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The Inc. Network: Reader Responses

Reader-to-reader advice.

By Inc. staff | 
 

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

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