Week Three

Honesty and Business Ethics

The readings and videos this week, some were better than others. Elder Lynn Robbins - "Making a Living and a Life" Grade levels A-F

Elder Robbins had some good things to consider, really if I am going, to be honest, it was my least favorite article/talk we have read thus far. Kind of basic ideas, it just didn't resonate with me.

On the other hand, Sheri L Dew - True Blue Through and Through I thought was amazing. She is so passionate and had some wonderful and meaningful stories about integrity and of its great importance:

"Job set an example of integrity for the ages. Even after losing his wealth, his health, and his family, he declared, “Till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go” (Job 27:4-6)."

"Integrity needs to be at the heart of our character." If we live our lives by this quote we can have a clear conscience at all times. We may fall short some times but we just repent and keep going forward. Remeber failing forward? Was that from this class? It is a good way to think about it.

Of Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, she said, "He acts like a man whose conscience is always clear–his testimony today will be the same next week...or a year from now. He doesn’t have to remember what he said to an opposition Senator at their last meeting. This is a built-in ulcer-saving device not always found in Washington” (New York Times Magazine, 11 April 1954).

Sis. Dew suggests seven things to keep our integrity:

1. Decide today, once and for all, that you will be worthy of trust

2. Have faith that the Lord can and will help you, and then diligently seek His help.

3. Make covenants and keep them.

4. Stand up for what you believe.

5. Expect your integrity to be challenged.

6. Don’t give up.

7. Covenant–or perhaps I should say, renew your covenant–with our Father and His Son to do what you came here to do

Frank Levinson learned some things the hard way by no fault of his own. When a CFO falsified records and got him fired. Frank sincerely tells us there is NO reason not to be ethical.

Jan Newman from Novell, (where my husband still works) is now owned by Micro Focus a British company, tells of a two and a half million dollar deal with a handshake. That is unthinkable to do today. It is sad but true. 

In another class, I am reading the 7 Habits of... my reading there also included being principle-centered and I would put integrity in the center.