The Difference Between Failure And Success

What makes a business successful? This is a question I have grappled with on numerous occasions throughout my years as president of D & H Petroleum and Environmental Services. No matter how I have answered this question over the years, I've learned that integrity is the most influential attribute in regard to the success of a business.

Integrity can be defined in many ways. Someone once said that integrity is “doing the right thing, even if no one is watching.” While that is no doubt true, I have found that in the business world, integrity is not just an abstract idea to consider when faced with a decision. It is a set of principles that must be consistently practiced by all employees. The standard of integrity in the workplace is set by the company's administration. This means that for the company as a whole, there is a right way of conducting business and a wrong way. Integrity is our guide for discerning right from wrong. To me, a business of integrity is a business that exemplifies ethical conduct.

At D & H, we know what is right and what is wrong based on principles of integrity the company was founded on and strives for today. The principles of integrity we follow are honesty, excellence, trust and respect.

Honesty — I associate honesty with the phrase: “Mean what you say and say what you mean.” This means honoring your commitments and obligations. Customers appreciate a company they can rely on. In my experience, the result of honesty is two-fold. Sometimes it is easier to ignore than accept an honest answer. However, more times than not, honesty leads to respect within the community and strong relationships between customers and employees. No matter the result, the reward is knowing that your honest actions and words reflect a business that values integrity.

Excellence — Excellence is central to integrity because it demonstrates an application of integrity. It means doing things right the first time and doing a job to the best of our ability. To achieve excellence, we continuously look for opportunities for improvement both in the office and at the worksite. Excellence means giving 110 percent, going above and beyond what a customer expects. I believe that we should not expect our customers to give us their business. Rather, we must consistently earn their business through hard work. Excellence is the pursuit of quality.

Trust — When trust is at the core of a company, it's easy to recognize. Trust defined is assured reliance on the strength of character of a company. As a manager, essential to my job is affecting how my employees treat customers. I think one of the highest compliments a customer can pay a business is to ask the question: “What would you do?” This simple gesture speaks volumes to a business about the relationship it has with its customers. I can multiply my ability to create trust with customers when I treat my employees with respect.

Respect — The easiest way to gain respect is to give respect. To respect another means to be courteous and kind. As president, I treat my employees with respect by developing a relationship with each, regardless of differences, positions, titles, ages or other types of discretions. This demonstrates that I value them not only as employees, but as people. I am very aware that a business is more of a team than anything. Only through team effort can we improve the efficiency of the company, increase employees' personal satisfaction, and promote a positive work environment.

These are the principles of integrity we practice at D & H because we believe integrity is not an elusive concept, but something that should be applied to the business world. This is not to say that D & H is the model company. We are human and make mistakes. Nonetheless, our goal is to consistently practice integrity so that we may better ourselves and those we serve.

So what makes a business successful? It is my genuine desire that D & H not base its success on profits, scope of expertise or immediate gains. Success is measured through reputation, customer feedback, quality of work and ethical business practices. Success for the sake of success greatly reduces a company's chances at long-term success. When no clear standard of business conduct exists, a company acquires a de facto amoral purpose—convenience. It becomes a company that testifies, “We are here to make money at any cost.”

While this can be very successful in the short run, a company without a clear moral purpose cannot survive. It is no secret then that I think the difference between success (long-term success, that is) and failure is integrity.

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The PEI Journal • First Quarter 2007 • Volume 1, No. 1 • Contents are Copyright © Data Key Communications, Inc.
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