The concept of “doing the right thing” came easy for me growing up on a family farm and being taught by example from my parents who put a much higher value on giving and serving than receiving monetary rewards to find happiness. Things change when I got into bigger corporate world when revenue growth and profit were always the top priorities and focus. I quickly learned what it means to do the right thing sometimes takes on a different meaning than what I was taught and how it can be used to justify actions in some of the corporate world.

Doing the right thing starts with defining your organization’s core values.  Every organization should operate based on a set of values that guide its operations, interactions with stakeholders, and decision-making processes. For Choice Solutions these core values are: Vision, Family, Greatness, Farmers Mentality, & Serve.

Things to Consider:

• Define Core Values Clearly and Concisely: Companies must ensure that their values are not part of a mission statement that is not just posted on website, but that they are integrated into every aspect of the business. Make sure they are simple and easy to remember.
• Communicate Values Consistently: Consistently communicate the meaning of core values to all team members, from initial onboarding, regular training sessions, and daily use in company-wide communications. At Choice, we have a simple Slack kudos channel where team members praise other team members for their efforts, highlighting which core value that team member exhibited.
• Measure Alignment: This can include collecting employee feedback, conducting customer satisfaction surveys, and other forms of social input.

Prioritizing Long-Term Success Over Short-Term Gains

When you focus on building success for the long term you don’t let the pressure to win at all costs consume you, and you don’t try to sell or deliver improper solutions just to increase your bottom line. The pressure to deliver short-term results can be strong, particularly in an environment driven by quarterly earnings, investors and performance quotas, but when you lead with what’s best for the customer, you are playing the long game by building trust.

Strategies for Long-Term Success:

• Invest in Employees: Companies that invest in employee development are more likely to experience long-term success. Offering learning opportunities creates a more engaged, skilled, and loyal team, leading to long-term business success.
• Customer-Centric Approach: By delivering exceptional service, understanding customer needs, and adding value, you can cultivate a base of satisfied customers and sustained growth.

Leading with Integrity

Integrity is at the core of doing the right thing in business. Executives being honest, transparent, and ethical is crucial because it sets the tone for the entire organization and influences how employees, customers, and stakeholders perceive the company.

Practical Ways to Lead with Integrity:

• Transparency: Foster an environment of openness by clearly communicating both challenges and successes within the company.
• Accountability: Establish a culture where accountability is a fundamental expectation, where everyone owns responsibility for their actions.
• Ethical Decision-Making: Prioritize doing the right thing alongside profitability helps ensure that business decisions are not only financially sound but also fair and just.  

Navigating Ethical Situations  

Ethical predicaments are inevitable in business, particularly when conflicting interests arise. Doing the right thing in these situations often means making difficult choices that may not always align with short-term profitability but are essential for maintaining the company’s integrity and reputation.

Steps to Navigate Ethical Dilemmas:

• Evaluate the Impact: It is crucial to carefully assess how decisions will affect all stakeholders. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and ask how you would want to be treated.
• Ask this Question: If there was $10 or $1M involved would you make the same decision? The amount of money should not rationalize being right or wrong. Don’t justify decisions because of the amount of money involved.
• Stick to Principles: In challenging situations, relying on the company’s core principles and values as a guiding force is essential.

Building a Culture of Integrity

A company’s culture is a direct reflection of its leadership. For an organization to do the right thing, integrity and ethical behavior must be ingrained and lived in its culture. This culture should be evident at every level of the organization. Ownership and leaders should lead by their example. It is no good to talk the talk unless you walk the walk by your daily example.

Building Blocks for a Culture of Integrity:

• Lead by Example: Leadership sets the standard for the entire organization.
• Reward Ethical Behavior: Recognize and reward employees who uphold ethical standards, even when it involves sacrificing short-term gains.
• Provide Ethics Training: Make sure everyone understands what doing the right thing means in your organization.

The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Engaging with and contributing to the communities in which the company operates is another important aspect of CSR. This can include charitable donations, volunteer work, or partnerships with local organizations.

Why Ethical Leadership Matters:

• Builds Trust: Ethical leadership builds trust with employees, customers, and stakeholders. Trust is a crucial component of long-term success in business, fostering loyalty, collaboration, and positive relationships that drive growth.
• Attracts Talent: Top talent increasingly seeks to work for companies that align with their values. Ethical leadership makes the company more attractive to potential employees, helping to attract and retain high-performing individuals who contribute to the organization’s success.
• Enhances Reputation: Companies led by ethical leaders tend to have stronger reputations. A strong reputation built on ethical practices is a significant asset in today’s competitive business environment.

Managing Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest are common in business, but how they are managed can define a company’s ethical standing. When conflicts arise, doing the right thing means addressing them openly and fairly or as my parents would say, “put the shoe on the other foot,” meaning treat the other party how you would want to be treated. 

Ethical Marketing and Communication

Marketing and communication are powerful tools in business, but they must be used ethically. Misleading advertising, exaggerated claims, and hidden terms can damage a company’s reputation and erode trust with customers and stakeholders.

The Financial Case for Doing the Right Thing

While the moral imperative to do the right thing is clear, there is also a strong financial case for ethical behavior in business. Companies that prioritize ethics often outperform their peers in the long run, benefiting from increased profitability, reduced risks, and stronger customer loyalty.

Balancing Profit with Purpose

One of the most significant challenges in business is balancing profit with purpose. While profitability is essential for survival, it should not come at the expense of ethics, integrity, or social responsibility. Companies that successfully balance these elements create more sustainable, resilient businesses and maintain a much less stressful working environment.

Strategies for Balancing Profit and Purpose:

• Purpose-Driven Leadership: Leading with a clear sense of purpose that goes beyond making money is critical. This purpose should be woven into the company’s mission, vision, and strategy, guiding all business activities.
• Reporting: Communicate both financial performance and social impact to stakeholders. This approach helps build trust with stakeholders and demonstrates the company’s commitment to balancing profit with purpose.

The Role of Transparency in Doing the Right Thing

Transparency is a cornerstone of ethical business practices. It involves being open and honest about company operations, decision-making processes, and challenges. Transparency not only builds trust but also fosters a culture of accountability within the organization. When mistakes happen, owning up to them quickly and taking corrective action is crucial.

Cultivating Ethical Partnerships

We treasure and respect our business partners, bankers, suppliers, and vendors who play a crucial role in our company’s success. It is important you build a reputation of one they can trust as being open, honest, and transparent.

Building a Legacy of Integrity

Ultimately, doing the right thing in business is about building a legacy of integrity. Executives have a responsibility to ensure that their actions today leave a lasting, positive impact for future generations. Too many companies are building to sell their companies not to build a legacy.

Leadership Beyond the Bottom

Leadership is often measured by financial success, but true leadership goes beyond the bottom line. It involves making decisions that reflect the company’s values, contribute to the well-being of society, and build a lasting legacy of integrity.

Leaders have the power to shape the future of their organizations. By prioritizing ethics, integrity, and social responsibility, they can create a business environment where doing the right thing is not just a “Choice” but the standard. This is the kind of leadership that will endure, inspire others, and make a meaningful difference in the world.