In Life and Business, Just Do the Right Thing

Ok, Jayme Soulati has goaded me into another post. Dangit. I have a gazillion things to do today, a pitch for new biz at noon, a press release to write…but here I sit, writing a post. In a hurry, no less.

Why? Because I feel compelled to do it. I am so sick of reading about the ridiculousness that is the world these days and wonder why people don’t just DO THE RIGHT THING.

In business and in life, it’s not that hard. Strike that. It must be hard, or more people would do the right thing more often. I have three specific examples that have really “gotten my goat” lately. One, is painfully obvious, but the others may not be.  Do add your own in the comments below so I won’t feel like I’ve just had a moment. 

1. Sandusky, Paterno, Penn State, et. al. If the powers that be had done the right thing to begin with, when they knew it, this whole disaster could have been lessened (not avoided). We all would have been shocked, heartbroken and saddened, but we would have respected the actions of a few men who chose to do the right thing. Instead, we’re appalled at the inaction of many.  What makes me even madder, is that we’re focusing on the “so called” harsh treatment so quickly handed down to Penn State (treatment richly deserved), when in reality we should be focusing on the lives of the children that were destroyed by one man and the many others who chose to ignore his atrocities.
2. Agencies who forget that it’s about the client. I’m thankful for the work I’m getting lately. I’m frustrated that it comes at a cost.  Here’s what I wish would happen. I wish that we (marketing and pr pros) would all just do the right thing: work hard for our clients, tailor our services for their unique situations, be mindful of budgets and know that a job well done results in long lasting business.
3. Media Manipulators. I’m sorry, but the way to ‘bust’ someone that you think is doing it all wrong is not to go out and do the very same thing you’re accusing them of doing. Did I lose you? If you think someone lies, or corrupts a system, doing the very same thing in an effort to ‘expose’ them doesn’t make you a credible source for all that is good and right with the world. Oh wait, this has all been a stunt to promote a book.

This sort of behavior needs to stop. We have a whole generation of folks who are watching us. A generation of people who think fame comes because you have a baby at 14 or you drink yourself silly and say stupid things while posting it to YouTube.  Now, they can see that fame comes from lying.  This generation need to know that doing the right thing is still an option.

Reshaping the truth to protect or promote yourself; building a business by stepping on others and trying to see just how much you can make off someone; lying to get yourself in front because you’re too impatient to do it the right way…this needs to stop. It’s time to do the right thing. In life and in business, there really shouldn’t be any other way.