This is the third article in a series about strengthening your small business’s core values.
Back in 1986, American minister and author Robert Fulghum’s book of essays titled All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten came into the world. He mentioned simple things like share everything, play fair, and clean up your own mess. Although don’t lie isn’t in Fulghum’s list, the sentiment is there. After all, truth telling and honesty are key lessons we learned as kids. Sadly, no one has to teach kids how to lie—that skill seems to be nearly hardwired in us all from birth! A mark of maturity is learning how to be honest.
That’s why honesty is a common core value for businesses (including ours!). It’s a reminder that clear, transparent communication is the goal in every situation. Honesty is important in business because it affects everything else—from what we say about our offering to how we treat our customers to the way we function as a team.
Business can happen without honesty, but it creates a whole host of other troubles. Making honesty a core value signals to your team, your partners, and your customers that you will operate a certain way. Honesty is, in essence, how business gets done under your leadership. It’s a commitment to act with integrity—to be honest—in the delivery of your offering.
Here at Officeheads, integrity is summed up like this:
Honesty Is the Only Policy
You likely notice the play off the well-known phrase “honesty is the best policy.” When I was drafting our core values, I switched that descriptor from best to only. I did that because honesty isn’t something that’s negotiable. It’s not something you do today but tomorrow is up for consideration.
We are committed to delivering winning financial management in an honest way.
Research proves that a lack of honesty and integrity have a detrimental impact upon a business’s success. Entrepreneur outlined these three in particular from a study:
- Dishonesty disrupts employee performance.
- Organizations experience greater turnover.
- It’s damaging to the bottom line.
Not shocking, right? I’m guessing most of us know the damage dishonesty breeds. I find it helpful to also keep in mind the benefits that come from being honest. Here are a few reasons honesty contributes to business success, which are detailed by business leader Shae Hong:
- Honesty Begets Honesty
- It Minimizes Regulatory Concerns
- Boost Customer Trust
- Create Better Ideas
- Reduce Unproductive Conflict
Small businesses need as much of those as possible! Running your own business is hard enough without the added misery brought on by dishonest practices. One way you can ensure your small business experiences all the benefits of integrity is taking care of your financial strategy. Stress from strapped budgets can cause even the most honest among us to cave in our commitment to truth telling. That’s where Officeheads can help! Our team is ready to help you stay true to your commitment to honesty by keeping your finances on track. Reach out today to learn more!
