Two key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. When most people think about business, they think solely about making money and generating profit. A little-known secret is that if your business doesn’t align with your morals and personal mission, it will likely be hard to work in every day. The following contributed post is entitled, Making Sure Your Business Aligns With Your Morals.
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If you’re a business owner, and you want to be sure that the company you’re running is just as good as the morals you hold dear in your heart, it might be time to take a step back and look things over. After all, it’s easy to lose your way when you’re trying to be successful in the working world, and fitting yourself into the corporate machine can shave off any and all ethical practices you love to live by. However, it’s not impossible to turn things around, and make sure your company is more ethical, down to earth, and friendlier than ever.
Always Hire Like Minds
During the interview process, be on the lookout for people who sound like you. People you know you can see a lot of good in, and people who sound like their hearts and minds are in the right place. Because this makes them a like mind.
A like mind is going to hold the same values as you do: open communication, collaboration, putting others first, etc. And because of this, they’re going to share the same morals, and promote them during their work. You’re going to have a much more productive working environment because of this, and it’s important to always encourage new and old hires alike to share in these qualities.
Stay Aware of Biases
Everyone has some bias they’re working through in their life, and often, it’s because of the way we’ve been raised. Some people may discriminate against someone based on a variety of factors, and in the workplace, both a person’s gender and their skin color are most commonly brought up as biased factors at tribunals.
So it’s important to examine your biases, especially the ones you’ve gained via your working experience. Once you have, you can really open up the floor to skilled workers from all over the world, regardless of who they are. Take an example from this piece on Christianity and Political Parties; always look for the good in people, and never be ruthless in trying to achieve success.
Get Stuck in Yourself
If you’re looking to keep your business in line with your morals as a person, it’s important to lead by example. Learn by doing, show your employees the ropes, and never let your team go out there alone. Make sure you’re at the helm of your operations, getting stuck into the work the same as everyone else, and try not to let anyone on your team feel less than.
When you create an environment of cohesion like this, you ensure you never come across as a hypocrite, especially in such an important and diverse situation. Not to mention, if you like to know that things have been done properly, you’ll always be there to oversee the directions your employees take!
Your business should align with your morals, and it’s easier to ensure this than you may think. Encourage your employees, look for similar people, and be a real leader.