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

"Life is too short to seek instant gratification; rather work for long-term rewards." Dee Dee Sadler

Now there is a brilliant mind at work. Having reached the milestone (millstone?) of 50 years, I look back and can see that shortcuts are what have ultimately cost the most time, money and heartache, at home, in my career, in my health, everywhere.

Stephen Covey says a similar thing, that shortcuts in relationships lead to problems that take time to resolve. He recommends going slow with children, taking time to do stuff with them, get to know them, wait for them to open up. In the long run, that is the faster way.

At the office, it's the same – no shortcuts. Brian Tracy says, "there is no substitute for extended conversations in the development of friendships and more intimate relationships. People who get along very well together have invariably spent a lot of time talking about various subjects as they come up."