Buyer on the Take
Theme of the Week: Rated Trustworthy
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
 1 of 1
Key Bible Verse: He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him (Acts 24:26). Bonus Reading: 1 Samuel 12:1-5
My friend Dean Borgman was until recently the CEO of Sikorsky Aircraft, a manufacturer of Black Hawk and other helicopters. Dean had traveled to a smaller Mideastern country to pin down specifications for 12 new-model helicopters it planned to buy. His company was eager to make the sale.
Oddly, the first scheduled event was a private dinner for Dean only at the home of the country's military chief. After initial pleasantries, his host brazenly made clear that he could determine who would be awarded the contract, and expected to be significantly "rewarded" for his support.
Losing this order could ultimately cost Sikorsky hundreds of millions of dollars. But the request violated U.S. government contracting laws, his company's ethics policy, and, above all, his values as a Christian. So Dean politely but firmly closed off the conversation—and his host abruptly cut the evening short.
The helicopter order went to a European supplier. Dean was disappointed, but knew he'd done the right thing. In an ironic twist, the military chief was removed from office not long after this incident. Meanwhile, Sikorsky's stature as a company that could be trusted grew.
—John Beckett in Mastering Monday
My Response: On a smaller scale, how have I dealt with unethical practices I've encountered?
Thought to Apply: You must consider the bottom line, but make it integrity before profits. —Dennis Waitley
Adapted from Mastering Monday (InterVarsity, 2006) by permission.
Copyright © 2008 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
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Please give me the boldness, Lord, to demonstrate Your righteousness where You've placed me.
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