It's Only Business

There are three little words which have enormous power, enough power to take the fairness out of all business dealings. These three words cause more distress and more bad feelings about business than any others I can imagine.

In every corner of society, there are people who have been slighted, mistreated, or lied to by a business they've dealt with. These people will never trust the business community because three simple words were used in defense of treating them improperly or unfairly.

If it were up to me, these three words would be stricken from the business lexicon so they could never again be used to rationalize an unfair business transaction. The words in questions are: It's only business, and they are often prefaced by the disclaimer, "Don't take this personally."

No doubt this phrase originated long ago when some over-zealous, self-centered business person used it justify getting more than he deserved from an employee, a customer, a supplier, or an investor. It's been used ever since to deny employees their due, to unfairly fix terms of an agreement, to justify faulty products, and to rationalize one-sided business dealings.

The three words, "It's only business" seem to draw a fine line between what is right and ethical in business and what right and ethical in personal life.

Why do we think we need one set of rules for one part of our lives and another set for another? If our personal code of conduct allows us to behave differently in a business situation, it should be adjusted immediately. In fact, I think the time has come to forever banish these three little words, and in the process reestablish the rules of decency and integrity in conducting business.

Every business owner, corporate executive, manager, and employee needs to challenge himself or herself to never make use of these three words again, and vow to rectify the transaction immediately if it is violated. If you ever find yourself in a situation when these three words are uttered, ask yourself: "Would I handle this situation the same way if I were not in business?

Replace for a moment the person in question with a good friend or family member and ask yourself if this is the way you would treat them in this situation. I seriously doubt that any business negotiation or transaction would ever conclude with these words: Don't take this personally, Mom. It's only business."