The most effective way to do it is to do it.
Amelia Earhardt

Ethics in sales and the Automotive Industry

Several years ago, I attended a seminar titled “Legal vs. Ethical aspects of the Automotive Industry.” To this day I owe a debt of gratitude to Ken Petty. He gave me the courage to be right.

It is interesting to discuss this with anyone. Car Salesman argue about it, outside of the industry most think you cannot use the two in the same sentence.

I have been thinking about this class a lot in the past couple of months. Recently I read about a study conducted concerning relational ethics vs. situational ethics. It was not about the automotive industry. It should have been. In our business, it applies.

What is the difference? We have two ethical standards. One for our personal relationships and one for business. I travel the west extensively visiting dealerships. I witness this double standard everywhere.

Many dealerships are successful with it and justify their actions with the facts they sold a record amount of cars in a month, weekend or year. I think the famous Cookie Jar close is an excellent example of this. (this entails adding money to the price of a car to give back to the customer.) The idea is for them put it in a cookie jar and take cash out each month to cover the payment. I suppose, in a small amount, it is justifiable to some. I often ask, would you do this to your daughter? If not, why is it justified with someone you do not know. It is situational ethics. If we have no real relationship, our ethics change.

During the seminar, Ken asked, “You are selling a car to someone, at first they agree on the price, later changing to a lease. You can raise the price by $3000 and keep the payment where they have agreed. The customer will not know. Do you do it?” Sadly, in a room full of salespeople, two of us were the only ones who voted no.

Before you start judging the Automotive industry, this is prevalent everywhere. It is the reason ecclesiastical leaders use to justify taking advantage of people, especially in Utah.

Many think it is ok to ethically separate personal relationships and business.  One ethical standard for each.

At the risk of being ostracized, I disagree. In life, we are what we are when no one we care about is looking.

Many will disagree with me. I sleep well at night; I am taking care of my family, they are adults free to choose and many more reasons. As long as it works, we all need to beware.

Success at any cost is not success.

Remember, you are always in the right place at the right time, if you have the right attitude.

A Fable called Motivation

A Fable called Motivation

fa·ble

[ˈfābəl]

NOUN

1.      A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral.

synonyms: moral tale · parable · apologue · allegory · bestiary

VERB

archaic

1.      tell fictitious tales.

"I do not dream nor fable."

I suppose it is a little harsh to call stories about Motivation Fables. Perhaps it is not. We all want to hear about someone who has it worse than we do overcoming their adversity and shining. I applaud anyone who has. I cannot relate to hacking off my hand to survive. These stories give us inspiration and hope. If I want to succeed as bad as I want to breathe, I will be successful. Successful with this much adversity, I should be able to as well.

When we fail, we become our worst critic. It is easy to sit up and take notice, what is difficult is getting up and acting. Everything can be improved. It is the role of the human being to improve your life and world.

Truth takes over from this fable called Motivation, and we are what we are. Can you change? Surely you can. For most of us that change will not come from walking across coals. It will give you a great story but not motivate you to reach your potential.

I have been to many seminars about how to achieve success. Most motivational speaking gets us to act for a few days, then has the opposite effect. Our thoughts turn contrary; it is so easy for everyone I must be a loser. Anyone can do this if I think positive thoughts it should happen. I am a loser, oh what a loser I am. The seminar or training has the unintended effect of turning our thoughts detrimental.

We all can and should find peace and happiness. Take small steps. Its ok to want just to pay your bills, to only be able to walk down the street. You are not less a citizen because you cannot find your success as easy as it always seems to come to others. For every success story, there are hundreds of stories about just surviving. Does that make them less compelling? Does not. These stories should inspire us more.

What thoughts stop us. Where you are in life is a direct result of the views that prevent us from success as well as propel us forward. How difficult is it to think about this when all you are focused on is paying rent, or buying food?

Change is uncomfortable; there is a scientific name. Conscious dissonance.

Why do some succeed, some fail, some just living enough to breathe.

Without a catastrophic event to help you change, how do you do it?

Real success comes from accepting you, improving you. Stop comparing yourself to others. It is okay to want to emulate someone; I want to be like them. We must stop comparing ourselves to others. I cannot say this enough. Experts give us the same advice. Set goals, write them down, think positive thoughts, Act as if, should I go on? What most fail to do is give you advice on what to do when you quit. The challenge is to be happy with you, set your goals for you. Stop comparing you to others. If you want to be the fastest man in the world, your goal should not be to beat Usain Bolt. Set your goal to be faster tomorrow than today. Break it down for you. Small changes create tsunamis of effect.

One small change at a time. Do not look at the whole picture and expect it to change. Find the discipline to change one little thing at a time. Your focus can still be on paying the rent or buying food. Perhaps you should let the small stuff that bothers you go. Stop yelling at drivers on the road. Quit worrying about that which you have no control.

Your success is up to you.

Remember, you are always in the right place at the right time, if you have the right attitude.