I will never, ever, ever do that.

Those lies would make me a great spiritual leader or politician. Mostly because for those roles, the preconceived assumption or fact (depending on who you ask) is that things are now the same way they have always been and always will be. Thus, they are tied to your character, your morals and your values. Flip-flopping there makes you a man (or woman) of no virtue or character.

But the same thing that makes you a horrible politician or fatwa writer makes you an excellent business manager. It is your job as a business(wo)man to recognize the new opportunities, changes in the market, changes in the consumer behavior, changes in your staff attitude/motivation/compensation-expectations and use every advantage available to do more with your business, maximizing the profits and effectiveness within the bounds of the law.

Moreso, your job is to cause change. Change stimulates activity, activity stimulates involvement and involvement hopefully translates into revenues. If you just sit on your hands and sing que sera sera, there is no hope for you in business. You can’t just sit on your hands and run that VCR repair business if people no longer have or use VCRs! You’ll end up on the street and starve to death.

At the same time, you are leading a business, so you better believe whatever you are doing. “Get more.”, “The Nations #1 Network.”, “Moving at the speed of light.”. You have to have conviction, you have to communicate your message and you have to exude confidence. Otherwise, why shouldn’t your customers move to the solution that is best for them?

So in business, you say I will never, ever, ever do that. And if you’re any good, you will evaluate the circumstances as they change, develop your plan, try to serve your customers in a better way and in the end.. well… you will. You will do that. Whatever “that” is. Shit changes, either flow with it or drown in it.

I wrote this post for some of my associates that like to read this blog and see it as the word from the above. It’s not. Business (successful one that is) changes, adapts and makes money. We live and work in the here and now, and here and now the best solution is X. And given those facts 5 years from now, I will do X again. However, I am virtually guaranteed that 5 years from now all the circumstances and facts will change and I will make a different decision that is in the best interest of me and my clients. That does not show poor form, lack of character, bad values or void of morals – it shows a sense of responsibility. And let’s face it, when you’ve lost your argument on the business basis of facts and evidence and all you have to left on are your personal ethics and morals, which are hopefully never going to change, you’ve not only lost the argument, you’ve moved to another one that you have no chance of losing. But in business, you don’t have that luxury – in business you have to change your mind when the facts warrant it or you will not have that business much longer.