Ethics and manners

When did someone decide to hide these two very important characteristics? If someone wants to doubt my opinion just go to any major highway and watch the way people drive. Consideration, manners, social integrity, call it what you wish but the gentleman that works at the local gas pump said "they come in here in their Sunday best and jump in front of each other, yell at each other now that's what I call hypocrite!" Wow, what a statement...consideration is not dead. Look around and see if there is someone in the world you can lend a hand to.

Audrey Hepburn said it beautifully: If you need a helping hand look down and realize there are two hands to help yourself and two hands to help others too.

Ethics and Integrity hit the charts

Amazing how we have forgotten the basics of living. Manners, ethics, integrity are the most critical human traits and in this economy it needs to come back into focus.

Listening to King Corn again last night and hearing life expectancies are going down again because of corn...that simple yellow kernel that grows in the Midwest, in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado...farms are getting better and growing more corn. Cows are being fed corn, corn by-products and fast foods including meats are full of corn.

Sweet corn is wonderful but it is not the corn of the midwest...amazing how cattle grazing is no longer done in the big feed lots across the country.

Busy Summer for writer

Who and where did manners run off too? If anyone sees manners please capture them and bring them back. Ethics too...consideration is becoming a thing of the past.

A friend from high school called this morning. We spoke of Congress and the lack of leadership. She said “they remind me of roaches. They are not doing anything until you turn the light on and they run around everywhere like they are busy.”

Not sure I would want to be compared to one of the lowest creatures on the planet but God put them here for some reason...kinda like weeds...just a plant we've yet to find a purpose for...

Telephone lines and animals

We were out of service for about 5 days...no DSL, no dial tone nada...Squirrels had chewed the line and it was crossed with the neighbors. The frustration of going to the library with no privacy just to clean out email and answer any urgent messages, plus I missed a webinar I really wanted to be on too. But what can you do with a backyard of forest where animals reside? Little furry squirrels will nibble on telephone lines.

We have had hawks, vultures, snakes, racoons, foxes and one neighborhood recently reported a black bear. As less nature is available and man kind continues to encroach into the animal kingdom it will be interesting to see how this play out. If the animal kingdom is destoryed, human will not be far behind. God's design is in danger.

Interesting comments about ethics

C.S. Lewis wrote a work on ethics which was published in 1970 seven years after his death in 1963. Amazing to me is we have gotten so far off the path of ethics in business, socially, even in church!

Ethics is the core of everything and when we fail to have that as our guidance we fall as people, as a nation, as a society and certainly fall as a business. Ethics should be at the core of our very being. Sully, the pilot was asked by his young daughter what integrity was and his response was "doing the right thing even when it is not convenient." I like that response. Ethics is also doing the right thing even when it isn't convenient.

Social Media NO no's

Why does someone think if they put something on the internet that is un-ethical it is OK? Hello is anyone watching, yes, like the whole world. And you want to tweet pictures of you body to young women while serving your country? I do not think so.

Social Media is a wonderful tool when used the proper way. And illicit pictures are not one of the ways to get attention, not in my book anyway.

Our value system is broken, at least in this city. People drive in the middle of the road, they run red lights, I have received two or three thank you notes when preparing meals for people. Rules may have been made to be broken, but not all rules. Manners are still important and if your mama didn't teach you any manners stay out of my court!

Social Media

Linked In is an interesting way to look at job postings and one of the groups I belong to is telecommunication related. Someone posted a one word about the industry and interestingly enough the word was ethics...amen to that little number.
Is there any ethics in the corporate world regarding any industry. I have to think most people are good and care about the ethics, integrity, honesty, etc.

Maybe I'm wrong but I hope in some cases ethics is back on track regardless of the profession, the industry, the practices.

Wow, time does fly by

Speaking of ethics...someone has my name and of all things the person is blogging about having an affair. Good grief, why would any sane human put something like that on the internet? I wonder what makes people tick and when you witness behavior like that and why are you telling the world?

It seems we live in a world where the rich and famous think they are above the laws of God and man...and no it is not acceptable behavior to have babies out of wedlock, to raise a child without two parents and the list goes on and on and on...

investments and on-line registration

The financial institution we use for an annuity was asking for on-line registration.
After spending time filling out the information and I can not register because of an incorrect DOB...I think I know when I was born! On-line is not the answer to everything and we are rapidly making ourselves vulnerable in thinking on-line is the answer to all. A recent article was stating the downfalls in the IT world and the author said "analytical thinkers are not the best marketers." Amen to that. The web may be making billions for Facebook CEO but how many servers are necessary for the bytes and we are adding more constantly. Just some briefs thoughts on social direction, business direction and vulnerability.

