A discussion about business ethics, character traits, integrity, and values

That line, of course, is from Benjamin Franklin, who seems to be well-remembered as much for what he said almost as much as what he did. What I learn from that, “well done is better than well said,” is that it is far better to do something that to simply talk about doing something. It’s like wearing a little ribbon in support of some fad, rather than actually doing something to actually help whatever the problem is.

I gave my daughter a Wilson Hope tennis racket that had little pink ribbons printed on it. The package claimed that “ Wilson would make a donation to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation with every purchase,” and that’s good, I guess, but it’s not really much of an effort on my part.

If people or companies are going to wear their little ribbons – saying “yes, I support underwater basket weavers” – that’s fine, but I hope they don’t think by doing so they are actually getting something done. It’s just talk. Ask any underwater basket weaver.