Clarity Strategic^TM

Humorist Kellie Ketcham, who offers us here a light look at the serious subject of business ethics, is the author of Advancing Backward. She offers "common sense with curiosity and good advice with crazy hair."

Like you, I research things online. I'm trying to expand my knowledge base and tune my "is this a pile of crap?" monitor. And I've discovered many businesses and other online sources show a lack of filtering, honesty or what we once called "Ethics." Don't get me wrong, I love a good old fashioned rant, where one will "make it up as you go." But I'm a writer – a small business person (a VERY small business, as it's just one person, which I have to tell you makes the games at the company picnic excruciatingly boring). For us small business people, it's important to show integrity in our work. I would say imperative, but that's more of a direct order, and this is definitely a plea.

I diligently write in my own voice and my own words. Sounds easy enough, but if it really were easy, plagiarism would be extinct. I spend months without reading books to ensure that I don't inadvertently take up someone else's voice or ideas. Then I must shut out certain other critical voices that make me want to abandon my ethical promise to myself; or make me want to steal great stuff I find to make myself a better reader. As a writer I can't so much as write a thank you card any more without someone red-penning my work. Those who can, do; and those who can't, critique. My ethical stilts help to keep me above wading through all this crap, ruining perfectly good shoes.

I AM a writer. And the first rule of writing is to write what you know. I'll freely admit, that compared to the information highway, what I know could be put into a little red wagon. In order for me to stand out above the throng of voices out in the Internet world, I have decided to wear ethical stilts. What I write is what I know. If I don't know something, I say I don't know, then I research my way out of the abyss of ignorance. Ignorance may be bliss, but it doesn't bode well for sales or credibility.

I may appear to digress, but my point: the good guy won't finish last in the marketplace any more. How important is being crystal clear in your ethics and in describing your abilities? I think we are in the process of changing the way we all do business, even as I write this. Having an ethical, honest business plan is what will put a small business at the top of everyone's list in a hurry. It used to take years to develop a reputation, and now merely months. Because the internet has high-speed, high-demand information, we access everything 24/7. That, and the recent lack of basic business ethics, has caused many consumers/clients to be wary and cynical. After all, it hasn't been a happy time of late for those who have lost their retirement benefits, jobs or homes due to unethical business practices. People are hungry for honesty.

So let's say you are one of the good guys, struggling to stay afloat. The most important first step in creating a business that will continue to grow is to have a plan. In that plan while you are budgeting time and money, you need to create a mission statement. It is within that mission statement you will let your customer/client know exactly what you stand for. Your mission statement is the way you introduce yourself to your client base; and you show them your business ethics in writing. You show them you're one of the good guys. If you can't back that up with your actions, then say nothing. In saying nothing, you will have then told them a completely different story about yourself. Be careful what you promise. Words matter; they hold power and influence. I should know, right? What you write/say will be what determines your success and failure.

Maybe you're a writer with a dry, somewhat sarcastic, self-deprecating sense of humor, but you have this idea that you can write and sell books. Like me. So let's say you have a plan to sell your books. Let's go one step further and say you have promised to hand-deliver a signed copy to every single person who orders one. That's preposterous! But it's no more so than promising overnight delivery I can't do or scheduling book signings I have no way of getting to. Crap is crap is crap. It matters not what I say I can do or how ridiculous it seems, if there is no possible way for me to deliver on the promises I make.

I've had to be honest with myself and examine my strengths and weaknesses. I had to boldly go where I do not like to go and decide what exactly it is I do that's true and honest, to me as a person. Since I am a one-man band, I must be accountable. There is nobody else to blame for my business shortcomings. We, as small business owners, are our own bottom line. In failing to be completely honest with ourselves and our customers/clients, we have sealed our fate and will watch our lack of integrity go viral in ways we could not possibly comprehend.

There is a saying I heard a million years ago about ethical standards, and yes, I really am that old.

If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.

What you put online is a written contract with your reader. Your word is your bond. It is our duty as ethical business people to ensure order and honesty in online content. There are legal ramifications to unethical business practices, but more to the point, once word gets out that your business has a poor reputation, that information will Google itself around the globe. I see you looking at me and thinking, "I am honest. I have integrity. This does not apply to me."

Then tell your customers! Be clear, concise and to the point. Listen, I think you are perfectly lovely, but things need to be said in order for people to hear them. This is you, reminding us that there is still honesty in the world, and we can find it in you.

So, go forth and put on your stilts, and proclaim to the world that business ethics are not dead, but alive and well in the hearts and minds of sincere small business people everywhere. And hey, keep it real.