<b>Delivering The Goods: Keeping Your Word In a World Which Often Doesn't</b>

Perhaps I'm just getting crochety. Then again, maybe not.



First, I'm hardly old enough to be in the "crochety" class.

And secondly, I've been feeling this way for about 30 years.



My complaint? Delivering the goods. Or the lack thereof.



Growing up, one of the things stressed in my family had to

do with keeping your word. When you said you would do

something, promised to make good on something, you did

it. Or made every good effort to do so. Mostly, you delivered

the goods. You showed up on time. Made the return phone

call. Produced what you'd promised. Kept your word.



Occasionally, circumstances simply worked totally against

you and it turned out that what you'd promised wasn't

possible. Still, you did all you could to bring about the

pledged result.



And if you didn't?



FEELING BADLY AND YOUR PERSONAL

INTEGRITY



You felt badly, really badly. Not keeping your word was a

very serious thing. Not because others thought so,

but because it was the essence of your own personal

integrity.



And what is integrity? It means "wholeness," something

complete in itself. And having it and living by it means that

you become trusted by others. They can count on you. They

know you'll deliver the goods.



So when you truly were not able to do so, despite every effort

you made to keep your word, you were personally wounded.

It wasn't so much that you'd let others down; you'd let

yourself down. You felt badly, sometimes for a long while in

serious cases. You didn't just forget it and prate on about

your self esteem or how tough things were. You

knew you'd screwed up.



DIFFERENT FISH



And today?



Today is a very different kettle of fish, I'm sad to say.

Nowadays, delivering the goods all too often deals with

written contracts and getting away with only what is written

down...if that. It seems to be about cutting corners, avoiding

any commitment, personal or otherwise, finding ways to

deliver less than what was promised, fooling the other guy.

And laughing when you get away with it.



NOT GIVING A DAMN



It's about not caring about the other side of the contract and

the effects you create when you don't keep your word. It's

about irresponsibility, a casual attitude and a sense that too

many people simply don't give a damn.



Does any of this sound familiar? Met too many folks like

this lately? Been screwed in some deals? Didn't get what

you paid for? Discovered there had been some surprises in

the small print?



CHANGE IS COMING



Probably won't make you feel a whole lot better, but the

times they are 'achangin. We're beginning to see the return

of that older version of ethics and integrity.



Why?



The internet.



"How come?" you might ask.



Because of both distance and anonymity. What we're

seeing in the way of business on the internet today is an

unbelievably tiny increment of what is to come. Eventually,

Trillions (yep, with a big "T") of business will be done this

way. Already you're dealing with people whom you've never -

and will never - see, with whom you don't actually speak, in

many instances. They may be in other cities, other

territories and, often, in other countries. Those who will

prosper will be those who deliver the goods, keep their

word, make good on their promises. The others will quickly

lose their lustre. The internet is quick to let you know when

a phony is running around, when quality is poor, when the

"deal" isn't being kept.



And personally?



Relationships are being built in a new way. People in chat

rooms and in email are often revealing more to people

whom they've never met than they would have, in past years,

to spouses.



Does it work?



Sometimes. Apparently, some good relationships are

being created, marriages taking place, perhaps families

being raised. Too soon to tell how this may work.



EVEN HERE THE LIES CONTINUE



But already I've seen signs of the lack of delivering the

goods, even in this area. Dates are made. One person

doesn't show up. Photos are exchanged. One person

sends a friend's photo, perhaps someone more attractive.

It's lying. Failing to keep one's word.



It won't do.



THE WORLD'S GLUE



The civilized world is held together with concepts. These

are expressed by words and deeds. As one writer, living in

a small town in France, said, "Most of life is governed, not by

laws written by legislatures, but by invisible rules of order.

They are written down nowhere, but respected almost

universally."



If your words and deeds don't deliver the goods, you will

eventually be shunned. No matter the wealth or station in

life you attain, you'll be known by whether you deliver the

goods.

****

About the Author

Mr. Eric Barnes is President & General Manager of Capital

Funds Group Ltd., a Canadian based consulting firm

specializing in Putting Companies and Money

Together. They also work with non-US companies

to take them public rapidly and inexpensively, then getting

them funded.
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