Steven Lama Photography

Honesty...

This "life lesson" I learned from a local businessman whom I've known for many years and truely respect. One day while visiting with him in his office, he shared a story from his youth. His father ran a local grocery store and a well known businessman in the community. One day a customer came into the shop and asked for a chicken. That was back int eh days when chickens were actually kept in tubs of ice, not like today in a meat locker. He reached into the tub pulled out the chicken and promptly placed it onto the scale. The customer commented that they would like a larger chicken. The store owner returned the chicken to the tub, swirled his hand around as if searching for another chicken then pulled out "another" chicken and placed it onto the scale. This time allowing some extra water and applying some slight pressure with his thumb, this "second" chcken weighed slightly more than the first. The customer replied that this "second" chicken would be just right. the store owner was wrapping the chicken in butcher paper and ringing up the sale when teh customer stated "on second thought, let me have both chickens."

From this story, it taught me a valuable lesson about honesty. Instead of trying to make the customer think there were multiple chickens in the tub, it would have been best to simply tell them the truth up front and not have to explain themselves later when faced with the reality of teh situation.

Over the years of running my own business, I found myself thinking "should I tell the customer what I thought they wanted to hear and hope they do not call my bluff or do I shoot straight with them and not have to worry about being truthfull?" As hard as it may seem at the time, I found that if I was honest and upfront with the customre, I knew it was the right thing to do. I've worked hard at applying this same principal to my personal life as well. Whether it is with friends, my parents, children, or my wife if I'm honest it is ALWAYS easier in the long run. Plus, others will respect the fact that you are a real straight shooter.

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	Honesty...
	This "life lesson" I learned from a local businessman whom I've known for many years and truely respect. One day while visiting with him in his office, he shared a story from his youth. His father ran a local grocery store and a well known businessman in the community. One day a customer came into the shop and asked for a chicken. That was back int eh days when chickens were actually kept in tubs of ice, not like today in a meat locker. He reached into the tub pulled out the chicken and promptly placed it onto the scale. The customer commented that they would like a larger chicken. The store owner returned the chicken to the tub, swirled his hand around as if searching for another chicken then pulled out "another" chicken and placed it onto the scale. This time allowing some extra water and applying some slight pressure with his thumb, this "second" chcken weighed slightly more than the first. The customer replied that this "second" chicken would be just right. the store owner was wrapping the chicken in butcher paper and ringing up the sale when teh customer stated "on second thought, let me have both chickens." From this story, it taught me a valuable lesson about honesty. Instead of trying to make the customer think there were multiple chickens in the tub, it would have been best to simply tell them the truth up front and not have to explain themselves later when faced with the reality of teh situation. Over the years of running my own business, I found myself thinking "should I tell the customer what I thought they wanted to hear and hope they do not call my bluff or do I shoot straight with them and not have to worry about being truthfull?" As hard as it may seem at the time, I found that if I was honest and upfront with the customre, I knew it was the right thing to do. I've worked hard at applying this same principal to my personal life as well. Whether it is with friends, my parents, children, or my wife if I'm honest it is ALWAYS easier in the long run. Plus, others will respect the fact that you are a real straight shooter.


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