The Bible holds secrets for success

I was inspired by the article “7 Biblical Secrets to Business Success” at Aish.com. Bob Diener, the author of the article, as well as the book “Biblical Secrets to Business Success,” writes, “Everything I needed to be successful in business I learned in Jewish Day School.” He went on to list the seven secrets, which are:

1. Do your homework.
2. Treat your employees fairly.
3. Have the highest level of customer service.
4. Be honest with customers.
5. Always act as if you are being watched.
6. Build a reputation for integrity and honesty.
7. Be humble: accept and encourage criticism.

Here is my adaptation of these principles:

1. Know to whom you are talking, what they need and the composition of their company. Have a clear purpose for your call or meeting and have a picture of what a win-win solution would look like.
2. Treat your clients, customers and team members fairly. Win-win solutions apply here as well. You are all in this together, and they will work with you if they feel that the conditions are fair and equitable.
3. Give the best customer service to both your internal clients (team members) and your external clients (customers). Listen with empathy and work to solve problems and move forward.
4. Honesty wins trust. Tell your clients, customers and team members the truth. Share what they need to know that will make a difference for them, sparing them details not needed for the outcome.
5. Set an example. You are a role model, and your clients, customers and team members watch what you do more than what you say. Let your deeds match your words.
6. Integrity is a key to relationship retention. You are building an emotional bank account in your relationships and integrity is the glue. Clients, customers and team members will forgive a mistake if integrity and trust have been established.
7. Give and accept constructive feedback. Conflict is inevitable; it is how we handle it and transform problems into solutions that counts. The greatest decisions often arise from conflict resolution.

Diener also adds tzedakah (charity, goodwill and generosity) to his list of biblical secrets for success. He writes, “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself” (Proverbs 11:24).

As King Solomon said, “Our work is meaningless unless it is to do good.” 

PATRICIA RASKIN, owner of Raskin Resources Productions, is a media host, coach and award-winning radio producer and business owner. She is on the board of directors of Temple Emanu-El, in Providence. She is a recipient of the Providence Business News 2020 Leaders and Achievers award.