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A recent issue of Fortune Small Business published a story on wealthy corporations and the leaders of these corporations. The story focused on corporate and personal falsity covering a long span of time. The people and companies on the list were quite surprising. Most of us do not fit in this category, but what about some of our business practices? Do any of your business dealings have a shade of falsity?
When I started in sales, I remember telling my father that Company X had a better product than the one my company had. I asked him should I say that my company had a better product. He replied that it was not my responsibility to educate people on the competitor's product. My father felt that it was the buyer’s job to be educated on products and services. Another way of stating this is buyer beware. In other words, what I don't tell you is as important as what I do tell you. You probably know how that works.
I sold Harold a product that I thought would solve a problem he had. I had my doubts, but I took his order for $34,000. (Oh yes, Harold’s order put me over quota for the quarter.) I spent a lot of time with Harold trying to get the product to work. After many weeks, he returned the product. Did I lie to get the order? I often think of Harold at night when I can't sleep.
Some people would say that as long as you really believe in it and feel you have a shot at making it work, it is not misleading. Therein lies the problem. Optimism is the fine line between the possible and the actual, and this line becomes hazy. When one describes the future of a company as if it were the present, is one departing from reality?
The visionary lies to himself or herself. The liar lies to others. Is it okay to make others buy into your self-deception? Do you tell employees that layoffs are not imminent when they are? Is it right to get others to bear risks without offering them a true accounting of these risks?
Is absolute honesty what we really want? In various studies, people are asked to rate their abilities and prospects for life. The somewhat depressed people tend to give more accurate answers. The more confident people tend to offer healthy deception. While depression may spur honesty, it seldom spurs much else. Does a little lying go a long way? Let’s look at the following questions.
Is it lying to:
- secretly start a business while employed elsewhere.
- tell resellers that they will sell more of your products than can be expected.
- leave a message that all of the lines are busy when you only have one line.
- hold important information during a negotiation.
- give any kind of misleading information?
I believe that in sales you are trying to create a partnership. You have to be honest in a partnership. In a win-win relationship, both parties must be honest and up-front. No little white lies. "You didn't ask, so I didn't tell." I may lose some orders, but I am tired of Harold keeping me awake at night. It won't happen again!
"Trickery and treachery are the practices of fools that have not enough wits to be honest."
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