Sound advice from Mom

In honor of Mother’s Day, I would like to share with you a few of my mother’s gifts of wisdom that have guided and served me well both in business and in life.

I believe that we could all write a book about the lessons and gifts of wisdom that we have received from our mothers. It has been written that mothers, among other things, are the conveyors of culture and civilization.

As for my mother, she was born in West Virginia, the daughter of a coal miner. As a child, she grew up during the Great Depression, which for most of her generation had a major impact on their views toward life and especially money management.

One of my first lessons was, “You don’t spend what you don’t’ have.” Sound advice for all that I have observed in business over time. We can apply more sophistication to that concept, from a business perspective, with leverage financing and other financial techniques. However, with the clarity of the 2008 Great Recession, many forgot this lesson and many suffered dire financial consequences.

For as long as I can remember, I heard, “Do not tell a lie. People do not like liars.” As I recall, my most consistent and impressionable punishments came as a result of my telling a falsehood. After those childhood corrections, whether I was selling information systems, managing a group or consulting with a client, even when the news or findings were bad, I have held true to this credo. Now, I am not claiming to be totally without blemishes, but I have found that I sleep better and people do like me better when I have a reputation for honesty.

Another of my mother’s guiding words were, “Do not steal, people do not trust thieves.” This one was easier for me in the sense that although growing up there were things I wanted, I saw my parents working and saving for the things we eventually received. I have also found in business and life that to be trusted is a valuable commodity, hard won but easily lost. With whom do you trust to do business?

I could go on with many other guiding words from my mother, but allow me to close with this one. She would say, “Be nice to people, and treat them fair because you do not know who will give you your last drink of water.” One of the guidelines of business negotiations is not to take everything on the table, but to make sure the other side has the ability to continue and perhaps work with you again. Such a universal truth, but too often compromised for a quarterly objective.

I am confident that you have similar gifts of wisdom and others from your mother and those who mothered you. Thanks to all of the Moms and Happy Mother’s Day.