Ethics and gift cards

During the holidays hubby received a number of gift cards from clients. We used one and had approximately twenty dollars left so I thought. The waiter or waitress had relieved us by giving themselves an extremely healthy tip. When checking on the card to see what the remaining amount was it was about one dollar.

The point being, if you intend for gift to be used exclusively by the recipent you may try gift cards other then restaurants. Perhaps a another choice is a clothing store, hobby shop, grocery store or other gift card ideas.

Ethics and medicine

Not sure if these two subjects go together. We pay almost $300 a month for health insurance and they cover very little. A recent biopsy costs $452.27 to be exact and we pay for what? Medical procedures in the US have become a joke as well as the thing called insurance. Insurance is now a promise that you, the consumer, can insure you will pay out the nose for anything related to the medical industry. A friend sells those stainless steel apparatuses used to replace joints, knees, shoulders, etc. the stainless steel is then thrown in the garbage. Nice!

Not only can we replace body parts we can then make more waste and add to the landfills...where do they throw all that stuff used in medicine anyway?

Another concern is if costs continue at this rate where are we going to be in ten years? Will the average person even be able to afford medications and porcedures?

Parental approval

Reading a young friends story over the passed few days I realize the absolute pain and torture this young man went through because his father was brutal with his criticism. How often do we suffer from our parents lack of approval? So many young men seem to fall victim to their father's lack of approval. Which causes even more confusion, self esteem issues, fear, anti-social behavior and more. Observing a young mother with her little guy and not allowing him to express sadness and it is not my place but I thought "no, you are going to make him suppress his emotions" and that can lead to trouble. When emotions are suppressed then saying things like, I love you even to a wife or child is also suppressed. Fear of showing emotions or being afraid to express ones true feelings is not good.

I am not condoning an emotional basket case, just a healthy sense of self, healthy sense of what is acceptable when expressing emotions. I have said for years, real men cry. I'll stick by that statement.

Interviews and Transcriptions

An acquaintance that works at the library in town asked if I would ever do another interview book. Not likely and here's why. My skill set is NOT transcription! After paying to have the interviews transcribed, paying to have someone proof and edit, paying to have the book formated and printed then I find errors.

The contract was broken by the person and it was her contract. She simply did not do the job. Interesting how when a CEO steps down after someone in a company does something wrong. Oil spill, embezzlement, fraud, whatever, something is wrong. The difference is when someone doesn't edit and proof there's still plenty of evidence.
It's in the print!

Another interesting side note is how some people can read over the errors and some of can not. True the integrity of the work is still intact but the disappointment in the editor never goes away.

CEO Speaks, Sage Advice During Turbulent Times

Sage Advice
These are a few insights from each interview with nationally recognized
companies as well as small community companies and global non-profit
organizations CEO’s.
– Be Honest –
– Do the Right Thing when No One is Looking -
– Work Hard –
– Have open Communication –
– Just tell the Truth –
– Be an Example –
– Care about Others including Employees –
– Live Simply –
– Giving back is Good –

Quotes, Sage Advice, Insights

Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision.
– Ayn Rand

I love this quote from CEO Speaks, Sage Advice During Turbulent Times released in 2010. The book contains so many good quotes and this one is a favorite as is the Arabic Proverb:

There are four things we can not take back
A passed life
A spent arrow
A spoken word
and a missed opportunity

Never give up the chance to help another person if you have the knowledge, the where with all and the passion to do so.

Corporate Taxes

Yesterday I read something on the web that referenced how few corporations pay very little in taxes and sometimes nothing. A great way to eliminate the deficit would be to tax corporations, at least a little? Hello! To the readers of this blog if you would please your senators and congressmen and suggest just that it may be a way to put people back to work, put our legislative body on alert...no your constitutes are not stupid idiots and we are watching how you vote on issues...maybe even suggest some of the lobbyist go away - for good. This system is not working and instead of a country by the people, for the people and of the people we have a country by the government, for the government and of the corporations.


This is not rocket science or am I the only one paying attention!

Ethics on the horizon again

60 minutes aired a piece about the Three Cups of Tea and had substantial questions on the truth behind the book's story. The foundation that builds schools in mid eastern countries for children and some of the questionable accounting practices of the foundation and it's founder, Greg Mortenson...why do successful people need to exaggerate? How does a person look at themselves in the mirror if their venue (of sorts) is all a charade? Why not represent the facts and let the facts speak for the actions? What gain is there in untruthfulness? From Wall Street to Congress to Afganistan why do people need to unethical? Where was the value system that says I can get away with this?

Sooner of later the truth will surface, it always does whether from celebrity or common man, financial institutions to global politics the truth comes out.

Ethics and politics

Are you surprised by the chinangins of Washington? Wonder why the same issues keep popping up? Now that the boomers are aging they want us to pay more for health care?
And who put the majority of money into social security and now they want to cut that too?

