Old stuff written for Broker Agent Magazine circa 2004 – just thought I would post it for you.
Character Does Count
There is no doubt in my mind that Western civilization and free enterprise embodies mankind’s greatest achievements and it has given millions of people the opportunity to achieve a quality of life that even royalty could not enjoy as recently as a few decades ago. And yet there are those who would destroy it all and turn the clock back to embrace the miseries of the Dark Ages. The bombs and terror wrought by fanatics pose a clear and present danger, but civilization is under another form of attack as well, one manifested by the likes of crooks wearing business suits at Enron, Worldcom, Adelphia and Tyco.
These scandals represent just the tip of an iceberg of a breakdown of ethics and morals that are the equivalent of a terrorist attack on the bedrock of our social and religious institutions. They gradually but certainly erode the special qualities that separate humanity from the lower animals – the unique ability to make decisions and act for the betterment of society, and not just to enrich ourselves. If you believe, as I do, that you reap what you sow, then you can appreciate how important living by a personal code of ethics is, both for society at large and for yourself.
In developing your personal code of ethics, and in building your unique personal brand, remember to distinguish between what Stephen Covey has called the personality ethic and the character ethic. The personality ethic includes all those things about you that are superficial in nature – looks, charisma, charm. But character ethic is what really matters – those things such as honesty, personal integrity, loyalty and courage. In today’s ultra-competitive world, especially the world of real estate sales, a strong personality ethic can open doors and present opportunities, but it will take a strong character ethic to capitalize on those opportunities and enjoy real success. A strong personality ethic may get you in many doors, but someone else will walk away with the prize if your prospects perceive you as an empty shell, having more style than substance.
A good example of how this works is illustrated by the 1996 Presidential race between Bill Clinton and Bob Dole. Clinton clearly had the advantage over Dole in the charisma department, and he appealed to millions of voters who tend to choose books by their covers. However, with the advantage of hindsight, we can see that Dole had stronger character ethics. Clinton won the election on popularity, but he squandered his opportunity to excel at his job through his lapses of character. He ruined any chances of leaving a legacy as a Great President, and he may have cost his vice-president, Al Gore, the chance to defeat George Bush as Gore was tainted by association with Clinton.
Back to real estate – a business based on relationships, and relationships do not thrive in ground contaminated by self-dealing, fraud, exploitation, lies, and taking advantage of the public’s trust. As you develop your code of ethics and practice it in your everyday life, you will develop a sense of appreciation and gratitude and begin to realize that a bountiful life is not your birthright – it must be earned. Thanking others for their support and their contribution to your success is not only the right thing to do, but it will strengthen your relationships and build a powerful reputation for you in your community. Expressing gratitude for the opportunities in your life, the liberties you enjoy, the growth you have achieved, and the success you have enjoyed in your career will not only give you humility, but will lead to much greater success as you begin to reap what you have sown.
People do business with people they like. People like people who make them feel good about themselves. Opportunistic Realtors soon develop reputations for exploitation or neglect of their clients’ interests that establishes their personal brands as gative brands, and clients will be repelled rather than attracted to them. Then they will have to chase business progressively more aggressively, rather than having business chasing them, which should be the ultimate goal of building a successful real estate career.
I firmly believe that a narcissistic, self-enriching mentality works against a successful career in the long run. We all live in a world of people and we must successfully relate to them if we are to prosper. Maybe you’ll beat out the competition every so often by being devious and under-handed, but it always catches up with you. If you have any doubts about how destructive even the appearance of impropriety can be, just ask Martha Stewart.
Madam Chiang Kai-Shek
If the past has taught us anything it is that every cause brings its effect, every action has a consequence. We Chinese have a saying: “If a man plants melons he will reap melons; if he sows beans, he will reap beans.” And this is true of everyone’s life; good begets good, and evil leads to evil.
True enough the sun shines on the saint and the sinner alike, and too often it seems that the wicked prosper. But we can say with certainty that, with the individual as with the nation, the flourishing of the wicked is an illusion, for unceasingly, life keeps books on us all.
In the end, we are the sum total of our actions. Character cannot be counterfeited, nor can it be put on and cast off as if it were a garment to meet the whim of the moment. Like the markings on wood which are in grained in the very heart of the tree, character requires time and nurturing for growth and development.
Thus also, day by day, we write our own destiny; for inexorably…we become what we do.
Jason Hartman, CRS, GRI, CSP is the author of “Become The Brand of Choice – Make Your Name A Powerful Brand and Earn Millions” and President of Empowered Investor International. For more information visit www.JasonHartman.com or www.BrandofChoice.com
