6 ms·

>>>If you will lie to me about that, you will lie to me about other things or, worse, lie to coworkers or clients. This is not clearly the case and it's dising

>>>If you will lie to me about that, you will lie to me about other things or, worse, lie to coworkers or clients. This is not clearly the case and it's disingenuous to argue otherwise. Resume gaps are just the ugly zit of people's career arc. Nearly everyone has had one, and they'd all rather not talk about it after the fact. Trying to obscure it somehow by specific construction of the CV is more of a form of blemish concealer. Nothing more. (NB: Your apparent enthusiasm for canning people is frightening. I wish I knew where you worked so I could never cross your path.)

KGIII 9y ago
I've fired remarkably few people, but I do have high standards and hold myself to even higher standards. Dishonesty isn't acceptable in business. I can forgive in a personal relationship, but my reputation is attached to the outcome of the employees work. A willingness to be dishonest is not acceptable. You can tell me you were in Colombia smoking crack, it's okay. Don't lie and say you were in Colombia handing out aid to indigenous people, unless you were. There are some lines that I don't allow people to cross. That is one of them. My employee's actions reflect on me and my other employees. They can cause harm to me or my other employees by making the business look bad. I'd be more concerned with acceptance of dishonesty than I would with a perception of my enthusiasm. The reverse is also true. If someone client is dishonest with one of the employees, our relationship is over. I will not have an employee's reputation harmed by the acts of another. I don't think honesty is too much to ask for. As for your own views, you can take comfort in the fact that I've long since sold and retired.
- barrkel 9y ago
  I think you're making the classic mistake of attributing actions to character rather than circumstance.
  - KGIII 9y ago
    Actions are character. If you call in to work, don't tell me your dog died. Tell me you're going to stay home and get royally drunk - if that's the truth. I'll still make it a paid day off. Your actions are your character. If they aren't, you have no character. I'd invest a lot in an employee and do a great deal to protect an employee. Demanding honesty is a pretty low barrier and everyone knew my policy. Don't lie. It's not very difficult. Lies in business has another name, fraud. Don't do that. Well, you can, you just can't do that and represent me.
    - alexbecker 9y ago
      This sounds good but in my experience does not reflect real people very well. Most people tell small lies all the time, and this has little correlation with real bad behavior--I've met honest scoundrels and dishonest saints. If you think people are being perfectly honest to you, well, you're probably wrong. A policy like yours only fires inexperienced liars.
      - KGIII 9y ago
        That's fine on a personal level. Well, not fine but forgivable. In business, that's not acceptable. My reputation is impacted (was, technically, as I'm retired) by the acts of other people. Lies, in business, is also known as fraud. That's not okay. At the other end, I was very protective of my employees. If a client or vendor lied, our business dealing were over. More than once have I insisted we get someone else to work with and more than once have I terminated relationships with suppliers. Dishonesty is forgivable in your friendships, even though it's still not very good. You can forgive someone you love. You can't as easily undo the damage caused by something like a vendor lying to an employee and the employee telling a client erroneous information based on that lie. I can't easily undo the damage done when an employee lies to a client. It's not just about face, it's about minimizing harm to the business and doing what I can to keep everyone employed and making good money. My policy on honesty was well known and clearly vocalized. You can call in and say you're going to go get drunk and play golf. It's still going to be a paid day off, so long as it isn't excessive. What you can't do is call in and claim your kid is sick when your kid goes to the same school mine goes to and hangs out with my kid. Just be honest. Not to mention, I'm kind of baffled. Why would you want to work for someone that you can't be honest with? Again, it's also okay to say its none of my business, that counts as honesty. Lies are willful and intended, by the way. Mistakes are absolutely forgivable, as is not knowing. Maybe this will help? I employed a bit under 250 people directly. We had three offices on the eat coast and a satellite office in the Midwest. I never put out a help wanted ad, it wouldn't have done any good. The kinds of people I employed weren't looking for ads in help wanted sections. I often pulled people directly out of academia but many hires came from referrals and I'd make sure to provide any needed training. That may explain the environment better. I'm not sure the policy works for others, but it worked for me. I sold and retired a decade ago. Even if it doesn't work for others, I'd not want to work for someone with whom I couldn't be honest.
robbles 9y ago
KGIII 1 day ago I'm retired but I am a scientist. I am technically a mathematician, but I still apply the method and use the philosophy of science in many areas of my life. I'm not sure he actually employs anyone...

