In a seminar the Barometer was conducting, a participant indicated that he was carrying the guilt from something he had done last year. On his way to an important meeting, he saw a woman with four small children along the side of the road trying to flag down a car to help her with her broken down vehicle. He said he did not stop to help because of time demands. He also said that he has felt guilty ever since.
On the same day as the seminar, the Barometer was at a tiny post office in a rural town. The agenda was mailing a package of laundry back home from a too-long road trip. The elderly woman at the counter ahead of the Barometer was trying to do a “Return to Sender†on a package because she said she did not think she had ordered the book in the package. The postal clerk explained that once you have opened the package the “Return to Sender†option is no longer available. The clerk explained to her that she could package it up and resend it. “Could I do it some way today while I am here?†was the sweet lady’s question. The postal clerk explained the only way was Priority Mail and that would be $12.60. The tiny woman, obviously hit hard by the expense but feeling she had no options, agreed to do that and the clerk handed her a label to fill out for the Priority Mail box. There was an odd look at this sweet lady stared at the label. She then asked the clerk, “Could you write the label for me? I really can’t do it.†The irritated clerk said, “No. Go stand over there and wait until I finish with these customers and then I will do it.†It was a heart-melter to see this humble lady step to the side.
As the clerk prepared the Barometer’s Priority Mail Box, the lull allowed for completion of the sweet lady’s label. She thanked the Barometer with a smile that revealed, at most, one tooth. For some reason, the clerk seemed irritated with both of us. Good!
With laundry on its way back to Arizona and the sweet layd’s label done, the Barometer left. Along came a customer who had stepped in and purchased stamps as the Barometer was doing the tender lady’s label. “I just want to thank you for what you did in there. I was going to step up, but then you did it. The Lord blesses us for these little things we do. But, I thank you.â€
Well, that’ll put a little hitch in your giddy-up for the day. This was nothing more than a few minutes of addressing a label. So, why do we avoid the rewards of being some small help to another? So strange that we deny ourselves a feeling this good, isn’t it?
There was one more thing the woman who thanked the Barometer added before she left. This was a tidbit, something that she would know, residing in this small town, “She can’t read, you know. That’s why she couldn’t fill out the label.â€
The next time we see that person in need when we are in a rush . . . well, think of this heart-wrenching story from a rural post office. Such a story may be awaiting you when you take the time to help. Sure beats guilt.
About mmjdiary
Professor Marianne Jennings is an emeritus professor of legal and ethical studies from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, retiring in 2011 after 35 years of teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in ethics and the legal environment of business. During her tenure at ASU, she served as director of the Joan and David Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics from 1995-1999. In 2006, she was appointed faculty director for the W.P. Carey Executive MBA Program. She has done consulting work for businesses and professional groups including AICPA, Boeing, Dial Corporation, Edward Jones, Mattel, Motorola, CFA Institute, Southern California Edison, the Institute of Internal Auditors, AIMR, DuPont, AES, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Motorola, Hy-Vee Foods, IBM, Bell Helicopter, Amgen, Raytheon, and VIAD.
The sixth edition of her textbook, Case Studies in Business Ethics, was published in February 2011. The ninth edition of her textbook, Business: lts Legal, Ethical and Global Environment was published in January 2011. The 23rd edition of her book, Business Law: Principles and Cases, will be published in January 2013. The tenth edition of her book, Real Estate Law, will also be published in January 2013. Her book, A Business Tale: A Story of Ethics, Choices, Success, and a Very Large Rabbit, a fable about business ethics, was chosen by Library Journal in 2004 as its business book of the year. A Business Tale was also a finalist for two other literary awards for 2004. In 2000 her book on corporate governance was published by the New York Times MBA Pocket Series. Her book on long-term success, Building a Business Through Good Times and Bad: Lessons from Fifteen Companies, Each With a Century of Dividends, was published in October 2002 and has been used by Booz, Allen, Hamilton for its work on business longevity. Her latest book, The Seven Signs of Ethical Collapse was published by St. Martin’s Press in July 2006 and has been a finalist for two book awards.
Her weekly columns are syndicated around the country, and her work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Reader's Digest. A collection of her essays, Nobody Fixes Real Carrot Sticks Anymore, first published in 1994 is still being published. She has been a commentator on business issues on All Things Considered for National Public Radio.
She has served on four boards of directors, including Arizona Public Service (1987-2000), Zealous Capital Corporation, and the Center for Children with Chronic Illness and Disability at the University of Minnesota. She was appointed to the board of advisors for the Institute of Nuclear Power Operators in 2004 and served on the board of trustees for Think Arizona, a public policy think tank. She has appeared on CNBC, CBS This Morning, the Today Show, and CBS Evening News.
In 2010 she was named one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Business Ethics by Trust Across America. Her books have been translated into four different languages. She received the British Emerald award for authoring one of their top 50 articles in management publications, chosen from over 15,000 articles.
Personal: Married since 1976 to Terry H. Jennings, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Deputy County Attorney; five children: Sarah, Sam, and John, and the late Claire and Hannah Jennings.
