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ethical members - 2006/10/09 20:22 I'm in this networking group, and it's been really effective for my business. I love going. I'm also now on the leadership team.

The program has pretty set expectations about things like attendance, passing referrals, following the code, etc. My problem is not everyone follows the rules. Some seem to think if they're strong in one area, they can blow of the others. But in my role on the leadership team, I can see how this erodes the effectiveness of the whole group.

My question is, does anyone have experience helping people be ethical when they really don't want to be? Meaning, have you been able to communicate why being ethical is good for everyone and not just "rules"?
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Re:ethical members - 2006/10/10 13:04 I wrote a whole book that demonstrates why business ethics is a much more effective success strategy than cheating. In other words, I am appealing to the self-interest of those who might not otherwise want to be ethical.

Not an ideal approach in that it doesn't immediately change the crooked, all-about-me mindset, you might say--but my experience is that actually, a few years of doing the right thing for the wrong reasons lead to a much deeper embodiment of the right thing for the right reasons--and then you've created lasting change.

The book is called Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First, and the first few chapters, which really lay out the concept of ethics as a path to success, are available for no cost at http://www.principledprofit.com

I have also tied this in to a larger social movement, an ethical business pledge, at http://www.business-ethics-pledge.org

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Shel Horowitz - copywriter, marketing consultant, author, speaker
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"Ethical, cooperative businesses t h r i v e and p r o s p e r"

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<http://www.business-ethics-pledge.org>

http://www.principledprofit.com / http://www.frugalmarketing.com
mailtohel@principledprofit.com * 413-586-2388/800-683-WORD
Award-winning author: Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First
Blog on Corporate/Government/Marketing Ethics:
http://www.principledprofit.com/good-business-blog/
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Re:ethical members - 2006/10/11 15:46 Hi - Do those errant members think of their lack of participation in certain areas as unethical? Are they thinking in those terms. Perhaps you need to have an Ethics Workshop at one of your meetings...and talk about the rules of your Networking Group within an ethical framework. Maybe they don't see, for example, not turning in referrals as "unethical". Maybe some members aren't good at this skill..and it is a skill..and it is also a mindset. Have someone who is very good at this give a short session on how to refer...and go from there...
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Re:ethical members - 2006/10/13 16:45 Thanks shel and cynthia, excellent ideas.

cynthia, you raise a good point. sometimes people just forget what the rules are, and don't mean to be breaking them. since I have a good memory for things like that, I always think others do, too. I should examine that!

also, I saw heartening evidence at our meeting today when one person made a point of sticking to a policy even though it was detremental to her in the short term. I thanked her for it afterward.
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