“Just because so many people do it, it doesn’t make it right”

 I watched as a man at the bar ordered yet more beer and I paused for thought as to why he was evidently getting inebriated and still being served when it obviously wasn’t going to do him any good.

I went to the bar to order for myself and engaged in friendly banter with the bar person. In the comments we exchanged I asked gently if there was any policy for stopping serving when people might be deemed to have had enough.

In reply the bar person said simply “well if we don’t serve him he’ll only go next door so we might as well have his money”.

In another instance recently when discussing the merits of a sales approach in the field of beauty and cosmetic surgery and discussing what was a ‘salesman’s licence’ when ‘stretching the truth’ or being perhaps a little too honest.

I remarked that if it possibly wasn’t in the clients best interest to perform yet another operation – that possibly the person needed some help with self image and self worth issues, I was once again told “they are convinced they need it doing and so will find someone to do it – we might as well do the job, take their money and at least do the job properly” And it has got me thinking.

When you were growing up, weren’t you told that “2 wrongs don’t make it right”?

When you were growing up and learning did you learn that sometimes being told “No” was hurtful at the time but in your own best interests? As a parent now perhaps do you make choices and look out for your offspring or family members best interests even if it goes against peer group or influencer choices?

I did and I do.

So where and at what point along the line of ‘adult in a commercial world’ did the knowing what is right change to take the money if you can? I personally feel that I’d like to see more business conducted with a little more morality and a lot more of a persons best interests at heart not mere Ker-ching moments.

It is true that the law allows all of these type if scenarios to exist because after all it IS the responsibility of the adult buying the drinks or the surgery to make their own choices. It is true perhaps that one should only expect a business to operate legally and not to be over protective ‘nanny state’ style if a person is trying to make a choice which one might not consider to be in their best interests.

But imagine if that drunken man being served one or two more drinks then went away from the bar and being drunk fell in front of a bus and was seriously injured or killed … But imagine if that were your son. Your son. Your son who doesn’t usually drink but in a temporary emotionally down state went to ‘drown his sorrows’ and actually could have benefitted from just a little kind or parental steering away from more drinks for his own sake?

Or that lady asking for yet more surgery was your daughter … Who needed loving support not more plastic.

Where is ‘caring’ in business? Surely it’s not all about cash is it? There is an old adage ‘what goes around comes around’ Indeed, possibly the Golden Rule ‘do unto others as you’d have them do to you’ – or your son or daughter.

And so today I table the motion that if we all cared just a little more for humans instead of cash then it will come back around. One day a business with kindness will help your son or daughter, brother sister nephew niece. One day they’ll be helped not sold to. One day – because you and I start ‘what goes out’ in a more caring less pure commerce way today. “just because everyone else does it, it doesn’t make it right”

Let’s make it right. Let’s start business that puts caring first.

Let’s work from a ‘love’ centre and make every day a warmer happier day. Just a thought!

Always with love

Ben