It’s Not about the Deal but about Doing the Right Thing

What tends to drive most of the deals we make every day in our marketplace? The answer, of course, is money—making a buck and turning a profit—because we all have to make a living. We do what we do to make sure we can take care of our families, pay our bills, and live our lives. There’s nothing wrong with that. The problems arise when selfishness, greed, and corruption enter the picture. All too often, money and the battle for a winning position determine the parameters of a transaction. From sales contracts to lawsuits, the deal points drive the outcome, as in who can win, who can gain, and who can get or give the best deal.

At my companies, while our goal is to close deals, we won’t sacrifice doing the right thing. To be clear, the right thing is determined by whether the circumstances line up with God and his Word, not what the culture deems to be right or correct. The truth according to society has become such a moving target that it is no longer something we can base our lives upon. I personally prefer to have a standard for truth that never changes.

Simply doing the right thing is a game changer. I’m talking about a countercultural approach of making sure the right thing is what’s best for the other person or party. The right thing is about the relationship.

Here are five relatable and practical truths that I hope will help you determine the right steps to make in all your relationships.

1. The right thing will always be the best decision to make.

2. The right thing is finding the win for the other person, not for you.

3. The right thing is anticipating what someone needs without waiting on them to ask.

4. The right thing may go against your idols.

5. The right thing is to always focus on the good in a person, no matter how badly circumstances may go.

Realizing and changing some of your personal paradigms to make new choices to do the right thing, even if that means you don’t win, can change far more than you might realize.

God, may my love for you guide my choices, my relationships, and my life. Give me clarity to know what the right thing to do is in the decisions I’m facing and the courage to act accordingly.

This plan contains content from Relationships over Rules by David Hoffman. https://broadstreetpublishing.com/relationships-over-rules/9781424566648/