What Is a Business Ethic? - Business Tip # 1

A business ethic is an overall frame of mind with which you approach the tasks of starting and running your business. It is sometimes difficult to switch between your college suit and your work suit so many times in a day. (Speaking metaphorically, of course. You have clearly got your business suit hidden away neatly beneath your jeans and sweater in the style of Superman, or more recently, Arnold Schwarzenegger in True Lies.) Between meeting with a study group and making dinner reservations for a date, you may get a phone call from a crucial business contact. It is imperative that you be prepared and know how to switch into and out of business mode easily.

 Some would argue that a true entrepreneur is always ready for business. And that is true, to an extent. But we don't believe that you should be an entrepreneur and nothing else. It is far more respectable and impressive when someone can be all things to all people, as need be. So you have to be capable of switching on the business button whenever necessary. At risk of making it sound like a multiple personality thing, you have to be able to jump right into business character and that means more than just the voice.

This is where the business ethic comes in. There must be some truths which you hold to be self-evident, some ideals you strive to live up to, some set of qualities you believe should characterize your business style. This is your business ethic. Your business ethic is the aura you wish to portray, the qualities you wish to display, and the values you wish to live up to in your business dealings with others. For first-time venturers into the vast world of creative self-employment, we have put together a preliminary list of standard ideals that we believe you should aim to meet. If you believe strongly in the merit of these ideals, and if you train yourself to see successful business as a function of the right mental approach, you will have no problem switching into business mode whenever necessary.

Think of the popular television show Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. Mr. Rogers advocated the use of what he called a thinking cap. A business ethic is sort of like a business cap, but after you use it for a while, it will become instinctive.

Overall, our winning business ethic includes a commitment to building solid relationships, setting feasible goals, being realistic and prudent, and not jumping the gun Here's our six-point list of the components of a winning business ethic:

1. Patience
2. Integrity
3. Humility
4. Goal setting
5. Realistic expectations
6. Fruitful flexibility