Motivational

Rule 42: Know the legalities of your industry

August 31, 2016

Famous PR Consultant & Politician, Tokunbo Modupe of TPT

Is
your company breaking any laws? Are you
breaking any laws? Do you know the
legalities of your industry?

I
once worked for an organization who were, initially, remarkably above
board. They prided themselves on being a
standard setter, a new thing in the industry.

After a few years, they suddenly changed direction and lost the Jekyll to gain the Hyde. It was quite bizarre
and I couldn’t see why it happened.
Senior board members hadn’t changed that much and circumstances didn’t
seem to demand it – we weren’t fighting for our lives here. But suddenly I found myself working for a
crooked and corrupt company. What to do? I turned a blind eye for a while, but
eventually I too was asked to participate in the law breaking. It was at that point I left. I kept my honour and reputation and went to
work for the opposition, their rivals.
Once there, I was asked about my old company and what it got up to, but
I wouldn’t give any information that would allow my new bosses to gain benefit
over my old company. I don’t know why, but it seemed honorable to sit on what I
knew. I was happy to talk about the way
they did business, just so long as it didn’t spill over into this area of
legalities.

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“If you choose to
break the law that’s one thing, but how awful it would be if you ended up in
clink because you didn’t know. Better to
be an intelligent convict than a stupid one”

A
few years later I found myself working for a company that was taken over by my
old corrupt bunch. But now they had been
caught, punished and cleaned up their act.
Did I want to work for them again?
Not particularly. But I did have
an interview with a senior director who said he was happy to have me on board –
‘At least you know how to keep your mouth
shut’, he said. The leopard still
seemed a bit spotty to me and I walked.

So,
how clean is your industry? Your
company? You have to know what you might
be asked to do and what is legal and what isn’t. Some industries have incredibly minute and
trivial laws that you can run foul of almost without realizing it. But realize
it you must. To be a Rules
Player you have to be cleaner than clean, above suspicion and never allow yourself
to be scapegoat into anything. If they
are looking for a sucker make sure it ain’t you. Make sure you stay clearly this side of the
line and don’t stray over it accidentally.

If
you choose to break the law that’s one thing, but how awful it would be if you
ended up in clink because you didn’t know.
Better to be an intelligent convict than a stupid one – ‘But I didn’t know’, has never been an
effective defense.

(Excerpts from THE
RULES OF WORK by Richard Templer Read “How to set personal standards” from The Rules tomorrow on Asabeafrika)