It’s easy to get lost in the quagmire of day to day business dealings. We’re all struggling to get new business, make new sales, complete our daily job tasks, or work at maintaining our value to our boss and our company. We may begin to stop thinking about what we are doing or why we are doing it. That’s when we need to reassess our moral direction. At what cost can we afford to step outside the correct setting of our moral compass to complete our business goals. Think about steps you need to take to maintain your moral compass setting.

1. If someone asks you to do something that doesn’t seem right odds are it isn’t. Don’t do it. This may seem like simple advice, but most often your own instincts can keep you on the right track; you just need to listen to your instincts.

2. You’re not just as good as your last sale or last task completed; you’re only as good as the ethics you used to get your last sale or last task completed. Remember the relationship created by a sale or completed task is more important than the sale or task. The sale or task is a onetime event the relationship created through the sale or task process is a lifetime event.

3. You work for a lifetime don’t screw up a life time of work by one poor decision. We all make mistakes, but don’t go out of your way to do something you know isn’t right. Most people can forgive mistakes, but most people don’t forget being treated poorly on purpose.

4. Other people’s willingness to work with you hinges on their ability to trust you. Trust is hard to build. Once it is lost it is difficult if not impossible to rebuild. Building trust with others should always be one of your top priorities.

5. Don’t go blindly into things. Be willing to ask questions even from supervisors or managers to make sure you understand what is being asked of you and why.

6. Always take the high road. Don’t get caught in a battle of negative ethics. In the end you rarely win. There are certain people that aren’t worth doing business with. It may seem difficult to disengage from ethically challenged people early on, but it will save you from more problems in the future.

7. If a boss or manager asks you to handle something for them that is their duty to do, think twice about handling it without a full understanding of why they are unwilling to do it.

8. Find a good mentor. Have someone you trust who you can use as a sounding board. If you have concerns about something run it past this person. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice.

Keeping your moral compass directed in the right direction will serve you well in whatever direction your life takes you. Always take a moment to look at your moral compass and adjust your direction as needed.