Why the Green Eyed Monster of Class Envy Affects the Business Climate

The continued discussion about class envy does affect the business climate. This discussion only further harms the business climate and ultimately harms the citizens. And the source of this is truly a disconnect between business ethics and values.

For years I have never understood this discussion about what some call the Green Eyed Monster. I am from a middle class background and I am a first generation Swede. My father's parents lived on a farm in northern Wisconsin with an outhouse, no running water and by standards today would be considered living in abject poverty. However, nothing is further from the truth.

My grandma never spoke about those who had money any differently than those who did not. She understood that working hard and having no debt was important. Equally important was never every taking money from the government. During the Depression, the family moved from the farm to Chicago to pay the taxes so that they farm would not go up for a tax sale.

All she wanted was a better life for her family which did happen. All of her children graduated high school and became solid earning middle income citizens. Of her surviving grandchildren, 50% earned college degrees, one has a Masters (me) and another a PhD (my very bright cousin Karen).

Possibly years ago when wealth was handed down from family to family maybe I could understand all this wealth and class envy from the perspective of the have nots. However today, the majority of Americans (the haves) who created wealth did so by their own ethical efforts.

Andrew Carneige came to this country without money. His ethics extended into helping numerous people through the foundations he established.

Steve Jobs of Apple and Bill Gates of Microsoft as entrepreneurs created their own wealth. From the collective efforts of these individuals and thousands of more, jobs are provided and others now have the opportunity to earn their own wealth. Again because of their ethics and values, they support numerous not for profit foundation.

Personally, from a business ethics perspective, it is truly none of my business how much my neighbors make or anyone else. When I was employed in the corporate world, I truly did not care how much money my boss made because when the company was making money I was earning a salary. Even today as an entrepreneur, my financial goals are probably different than other entrepreneurs and that is Okay.

What I do know is taxes restrict freedom and hence affect business productivity which affects employees performance and ultimately profits. Yes we need them (government services) for basic services, but many governments from the local to the federal continue to grow fat in waste while the private sector that actually produces incomes continue to shrink.

From my little corner of the world, what I observe is government growing due to additional taxes from direct income taxes to indirect ones such as user fees recently imposed on the tanning industry. The U.S. federal salaries along with the benefits are higher than most Americans according to recent reports.

Maybe it is time for many American citizens (employees) to focus on growing their own financial wealth by their own efforts instead of expecting other to pay the way for them. This also includes the ethics of saving some of their financial compensations and more importantly learning how to separate wants from needs. For example, if someone does not have the money for a cell phone then they do like those who have gone before - save for it and do not expect someone who has money to pay for it. (Actually there is a government program sponsored by taxes on cell phones signed by President Bush to provide cell phones to people of lower incomes.) Owning cell phone is not a right just like owning a car, a house, a plasma TV screen.

All of this uncertainty about taxes, additional looming imposed costs such as health care, etc. negatively affect the business climate and does not support positive business ethics. And bottom line is the middle class will suffer far more than any other economic demographic because more jobs will not be available.

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Executive sales coach and consultant, Leanne Hoagland-Smith partners with innovative leaders who want to improve their team results without reinventing the wheel. Call 219.759.5601 CDT USA to just have a conversation about the results you are seeking.

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