KGIII 9y ago

I've fired remarkably few people, but I do have high standards and hold myself to even higher standards. Dishonesty isn't acceptable in business. I can forgive in a personal relationship, but my reputation is attached to the outcome of the employees work. A willingness to be dishonest is not acceptable. You can tell me you were in Colombia smoking crack, it's okay. Don't lie and say you were in Colombia handing out aid to indigenous people, unless you were. There are some lines that I don't allow people to cross. That is one of them. My employee's actions reflect on me and my other employees. They can cause harm to me or my other employees by making the business look bad. I'd be more concerned with acceptance of dishonesty than I would with a perception of my enthusiasm. The reverse is also true. If someone client is dishonest with one of the employees, our relationship is over. I will not have an employee's reputation harmed by the acts of another. I don't think honesty is too much to ask for. As for your own views, you can take comfort in the fact that I've long since sold and retired.

barrkel 9y ago
I think you're making the classic mistake of attributing actions to character rather than circumstance.
- KGIII 9y ago
  Actions are character. If you call in to work, don't tell me your dog died. Tell me you're going to stay home and get royally drunk - if that's the truth. I'll still make it a paid day off. Your actions are your character. If they aren't, you have no character. I'd invest a lot in an employee and do a great deal to protect an employee. Demanding honesty is a pretty low barrier and everyone knew my policy. Don't lie. It's not very difficult. Lies in business has another name, fraud. Don't do that. Well, you can, you just can't do that and represent me.
  - alexbecker 9y ago
    This sounds good but in my experience does not reflect real people very well. Most people tell small lies all the time, and this has little correlation with real bad behavior--I've met honest scoundrels and dishonest saints. If you think people are being perfectly honest to you, well, you're probably wrong. A policy like yours only fires inexperienced liars.
    - KGIII 9y ago
      That's fine on a personal level. Well, not fine but forgivable. In business, that's not acceptable. My reputation is impacted (was, technically, as I'm retired) by the acts of other people. Lies, in business, is also known as fraud. That's not okay. At the other end, I was very protective of my employees. If a client or vendor lied, our business dealing were over. More than once have I insisted we get someone else to work with and more than once have I terminated relationships with suppliers. Dishonesty is forgivable in your friendships, even though it's still not very good. You can forgive someone you love. You can't as easily undo the damage caused by something like a vendor lying to an employee and the employee telling a client erroneous information based on that lie. I can't easily undo the damage done when an employee lies to a client. It's not just about face, it's about minimizing harm to the business and doing what I can to keep everyone employed and making good money. My policy on honesty was well known and clearly vocalized. You can call in and say you're going to go get drunk and play golf. It's still going to be a paid day off, so long as it isn't excessive. What you can't do is call in and claim your kid is sick when your kid goes to the same school mine goes to and hangs out with my kid. Just be honest. Not to mention, I'm kind of baffled. Why would you want to work for someone that you can't be honest with? Again, it's also okay to say its none of my business, that counts as honesty. Lies are willful and intended, by the way. Mistakes are absolutely forgivable, as is not knowing. Maybe this will help? I employed a bit under 250 people directly. We had three offices on the eat coast and a satellite office in the Midwest. I never put out a help wanted ad, it wouldn't have done any good. The kinds of people I employed weren't looking for ads in help wanted sections. I often pulled people directly out of academia but many hires came from referrals and I'd make sure to provide any needed training. That may explain the environment better. I'm not sure the policy works for others, but it worked for me. I sold and retired a decade ago. Even if it doesn't work for others, I'd not want to work for someone with whom I couldn't be honest.

robbles 9y ago

KGIII 1 day ago I'm retired but I am a scientist. I am technically a mathematician, but I still apply the method and use the philosophy of science in many areas of my life. I'm not sure he actually employs anyone...