It is time to take a critical look at ourselves. It’s time to dwell deep into our consciousness and fathom our driving factors. Let’s ask the tough questions: Are we being led by mere profit making thoughts? Has capitalism rendered results more relevant than the processes? Does being ethical mean that you are not playing it smart enough?

Such questions often pop-up during our professional dealings. Our response to them decides which side of the fence we choose to sit on. In a free market, where cash is the king, being ethical is not always the easy thing to do.

According to a recent Harvard study, almost 70% of unethical behavior is due to the pressure to meet unrealistic business objectives. The paper concludes that most people value ethical behavior, but are sometimes swept up in the dark side by biases that influence their decisions.

According to this survey, the various causes that propagate unethical behavior include:

• 69.7% Pressure to meet unrealistic business objectives/deadlines
• 38.5% Desire to further one’s career
• 33.8% Desire to protect one’s livelihood
• 31.1% Working in environment with cynicism or diminished morale
• 27.7% Improper training/Ignorance that the act was unethical
• 24.3% Lack of consequence if caught
• 23.5% Need to follow bosses’ orders
• 14.9% Peer pressure/Desire to be a team player
• 9.5% Desire to steal from or harm the organization
• 18.7% Wanting to help the organization survive
• 7.9% Desire to save jobs
• 6.9% A sense of loyalty

The paper suggests that we tend to ignore unethical behaviour for various reasons:

1) Recognizing such unethical behaviour might harm us.
2) Ignore any unethical behaviour unless it gest blatantly exposed.
3) We become used to such unethical practices slowly over time.
4) Where are overwhelmed by the outcomes rather than decision process.

Talking about ethical behaviour in the Indian context, it seems we have a long way to go since our reasons are much more complex than our western counterparts, and have somehow become acceptable in the society. In an era where scams are unearthed in India almost on a daily basis, practising professional ethics is not only a challenging proposition but an inevitable one too. And it has to start from the top in any corporate.

While the study lists the components of the unethical trend, it seems our reasons for propagating the same fall beyond its purview.

First Poster That Responds To People Looking At It
It happens when nobody is watching.

Fisch Franke: Filled with Water and Real Fish

Lives of outdoor professionals is increasingly becoming difficult. Be it media seller or media specialist. With competition increasing every day, it is important for all the outdoor professionals to become as much competent and have competitive edge over the other.

This can be gained through learning and education on sales, marketing, advertising and most importantly on the outdoor medium. I am sure each company has its training and mentoring facilities, so I am not here to try those. But here’s some of the traits followed by unsuccessful outdoor professionals that would do world of good if not followed.

Bad habits inventory:

Service:
The most common reason for this is the feeling of working under pressure. The reason cited is: I am under too much pressure and can’t give as much time on the account as the client demands. And all that clients want us to be is slaves, but I have other clients to handle as well. Moreover my service is way too dependant on my colleagues and regional office support. What am I to do if they flounder? Look at our industry! Its unorganized and uncertain, it’s never possible to be perfect in deliverables.

Though we might be trying to rationalize our shoddy work but the fact is that clients wants something to remember, something to talk about and nothing to complain. Your service has been bought by your client to get good night’s sleep and not to keep him awake.

Preparation:
The client was looking for a campaign of 25 sites and my buyer worked out the best deal and I forwarded it to the client. Why do I need to research about the brand, market, target audience, etc? The client and the creative agency has spent a lot of money and time on this, they know better than what I can contribute. No, I didn’t probe the client as well, as I fear he will get annoyed. And what’s the point in probing, I know what’s the kind of site list would be prepared (as plan) irrespective.

Are you selling hoarding or are you supposed solve a problem or a need? Another common bad habit that needs to be addressed.

Depth of knowledge:
My job is to sell outdoor to my clients and ensure reasonable revenues earned. Why break my head in learning the nuances of marketing and advertising. I know there’s lot of information these days available on the internet, but I don’t have the time! My client doesn’t ask questions concerning these details nor is he/she interested to hear anything other than billboard size and location. Oh! And about the outdoor sites! Why do I need to know all the sites in the city? We have a team of buyers, and it’s their job!

In most such cases the client has more knowledge than you, not just on marketing and advertising but in outdoor. You are supposed to be a specialist and a consultant to the client. Do you think the client will entrust you with his outdoor budget of crores of Rupees?

Presentation:
Want to give a bad presentation? Here’s a recipe for that:

• Use busy background and blend the text to the background so that no one can read.
• Use various fonts and sizes in each slide.
• Use as many clip arts and animations.
• Put as much information in a slide as possible. Right paragraphs and then read them out.
• Just write the client’s brief in the initial slides followed by the list of outdoor sites. Who cares for research, logic and route to the plan?
• Don’t practice your presentation, just open up the slideshow and start reading.

A perfect recipe for client’s distress and your company’s disaster.

Communication skills:

Here’s another recipe to get your clients annoyed and disinterested in you and your offers.

• Talk as much as you can. Don’t give the client any chance to speak up.
• Be very curt when the client is friendly in nature or try and be very friendly when the client wants to be precise.
• Use lingos

Action and  promise:
High on promise and low on delivery. This is another professional breach that outdoor media professionals can be accused of. There are quite a few types in this category.

1. Big bullshitters, who thinks they are the greatest sales man. Selling something and delivering something else.
2. Cowards, are those who don’t have the guts to reveal the truth when things go wrong.
3. Loosers, are those who fear loosing a sale or a campaign and promise their clients the moons and the stars. God forbid if they become successful, they get promoted to perennial bullshitters.

The result: clients loosing their faith in the entire system. They look at all of us with a specs of disbelief. And such professionals are seeing hopping around from one agency or company to the other every year.

Yeah, I know these sound a bit trivial, but actually they’re very important. The bad habits are like holes in a inner tube.  If you don’t plug them up, you’ll end up pumping yourself all the time, just to keep yourself afloat!