Where is the ethics? Have we not just seen a trememdous amount of sorry behavior in the past three/four years and yet no one has noticed? We put someone in Washington to serve the public and the only service is what they can do for themselves? Elections have become a scham...the whole Washington scene is not what are country was build on for sure.

Ethics and the Environment

If teaching ethics to college students can make a difference then perhaps teaching ethics and environmental issues can be taught too. Is it possible to teach about how to take care of the earth? Are we not responsible for the neglect of our planet?

Each of us have a negative impact with all the waste and taking the time of rejuvenate ourselves as well as the planet through healthy living and caring about the impact on earth is important. It has been four years since I stopped using paper towels and it is so exciting to realize the waste and expense is gone. The amount of water necessary to make paper towels is just one way I can cut back on unnecessary water waste. Try to create a way to make a difference...that's the challenge.

Ethics and the vast majority of people

I must believe most people are good. We all love our family, our parents, our siblings, etc., and sometimes even a colleague (I mean taht in the best of ways) and today I had a conversation with a former colleague. For years I wondered why he hung out with another colleague we all knew lied, did not work, made up stuff to cover for his lack of it all...finally the one former colleague I spoke with today finds out the truth about his buddy. For some of us it may take a little longer but eventually the truth prevails. As my friend and former colleague said, I finally figured out he was full of empty promises...empty promises, never commitments except to self. As a former boss once said, you can judge a person by the company they keep and sometimes you can judge a book by the cover.

Truth will prevail. Honesty is a given. Engagement is what makes a relationship work and ethics is important, still, if not the most important variable in life and living. Work does matter and getting by is not good enough. Engagement and ethics plus stretching ones self to creat a moment is time to serve others.

Today's Discussions about judgement

Conversations are always interesting in where they go and the topics that rise to the top. In a phone conversation today the word judgement was used in reference to the Bible and God...which as Christians know the Bible says in black and white do not judge. So the conversation was interperted as is judgement the same as discernment? I do not pretend to be a Biblical scholar nor do I believe myself to be wise in many ways however it does rise an interesting question.

As we walk through this thing we tag as life, we make many judgements or decisions everything from daily tasks, bathing, dressing, eating, working, driving, errands, priorities, etc. In our daily walk with God are we listening to what he wants us to do? Are those creative thoughts really Him telling use what to do next for our free will? Interesting questions...maybe sometimes a little of both.

ethics, relationships, communication plus

Those were in the business conversations today and as we watch a world suffer from natural devastation and a new war we need more of the good things in life, including in business. We reap what we sow as the old saying goes. Doing what is right when no one is looking. Doing what is right because it is the right thing to do. Doing what is right even though it may not be convenient. Doing what is right for employees. Doing what is right for a corporation. Doing what is right for one's own character and ethic code.

It is easy to do the wrong thing but as one CEO said, they always get caught...someone is watching, just as in the book of Exodus when Moses killed the Egyption...someone was watching.

CEO Speaks, Sage Advice During Turbulent Times

Reading a book on leadership and self-deception last evening the thought of stepping out of the box, which is also part of the subtitle, I was thinking back on how often this occured. As a trouble shooter on fiber installations I was always picking up the phone to solve a problem. The client which was a carrier would not answer phone calls. Could not solve the problems on the electronic orders because they were so pushed internally. Plus they had no knowledge base to understand what was wrong and how to fix the problem. Stepping out of the box is one of the most critical components in business and when people project the thought, "we've always done it like this" they enter a very messing way a thinking.

Our world has changed and is changing constantly. Our values need solid footing in the way to build relationships in business with integrity, honesty and trust.

Sage Advice?

– Be a good listener; hear the words AND comprehend the meaning –
– Look with a focus on education and wisdom –
– Stress is emotionally, financially, and physically expensive –
– Greed is not good -
– Listening and watching are crucial –
– Doing the wrong things will catch up with you eventually –
– Keep your focus on ethics –
– Do what is right when no one is watching –
– Giving back is important, whether to community, family, or church –
– Stretch yourself and never stop learning –
– Appreciate the broader view –

Quotes in plain English...

Sage Advice from Ivan Schon
– Always be positive –
– Get an education –
– Embrace your vision –
– Be open to opportunity –
– Be grateful for what you have –
– Be happy where you are –
– Look for the good around you –
– Contentment is in the moment –
– Be content with marriage and enjoy life; embrace family –

CEO Speaks, Sage Advice During Turbulent Times

When does a state change the law to include ethics...I live in a state that is changing their ethics law. My question is if ethics must be written into a law I have little confidence it will change much of anything. If a child does not understand ethics by the time they are five years old about what is right and what is wrong education, laws, and other such nonsense is exactly that. Of course the same state as a former govenor in prison, a city major in prison not to mention a sewer charade that continues to pop up in the media.

