cites find managers, found out about my husband's situation and came to him with several good options until we found one that would suit our family needs. This man looked up to Adam and always calls him first when he hears of a good opportunity. At one point he was even trying to make him a partner in his business.
Although this was a difficult year for us in many ways, we have been blessed when seeking other employment to show that he has integrity and is trustworthy.
Another experience we had as restaurant owners, we had to decide if we were willing to sell alcohol  and if we would be opened on Sundays. We chose not to and paid the price. Our partners were friends and they ended up leaving us as we were going under. Since we were the financiers, we were left with the debt and responsibility of the lease etc. This was a hard lesson for us because we had tried to do what we thought was right. We learned that the food industry is not one we want to be in.


Why Ethics are Important
Frank Levinson learned an important lesson when started his first company. His friend was loud, smoked cigar and harassed women but he was loyal. He let him go because others told him he should and found other partners didn't have the same loyalty.

Top 10 must Haves
10 - cheap comfy furniture- long nights working
9 - Put Up a Sign - don't wait.
8 - Too little money - Monte Python made due with what they had - part of the humor
7 - Common Sense
6 - Pride of Fat Baby - do what it takes
5 - Supportive family
4 - Surf real waves - don't try to make your own
3 - Confidence -you have 1000 great ideas
2 - Sales
1 - A Great Partner

Risks in Business
get people that "have skin in the game"
Never do anything dishonest - it WILL come out one day

Ken Zelot
devilish curiosity, several debilitations
Accountability - parents instilled in family principle  that family is accountable to one another.
anyone can do technology, make sure your people and place is attended to.
Ask Who Cares?? what problems of others are you solving?
Henry Ford

Formula & Happiness  - Jim Richie
David B Haight  and J Paul Getty combined
1 - get up
2 - work hard
3 - Get education
4 - find oil
5 - make your mark

6 - prepare to serve/give back

Making a Living and Life - Lynn G. Robbins 2010
Jones law- our needs are determined by what neighbor has
-most serious sins involve other people  Satan couldn't tempt Adam and Eve
"When you reflect on it, most serious sins involve others and would not become a possibility for Satan until the human race began to multiply and he could use competition and comparisons to appeal to the pride of men."
Ezra Taft Benson - pride is competitive in nature
CS Lewis -  comparison makes you proud
lord's plan nit just to survive - see how we get along with others.
Working in this world to make a living was part of the Lord’s plan for His children, not just to survive, but to see how we would get along with others in making that living – to see if we would be honest in our dealings with our fellowmen.
Celestial tests Lord monitoring daily behavior
Your mid-term tests and final exams are indicators of your progress in preparing for a profession, but they pale in comparison and importance to the celestial tests the Lord will be monitoring as He observes your daily behavior in your dealings with your fellowmen. 
Level A - Jacob 2:18-19 seek first kingdom of God
Primary motivation is love of god and man - second - earn a living
love of God only exists at A level.

All professions have A-D levels
Golden rule
D level - appearance on happiness 3 Nephi 14:12
Businesses for get golden rule - cut corners
Questions

• Do you give an honest day’s work for your pay?
• Are you loyal to your employer?
• Are you honest with the customers?
• Are your products and service of the highest quality? 
• Do you charge fair prices?
• Are you concerned for the welfare of your employees? 

Can you ask Lords blessing with a clear conscience? Alma 34 - pray over crops and success in your labors.

When questionable products involved, is person's involvement direct or indirect?

sell coffee or tea when know word of wisdom??

Does the product or service hurt society? - filthy lucre

Level F - filthy lucre 

organized crime, con artists, ponzischemes

Gadianton robbers - murder and elimination of competition

Zion - work guided by law of consecration

Pride seduces from level A to level B etc

Nightmare forgot to attend class finals - judgement day forgot most important class and totally unprepared

Jacob Marley - christmas carol - "Mankind was my business"

True Blue Through and Through  - Sherri Dew 2004

Integrity - just plain smart

Joseph F. thought to himself: “Shall I run from these fellows? Why should I fear them?” With that, he walked up to one of the intruders who, with pistol in hand, demanded, “Are you a Mormon?” Joseph F. Smith responded, “Yes siree; dyed in the wool; true blue, through and through.” At that, the hoodlum grasped his hand and said, “Well you are the [blankety-blank] pleasantest man I ever met! Shake hands, young fellow. I am glad to see a man that stands up for his convictions” (See Gospel Doctrine, 518).

true to self, other, and God

Stop sign 14 years old

complete observance to complete disregard, demise started with small crack in integrity, no such thing as SLIGHTLY breaking the law

Your word is who you are - James 1:8 

“a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8).

7 things to help become men and women of integrity

1- Decide today worthy of trust 

2- Faith God can help/diligently seek help

3- make covenants and keep them

4- stand up for what you believe

5- expect integrity to be challenged

6- Don't give up

7- Renew covenant to God to do what came to do.