Business Owner: First Do No Harm

“I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.” -- From The Hippocratic Oath

The connection between physicians and The Hippocratic Oath is well-known -- as is the often misattributed phrase, "first do no harm". Although this popular phrase is not actually found in the oath, it is certainly reflected in the excerpt above -- and there is an expectation that physicians and aspiring physicians will, to the best of their ability, faithfully follow its command. At least, this is what I sincerely hope each time I place myself in my doctor's care. As business owners, shouldn't those we do business with, or wish to do business with, expect the same level of commitment from us? 

Let's look at our excerpt from The Hippocratic Oath. If we remove the word, patients, and then substitute the words clients, customers, partners, prospects, etc., haven't we to at least some degree, verbalized a commitment that is very similar to our capable and committed physicians? While our actions or inactions may not be life-threatening, they are certainly important to those we come into contact with in the course of doing business. So then, shouldn't we, as business owners, make the basic and ongoing commitment to -- first do no harm? But, are we intentionally or even unintentionally being "deleterious" or "mischievous"?

I believe that in the course of developing, operating, and continually growing our small business we can certainly run the risk of having harmful or questionable thoughts and actions close in on us. We're under pressure to perform and to profit -- and if we're not careful, that pressure can cause us to lose focus and forget the unwavering commitments we've made to ourselves and others. And while there are several areas of risk, I believe there are at least three to which we want to pay particular attention. 

Do no harm to your customers: Clients have contracted our services or bought our products based on our expressed promise --  and we must meet or exceed their expectations, especially after the check has been cut. While it is tempting to focus on closing our next deal and collecting our next check, we do so at the risk of causing harm. The best way I know to avoid harm is to consistently increase value and intentionally deliver more than expected. 

Do no harm to your competitors: As business owners, we are expected to be competitive and position our businesses favorably in the marketplace. We want to stand out from our competitors but we must do so with integrity, truthfulness, and a sense of fair play. It is neither necessary, nor wise to "knock" the competition. While we don't have to extol their virtues and values, we should never allow ourselves to slander, malign, or speak negatively about our competition in order to create a more favorable view of ourselves. It simply doesn't work -- at least not with the type of client you probably want. When asked about my competition, I will usually respond by saying, "great company, great people" and leave it at that. My goal is to concentrate on the value of my own services with the intent of showing why my company is the best choice.

Do no harm to yourself: This may sound like a strange one, but it's extremely important in the course of building a successful business. On its best days, business ownership is challenging and requires our full attention. On its worst days, business ownership is overwhelming and stressful. Our dreams of freedom become nightmares and we may feel trapped and alone. If your name is on the building or the business plan, you know exactly what I'm talking about. For that reason, it is important that we commit ourselves to a model of continuous improvement and carefully guard our thoughts and our associations. What's down in the well really does come up in the bucket. Simply put, what dominates our thoughts, dominates our talk -- and the words we think and say can either be the building blocks of improvement or the stones we hurl toward our own destruction.

Our trusted physicians know from the moment they make their choice to enter into the medical profession, there is an expectation they will embrace the caring tenets of The Hippocratic Oath. As trusted business owners, should we expect any less from ourselves and our profession? Repeat after me:

“I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my (insert business affiliation here), and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.”

Also published on LinkedIn Pulse, August 16, 2016