Steven
R. Covey's book '7 Habits of Highly Effective People' presents
a framework for personal effectiveness. The book identifies that
ideals of 'success' in the second half of the 20th century are largely
attributed to personality traits - skills, techniques, premeditated
behaviours, and maintaining a positive attitude. Steven R. Covey
believes 'personality ethics' are secondary to fundamental 'character
ethics'; the contrast of the two ethics can be exemplified by the
(culture) iceberg. The tip above water being the initial personality,
identity and impression we have of the iceberg (person), however it
is the unseen base (a person's character) which supports, justifies
and gives respect to the tip (person).
A
company which seeks to provide a high quality product or service,
needs to be created by people with strong character ethics.
Personality Ethics
According to the personality ethic, there are
skills and techniques one can learn and a public image, personality
and attitudes one can develop that result in success. The problem is,
eventually we may be discovered as insincere and shallow. These ideas
may be helpful when they flow naturally from a good character and the
right motives, but they are secondary. (7 habits of highly effective
people)
When personality ethics are related to 21st
Century culture there are ample examples of how these ethics have
infiltrated our consumption: diet fads, celebrity culture, vanity
solutions, fast turn over/low cost products, image conscious branding, image based social media, 'face'book, gimmicks,
trends. The fashion industry relies heavily on advertising, public
relations and marketing to create a brand identity, however until a
brand proves to the customer as having character ethics: integrity,
fidelity, simplicity etc., through product and service, it risks
being perceived as having 'shallow' 'personality ethics' (all hype!).
My first introduction into dealing
with people and pitching a product was in 2004 as a door to door
credit card sales person for Citi Bank in Melbourne, during summer
break from University. Door to door sales is really the deep end (or shallow end) of
customer relations and making sales; luckily I sunk only a couple of
times before understanding the basics of creating a good rapport with
people I'd never meet and who often had no desire to talk to me.
Every morning for an hour before 'work' we would be taught skills in
sales, we would practice every possible answer to numerous customer
questions, we learnt every detail of the single product we sold. What
I noticed over three months was that the people who lasted and
excelled in the job were those who possessed electric
personality and communication skills, and thus, make a client enthusiastic about their money issues and our product. The sales style was very fast -
gaining interest, questioning, presenting, and filling in forms. In
retrospect the skills we learned were personality ethics – buzz
words, relating the product to the customer, social psychology -
quick fix debt consolidation. A basic sales pitch worked as follows:
- Preparation planning/research/approach
- Introduction smile /opening pitch/provide customer with product/establish initial credibility
- Questioning question/rhetorical questions ask how and what, etc / establish rapport
- Presentation explanation/demonstration/tell the customer the solution to their needs based on the product features
- Overcoming objections negotiating/fine-tuning/using knowledge of the product
- Close closing/agreement/commitment/confirmation
Character Ethics
According to the
character ethic, it is most important to focus on integrating the
principles of effective living into one's character. This may be a
long-term process, but working on the character, including an
effective view of the world, is getting at the root from which
behavior flows and so is fundamental. The character ethic sees
individual development as a long-term process bearing results
according to the law of the harvest.
Humility - The quality
of being modest and respectful.
Integrity - The
honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions.
Fidelity - Faithfulness
to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and
support.
Courage - The ability
to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation.
Justice - The quality
of being fair and reasonable.
Patience - The capacity
to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting
angry or upset.
Industry - Energetic
devotion to a task or an endeavor.
Simplicity - The
quality or condition of being easy to understand or do.
Modesty - The quality
or state of being unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one's
abilities.
The Golden Rule - 'One should treat others as one would like to be treated.'
(7 habits of highly effective
people)
The shift toward
businesses with 'character' has become a noticeable movement
(hopefully not a trend) in the past 6 to 7 years; 'sustainability'
being at the core of many businesses who are moving away from
'typical' design, production, management, marketing, retail sales.
Today’s 'sustainable', 'character' businesses are moving towards:
- Design for quality and longevity over style and trend.
- Customer and 'product character' focused product design.
- Production made locally, from ethically made products.
- A flat management style as opposed to 'top down' management, connecting front and back ends.
- Customer interactive marketing.
- Retailers 'helping to solve customer's problems'.
In the information age
(and consumer controlled social networking) it is becoming an
undeniable consumer issue – where the product is made, what workers
rights are, a products true benefits, a brands 'human' and humanitarian characterisics etc., mass market opinion on
businesses are spread quickly and in the long term favors those with
good character ethics.
Any
person, product or business which employs' these ethics in there
fundamental working is a worth while investment of time and money, as
they have a proven ideological basis and plan.