Code Of The West

Code Of The West

Steven L. Fries, CPO

Dear friends of the LIST,
As a note of encouragement to us all, I would like to present for your
review and consideration this article written about Cowboy Ethics and how they
can be applied to our own practices. In this day and time when the almighty
dollar seems to motivate so many in the health care industry, we should all
remember that our first priority and obligation is to provide quality care for
our patients in a compassionate and competent manner. When we do that, we
are rewarded in ways beyond the monetary reimbursements we receive from our
various payment sources. It all comes down to doing the right thing and the
legacies we leave behind as practitioners. Read on!
Best wishes to all,
Steven Fries, LPO
‘Code of the West’ author speaks to business leaders
by Karla Pomeroy
Boomerang Staff Writer
Laramie area business leaders received a first-hand workshop on cowboy
ethics and the Code of the West from author James P. Owen Thursday.
TriHydro sponsored an air, water and Code of the West seminar Thursday
afternoon that culminated with an hour-long presentation by Owen, author of “
Cowboy Ethics: What Wall Street Can Learn from the Code of the West.” Owen is a
35-year veteran of Wall Street. He is an owner/partner of Austin Capital
Management in Austin, Texas, and is its director of corporate values. He is
co-founder of the investment Management Consultants Association and serves as
chairman emeritus.
On his Web site, Owen describes “Cowboy Ethics” as exploring the life and
code of the working cowboy as a source of inspiration pointing the industry to
a way out of its troubles. The book is intended as a catalyst for a movement
to transform the industry — not with the carrot and stick, but from the
inside out — one person at a time.
In Thursday’s presentation, Owen said the world needs a new approach to
business ethics.
“The fundamental problem is that people confuse rules with principles,” Owen
 said, adding that rules can be bent, but not principles. Business people
shouldn’t be asking “Is it legal? But rather they should ask ‘Is it right?’”
Owen said.
Owen said he began looking for ways to bring ethics and civility back to the
business industry. He started looking for heroes and found “We have a lot of
celebrities but very few heroes.”
Realizing he was in the Cowboy State and in the city that is home to the
Wyoming Cowboys, Owen said that cowboys have always been his heroes, and he
began to look at the cowboy for ethics.
What makes a cowboy a hero is the honor, loyalty and courage, that are shown
in their lives, he said. Cowboys have an authenticity, directness and
humility about them. While some things have changed about the cowboy way of life,
like carrying a cell phone instead of a six-shooter, Owen said what hasn't
changed is that cowboys still work hard and keep their word.
In researching cowboy ethics, Owen said, he became aware of a Code of the
West, but he said it had never been written down.
“Every cowboys knows the code because it is critical for survival,” Owen
said. He said cowboys have always had to rely on the integrity of the other
hands they rode with.
Owen came up with 10 principles to live by, which he titled the Code of the
West.
> Live each day with courage.
> Take pride in your work.
> Always finish what you start.
> Do what has to be done.
> Be tough but fair.
> When you make a promise, keep it.
> Ride for the brand.
> Talk less and say more.
> Remember that some things aren’t for sale.
> Know where to draw the line.
At Thursday’s presentation, Owen discussed only a few of the principles. He
said the first principle does not say to be brave or courageous but to live
each day with courage. He said he thinks of the single mom raising two children
by herself as epitomizing that principle, or Sen. John McCain’s courage as a
 five-year prisoner of war, or his friend who fought cancer for eight years
with a positive attitude.
Moral courage is in short supply, not only in the business industry but in
the world today, he said, adding that people need to have the guts to stand up
and say what someone is doing is not right.
“Ride for the brand” is about loyalty to the outfit, Owen said.
He said he would like to see the Code of the West implemented in the school
system, adding that he would like to see students spending 10 hours in the
classroom talking about values. He suggested to some of the University of
Wyoming personnel and other businessmen in attendance that perhaps UW could start
a program to bring to the grade schools and secondary schools.
He said the principles in the Code of the West are timeless and “apply to
each of us, no matter what we do.”
“It’s not about ethics. It’s about character … and doing the right thing,”
Owen said, adding that it’s about being accountable and “being the real deal.
”
“This whole cowboy thing is about heart. You don’t need heart to win at
business, but you do need heart to win at life,” Owen said.