We do a lot of workshops with people from all sectors of business. One thing that is common to all our workshops is the discussion around values. We do a very interesting exercise where everyone gets to define or discover their personal values and then share them with the others in the room: always a tense but revealing time for all.

We go on to discuss the difference between personal values and our business values. This almost always seems to provoke a discussion about how values change when money is involved. Comments such as” we must be honest at all times, but when there is a way to make extra profit we always take it” come to surface.

Why do we allow our personal values to be set aside when doing business deals? I do not buy into the fact that “everyone is corrupt” so we can do it too. We need to stand firm on how we do business and ensure that our personal and business values are entrenched in throughout the whole business and visible in all deals.

How well would you stand up to a Moral Audit in your business?

Never ever ever allow your personal value to be compromised in order to secure a sale, this is the beginning of moral decay in both your business and your life.