A recent experience brought to mind the topic of telling the truth in business. Frankly, a lot of people don’t tell the truth – and it surprises me.
When I first got in this business I’ve enjoyed for 37 years, (I started when I was 9) a friend of mine taught me that honesty was a great business decision. This simple concept may seem fundamental to you but unfortunately, I’ve come to realize that not all people subscribe to the concept of truth. Something my dad taught me for as long as I can remember was, “Even if you know there will be significant consequences, always tell the truth.” Being honest keeps your customers coming back, your peers trusting what you tell them, your friends believing what they hear.
No matter how clever a liar might think he or she is, every single one of them gets exposed, eventually. Coworkers talk. Customers learn. Friends get burned. Eventually, people start talking with one another, and the lies that served a person so well in the beginning get exposed for what they are.
Telling the truth is always a great decision – it means you don’t need to keep track of what you’ve told and who you’ve told it to. It forms relationships of trust. It increases your self-esteem. It forms a reputation of trustworthiness. It’s one of the great insulators to keep you from criticism that may be directed at other, less truthful people.
Sooner or later, you’ll develop a reputation in life. Better it is that your reputation be one of a person who tells the truth, rather than a person who will tell you whatever you want to hear – whether it’s the truth or not.
I hope you enjoy your week end. 
