Influence Others to Do Good

“There is but one rule of conduct for a man to do the right thing. The cost may be dear in money, in friends, in influence, in labor, in a prolonged and painful sacrifice, but the cost not to do right is far more dear: You pay in the integrity of your manhood, in your honor, in strength of character; and, for a timely gain, you barter the infinite.”
--Archer G. Jones


Competition not only is good for business, it is good for society. When one company sees its competitors behaving responsibly, its own competitive instincts get into gear, especially when those competitors are being rewarded and recognized in the marketplace as is often the case.

In the same way as a company establishes itself as the pacesetter for an entire industry, it can lead the way in other areas. I am reminded of organizations such as Levi Strauss, Johnson & Johnson, and Starbucks who, by their consistent examples, have prompted their industry competitors to strive to do good things.

Corporate leaders set positive examples for others to follow. All too often, corporations are influenced by the wrong kinds of actions—spiraling executive pay, more and more perks for the board, and stupendous stock grants—while many of the basic issues that matter to their customers go overlooked.

True corporate leadership propels a company to influence others to make lasting investments in underserved communities, to take extraordinary measures to preserve the environment, and to promote sustainable development throughout the world, for example. Doing well, alone, is never enough. A corporate leader must seek to do good for others, too.

(c) 2008 Adonis E. Hoffman