| In the early 1900's con men would try to sell | | | | higher authority for ethics. If you are in an |
| parts of the Brooklyn Bridge to immigrants in the | | | | organization without an ethical code considering |
| USA. This is what coined the phrase, "If you | | | | referring to the UPSA, United Professional Sales |
| believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you!" Then | | | | Association, for their Ethical Code of Conduct. In |
| the Verrazano Narrows bridge, the world's longest | | | | just seven pages long, it has all encompassing |
| suspension bridge formally opened between | | | | principles and guidelines. |
| Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York, in | | | | Can ethics be as simple as integrity, honesty and |
| November 1964. Think of this as a chance for a | | | | responsibility? |
| new bridge, one that leads to ethical selling. Would | | | | Your integrity includes your honesty and moral |
| this new bridge serve to avoid any of these early | | | | character. Just like moral concepts vary from one |
| unscrupulous and unethical scammers? | | | | society to another, morals can be different from |
| What do ethics mean to you? | | | | one profession to another. Values, like honesty |
| When our actions are congruent with our moral | | | | and responsibility, are the beliefs or standards that |
| values we behave ethically. Almost every | | | | guide our lives in defining importance and worth. |
| profession has a code of ethics. Become familiar | | | | Do you present your product and service |
| with yours. How often is your behavior in line with | | | | honestly? Do you act with honesty and in good |
| this code? That's a simple test if your profession | | | | faith toward all concerned? Would you pass the |
| has a code of ethics. If your profession doesn't | | | | three questions posed by Nan Demars, You Want |
| have a code, then ask yourself, when you take | | | | Me To Do What? It's one of several quick ethics |
| action, is the action acceptable and right in regards | | | | tests to refer do when you have doubt or |
| to all stakeholders - customer, company and self? | | | | uncertainty about what to do. Here are the three |
| It seems the early bridge scammers didn't have a | | | | questions: Would you want to be treated the |
| code of ethics. | | | | same way? What would my mother say? How |
| Why might good people in a good organization do | | | | would I feel if this was reported on the front |
| unethical things? | | | | page of tomorrow's newspaper? |
| The image of salespeople, maybe even dating | | | | The 1970's scammers invaded Florida with |
| back to before the bridge scammers, is usually | | | | swampland scams. It seems the bridge lesson |
| filled with less than positive words like - deceiving, | | | | wasn't learned even with the Verrazano Narrows |
| pushy, fast talking, exaggerating, and at least a | | | | Bridge. But what about you? What did you learn? |
| dozen more. For a few years, in teaching an | | | | What is your responsibility to remain ethical as a |
| Ethical Leadership program for various | | | | seller? As a wise person once said, "It's easier to |
| organizations, I used the definition of morals as | | | | know what is right than to do the right thing." Can |
| values defined by a higher authority to help an | | | | you find an ethical code to guide you to do the |
| individual decide right versus wrong, good versus | | | | right thing? |
| bad. Just as with morals and values, you want a | | | | |