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Keeping your life and business in order can be achieved much more simply by being honest than by lying or cheating. An honest relationship is one that is more likely to last. Whether in business or in our personal lives, treating people the way you would like to be treated brings its own rewards.

One lie leads to another lie. A friend of mine had a legitimate reason for skipping work one day. He didn't feel that the reason was good enough to tell to his employer, so he told a simple white lie. As time went on the lie grew until it had become totally unmanageable. To be consistent everyone had to be told the same lie. Colleagues asked questions and the reply had to fit the original lie.

Sometimes it can become even more complicated. One story for one person, a different story for another. Over time, bigger and more far fetched lies are needed just to cover for the original. Keeping track of the lies becomes a great mission. Who was told what? What did I say happened next?

Maintaining these untruths or lies becomes quite stressful. Eventually the only remedy is to avoid the people that you have lied to or to come clean. Coming clean brings some relief, but is accompanied with at least some embarrassment and a dent in your integrity.

The truth is generally much simpler. There is only one set of facts to remember. Even where it may be difficult to tell the truth, the long term effects are usually less damaging and any initial embarrassment will soon fade.

Honesty is the best policy. But there are limits. Many people believe that the "truth" should be told to everyone in all situations. Gossip is fine as long as it is the truth.

But while lying should be avoided, information should be given on a need to know basis. Sometimes people go overboard. To them, being honest means telling their friends all their faults. Being honest does not mean revealing all. Gossip - even when it is totally true - is wrong! Not everyone has to know how you were wronged by a friend or that another friend acted in an inappropriate way.

Honesty goes further than simply being truthful. Honesty involves our private, working and business lives. Many people exaggerate their travel or expense claims at work. They see this as an additional perk. But if caught, the consequences could include being charged with fraud and losing their job. Honesty means respecting other people's property as you would like them to respect yours. "Borrowing" from your employer without his knowledge is simply theft. Don't do it. Rather ask for help you may be surprised at how people will provide support in times of need.

In business honesty is very important. Cheating a customer or a supplier may produce a short term gain. In the long term it will be discovered and can result not only in losing customers but in criminal and civil lawsuits that could ruin the business. A recent encounter with a firm of electricians illustrates the point. We were billed twice for the same job. The second time the cost had doubled. The bill was paid by credit card, but a month later the firm was on the phone demanding payment. The credit controller accused us of lying! A dishonest person is unable to have trust in someone else.

A leading South African businessman was murdered a few years ago. After his death, a disastrous financial situation was revealed, and every transaction and deal was discovered to have a major fraudulent component. He had cheated everyone from his closest friends and business associates to the receiver of revenue. The strangest thing was that he had huge opportunities for making money by honest means. It seems that the cheating was the only modus operandi he knew.

Honesty always has been and always will be the best policy.

Learn more about this author, Barry Marcus.
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