Nobody cares how you feel...
Bringing good Karma to business
 -by Kevin Franks

Success is not an accident, nor is it achieved by little tricks or tips. Rather it is achieved over time by applying knowledge and passion to whatever you pursue. It requires dedication and a lifestyle. Most successful professionals are not just in it for the money. There success stems from a love to help others.  The sales adage I learned early on of "Nobody cares how you feel until they feel that you care" is very accurate. Genuine customer service, employee management or even simple friendships are all based on this very human trait. Words alone are not sufficient to build faith in a relationship - it requires effort and willingness to give of yourself.

An overly simple definition of Karma is to "reap what you sow". Sadly ethics are often a victim in the blind rush for success in modern businesses. The drive for profits doesn't negate the need to simply  do the right thing? The business owner spending hundreds of thousands of company dollars in a strip club couldn't see the line. The drug company that goes to market knowing a product may be unsafe ignores the rules of Karma. In the end we all know what goes around - comes around. Putting others first is a common principal in nearly all faiths. Willingness to actually do it goes to the very core of who we are. Our society seems mired in a self-indulgent journey of entitlement.

I am a firm believer that to get what you want the best step is to help as many others get what they want. To step out and give freely of yourself will reward you immediately with the knowledge that you made a difference. A manager using this principal will allow his people to exceed their potential and, in turn, reflect positively on him. A salesman using the principal will find customers eager to see her each and every time.  Customer service may find that while the problem customer is not always right but keeping them happy somehow comes much easier when there is genuine concern.

Remember character of a person or a business is not really defined when things are going well but instead it is forged when things are slow and often at their worst. Ones ability to stay positive and focused on doing the right thing will shape and define who you truly are.