Gary Kunath speaks at The College of Charleston

I recently addressed the MBA school students at the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC. The topic I shared with them was around ethics in business and shared some of my personal experiences with people that did not conduct themselves ethically and the end result of their behavior.  While it is not easy to predict who will operate in an honest and ethical way, it is imperative to protect yourself legally in all business dealings.  I shared with them several examples around copyright infringement, theft of intellectual property, misrepresentation of personal background/ credentials and lessons learned.  The days of a handshake and doing business with your word as your bond no longer exists.   The importance of written agreements and legal contracts is imperative.  Even then you may have issues.

I tied this topic into the theme of how you want to conduct your life.  After all, “how” you win is far more important than winning alone.    I think you have to be able to look at yourself and like what you see.  We all make a living but sometimes it is easy to forget that the only reason we make a living, is to have a great life.  Mastering Life Balance and maximizing your overall “Life Worth” is the goal.  The importance of conducting yourself in a way that maximizes the joy and contentment in your life is key.  I shared with them my ten “Points of Life”, supported by research, on activities that one can do to absolutely have the best life possible.  I also shared with them the changing dynamics of employees today and how leaders need to shift their focus to being able to positively impact the lives of those they lead both inside and outside of the company.  They have to show their people that they care as much about them when they leave the building as they do when they arrive.  It was a lively and deep discussion with lots of participation.  Next up I will be presenting to Emory University, Arizona State University and The Citadel.  I always LOVE being on campus.