The Inc. Network: Reader Responses
Reader-to-reader advice.
In December Gwen Holtsclaw ("New Year's Resolution," [Article link]) was curious to know how other CEOs deal with any discrepancies they may see between doing what's "right" and doing what's profitable. She also wanted to find a descriptive phrase for companies that place a high premium on managing ethically. A consultant offers a grab bag of resources (some more whimsical than others):
* * *A mirror
A picture of your mother
The phone number of a friend or colleague whose integrity you respect
A copy of Annual Editions: Business Ethics 94/95 (Dushkin Publishing Group, 800-243-6532, $11.95), a collection of the year's best articles on business ethics and corporate social responsibility
A copy of William D. Hall's Making the Right Decision: Ethics for Managers (John Wiley & Sons, 1993, $14.95), a great book that effectively presents business ethics from a businessperson's point of view
Tim C. Mazur
Organizational-Ethics Consultant
Cupertino, Calif.
* * *And a CEO advises socially conscious entrepreneurs:
* * *If by ethical you mean fair, empowering, and treating customers and employees like people with brains and feelings, you'll find that Tom Peters's book Thriving on Chaos (Knopf, 1988, $10.95) is full of real-life examples of how to go about it.
Your biggest challenge is understanding that competition kills: in the process of growing your company, you'll probably put somebody else out of business.
I call businesses that make ethics the cornerstone of their existence churches. You need to center your business on earning a profit by satisfying your customers. If you do that, you will have boundless opportunities to exercise your ethical sensibilities.
Anthony M. Castaldo
President
VP MicroScope
San Antonio
* * *To Mukund Junnarkar, who was exploring new, cheap ways to put together a marketing brochure ("Bootstrapped Brochures," November, [Article link]):
* * *Perhaps you can work out an arrangement whereby you trade your financial services for design expertise at fair market value.
Michelle Goodman
Director of Design Services
The Chicago Group
Chicago
* * *Consider using students of marketing, communications, or graphic arts to assist you in designing and writing your brochure. A simple ad in the local college publication can yield some fresh, creative ideas for less.
Lior Arussy
Senior Management Consultant
SFB-Zinner & Co.
Cleveland