Ethics, integrity, honesty, are human factors that can not be dictated by law. Sorry but the law is missing the mark!

CEO Speaks, Sage Advice During Turbulent Times now in digital form

Plus e-books are now available also with excerpts with four different topics available. Running behind on the audio DVD's but hopeful for March 2011.

Still appropriate and very much a highlight on the past three years CEO's lend opinions and ideas on many topics. As those at the highest levels make suggestions on political issues such as taxation on small business, regulation, areas of concern, where to put our efforts in education, economy, growth, etc. Where do we go from here? Sound advice from those succeeding within their own companies and organizations.

Interesting conversation

Dr. Henry Cloud has a new video on line and his thoughts are there are three kinds of people in th world; 1) wise 2) fools 3) evil.

This is a interesting premise considering business. There are those in business that will mentor, help by promoting, telling others about the business, etc. - wise

Others seemingly do not have a clue about any thing. - fools

The third category is interesting because those are the ones that gossip, slander and other types of back stabbing. It happens especially in corporate America. As one friend said by climbing the proverbial ladder there are those that will step on anyone on the way up.

CEO Speaks, Sage Advice During Turbulent Times

One CEO's suggestion for the economoy...

These are the top five re-investments for the economic engine for the next five or six years:
Education
Energy
Research & development
Building factories in the U.S. vs. off-shore
Job training and productivity

Wow, where does the time go?

Again, the topic of ethics comes up in an inaugural address by the governor. Yes, some of us are Christian but in black and white the Bible says "do not judge". And in his speech he essentially insulted every other type of religion as well as those practicing those religions.

A passing thought; Do we ever question our own beliefs? We are such a composite of what our parents taught, a composite made up of the culture in our home, our social group, our education, our family experience, our travels, our lives. Do we ever examine what and why we believe a certain way? Who said an unexamined life is not worth living? That may be an extreme yet something to think about.

Intregity, Ethics, Trust

It's all about the basic principals in business, in life, in relationships, in social media, in all we touch and all activities.

Moving this Blog

The subjects are too important not to get noticed so I am re-starting a blog for CEO Speaks, Sage Advice During Turbulent Times.

With ethic, trust, best business practices to name a few more people need to know about what is really on the minds of CEO's in this country.

Ethics and Politics

After a discussion this morning with another professional we talked about all the local politicans that have gone to jail in our community. When was it OK to take taxpayers money intended for a budgeted project and use it as your own piggy bank?

Trust is at an all time low in this country. This afternoon another colleague told me about a very large non-profit that had misrepresented information and basically lied. No wonder young people are questioning who they can trust.

We need to be an example for everyone, but an example of what not to be in our actions, behaviors and even when we think no one is looking.

more excerpts

e-books will be available soon via the web site and on www.inastoneandassociates.com by January 31, 2011

Ethics in a Nutshell - Sage Advice for Students
CEO Straight Talk & Stories of Leadship
CEO - Women in Power
CEO Stories

DVD's on the same topics will follow soon.

relationships matter

Today a friend called and somehow we started talking about relationships. I was sharing some marketing information I thought may be useful to him and one thought led to another. We talked about how technology is great but has been shoved down our throats, literary and that led back to relationships. When you can look someone in the eye, share a bonding story, listen to a fear or concern, reach out and touch as life in a positive way it is so important. So often we can look the other way and avoid another person but it is so rewarding to hear the words, thanks for the phone call, thanks for listening, thanks for being there. Relationships do matter and friendship is a revered commitment.

That's how a book was written, it was about the relationships based on trust, ethics, integrity, all those good human traits.

CEO Speaks, Sage Advice - e-books

When it comes to good ideas a friend shared some information and it is time to hit the road with e-books from CEO Speaks, Sage Advice During Turbulent Times. That same friend pointed out that much of the sage advice from the book is from the Bible.
Be Honest
Do the Right Thing when No one is Looking
WEork Hard
Have open Communication
Just tell the Truth
Be an Example
Care about Others including Employees
Live Simply
Giving Back is Good...this is not rocket science. It is common sense but I guess that is not common

CEO Speaks, Simple Words to Live By

– Be Honest –
– Do the Right Thing when No One is Looking –
– Work Hard –
– Have open Communication –
– Just tell the Truth –
– Be an Example –
– Care about Others including Employees –
– Live Simply –
– Giving back is Good –Inside the outside cover of the book are simply a few sage advice comments taken from the 40 interviews published in the book...seems like an innocent list and straight forward enough for any soul wanting peace, love, nurturing, respect...all the good things about human existence.