I was working with one of my favorite clients the other day, when I heard myself tell him, “Absolutely – your must be trustworthy, your must offer full disclosure, and never let anyone darken your reputation – you know, loyal, helpful, kind – all that.”

I realized this list was from some childhood mantra taught in America, so deep in our culture that I could recite half the list and not know where it came from. So I looked it up. It was the Boy Scout Law (I admit I didn’t think to look up the Brownies or the Girl Scouts).

Now, I am not politically correct enough to know if the Boy Scouts of America is a respected group these days, or a para-military organization. And I don’t care. In these days of bad behavior and rampant corruption (or the same level of corruption and rampant press coverage), it is good to remember the lessons of our most traditional and old-fashioned cultural upbringing, and not shy away from repeating them for fear of seeming un-cool.

So, here goes: Scout Law (British version)

• A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, and brave.

This original version by Lord Baden-Powell had these 10 points to the Scout Law. Two more, “clean and reverent” were added by the Americans, which I don’t find useful enough to include. (Thanks, Wikipedia http://bit.ly/cxbMmw )

I especially like “cheerful.”  I also like the Scout Motto and Slogan – especially for business folks in a challenging economy, when opportunity is more and more based on the strength of trusted relationships:

• Be Prepared and Do a good turn daily.