Like many things in business and life, you need to discover and develop your own personal set of ethics along the way. They are very personal and unique and can be a guiding light during times when you may lose direction.
But unlike many things in this fast-paced world, there aren’t any shortcuts to ethics. They’re not something you can download or find on an app or in an Instagram caption. They’re not things to be adopted or dropped at will, tried on like the latest fashions. They are a set of core values that, if you choose the right ones, can act as your personal, unwavering North Star, offering guidance for how you live your life, run your business, and, importantly, treat others.
Every day we experience other people’s ethics, particularly the ones of those close to us like friends and family. And while it’s always nice to be inspired or influenced by other people’s ethics, developing your own set is important.
So, how do we find our ethics? And how do we involve them in all aspects of our lives?
Some ethics are traditional and passed down to us through the family. For me as a third-generation jeweller, ethics are an intrinsic part of the business I have both inherited and grown. The core ethics I inherited are trust, truthfulness, and transparency, and they became a part of my life by seeing them in action, through the examples set by my father and grandfather.
Then there are the values I developed myself over the years. My personal motto has always been to be fair and ethical, two traits I consider worth more than any wealth in the world. My personal code of ethics (and yours) will ultimately be how the world sees you. And when your name is also your business, as it is for me, your personal ethics and those of your business are inextricably linked.
To form your own ethics and values to live by, consider what kind of force for good and change you want to be in the world and apply that at every opportunity. Be consistent – unbowed by opinions or trends – stable and solid, and above all know yourself. The journey is a long and fruitful one, so be patient; the fast-track elevator to ethics is out of order, better take the stairs.