A highly effective tool for creating, organizing and implementing a sound business ethics and compliance program should provide:

•Sample policies and procedures •Step-by-step instructions for development of a program •A business ethics training program outline with classroom materials and a detailed session leader’s guide •Business ethics and compliance officer position description •Templates for employee involvement •Sample code of conduct

Implementing Your Ethics Program

If company board has committed to a strong business ethics and compliance program, next step is to put manual in hands of corporate executives responsible for implementation. Used properly under advice of legal counsel, this efficient tool will yield a solid program that board can understand, endorse, and monitor for effectiveness.

With step-by-step guidelines and accompanying examples of policies, procedures, training program, and employee survey, an effective tool provides an excellent road map for implementing an ethics and compliance initiative.

Maintaining a Culture of Integrity

Companies should make certain that their ethics compliance manual provides fully editable MS Word files with sample policies, surveys, forms and training session outlines. Also, businesses should ensure their ethics compliance system manual is fully endorsed by The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) as a tool to maintain a culture of integrity.

4. Failing to adapt to situation. The problem with using a sales script is that it assumes too much. It assumes similar motivators, perspectives and situations in life. A financial planner I know has developed a very clever approach to meeting clients. He places bowls near cash registers of higher-end restaurants in his territory. On each bowl, he places a small sign encouraging patrons to drop their business card in for a chance at a free meal at that restaurant. He goes through cards periodically and invites someone to lunch with understanding that he’d like a few minutes to talk about his services. When I met him for lunch, he presented his sales talk that assumed A. I had taken on a big mortgage to finance my house (I didn’t) B. I had to save for a child’s college fund (I don’t) and C. that my parents might someday need assisted living care (they’re both dead). Treat each meeting as unique and don’t assume too much.

5. Failing to distinguish features from benefits. Salespeople often focus on telling someone what a product or service is or does at expense of what problem it solves or what pain it takes away. I once observed a commercial leasing agent show office space. As he met clients in building foyer, he commented on large parking lot outside. That was a feature statement. A benefit statement would have focused on how clients would never have to search for parking or that people could always park close to building in bad weather. Let’s say your product includes a video—that’s only a feature. The benefit is that someone can see exactly how to use your product. Apply this test to statements you make—ask “so what” question. If you can’t answer it, you’ve got a feature rather than a benefit.

Developing good communication skills is a result of thinking more strategically about how communication affects our interactions with others, then putting those strategies into play. When you avoid these top five blunders of business development, you’ll not only gain more business, you’ll lose less. Remember, if your idea is important, it deserves to get heard.

©2004 Peak Communication Performance