Thirty years ago – maybe even just 20 – terms like fierce and ruthless were often used to describe a good businessman. Let the buyer beware and cutthroat competition were commonly heard. In other words, the qualities associated with being a good businessman were not the same as those associated with being a good person. As businessman began morphing into businessperson – possible because of that transformation – that became less and less true.

Situational ethics are frowned upon by most these days. It is commonly accepted is that right and wrong rarely change with the circumstances. And that is good news for everyone. As far as I can see, the only people who lose from that are those who are unconcerned with anyone but themselves, and I am okay with them losing.

One thing this means is that you’d better work on yourself if you are getting in the way of your business functioning optimally. And here’s a tip for you: If your business is not where you want it to be, you are. Most of the top business gurus these days promote self-awareness. They are recognizing that personal growth goes hand in hand with business growth. However, there is often still a stigma attached to working on oneself. Some still consider it fru-fru or girly. Here is my advice for anyone stopped by that attitude: Get over it.