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Now that the clean slate of 2010 is here, you're probably busy taking inventory, organizing your books, and evaluating what you did right (and not so right) in hopes of preparing yourself for a profitable new year. Take the time to consider character.

“When you really think about it, the Ponzi schemes and CEO scandals that made headlines throughout 2009 boil down to a lack of solid character,” says Dave Anderson, author of How to Run Your Business by the Book: A Biblical Blueprint to

Bless Your Business. “Character does matter in business,” Anderson says. “And right now, at the beginning of a new year, is a great time to sit down and define your goals for the character of your company with your employees.”

Not exactly certain what constitutes good character? There are five simple rules that every employee, from the top of the corporate ladder on down, should follow to ensure that they have a rock-solid character.

* Don't tell white lies. We're all guilty of telling a white lie or two. In fact, most of us do it on a daily basis and hardly even notice anymore. And while we may consider those little untruths to be harmless, consider that instructing your receptionist to tell a caller that you're out of the office when you really aren't is a reflection on your own character. White lies are still lies, after all.

Even though telling the truth is often the hard and unpopular thing to do, honesty is rule No. 1 to developing sound character, Anderson says. “Tell the truth because it is the right thing to do, and encourage your employees to do the same,” he says. “In the end it protects your personal integrity, and honors, rather than diminishes, everyone who hears what you have to say.”

* Keep your commitments. Have you ever made a business promise that you didn't keep? Perhaps you didn't follow through with a promised promotion, or skipped out early on a day when you promised to work late. And given the past year's turbulent economy, it's even more likely that you found yourself in a situation where your mouth wrote checks in the good times that your bank account can no longer cash. Cutting expenses is necessary and understandable, but Anderson warns that breaking promises is not — even if it turns out to be more costly, inconvenient or time-consuming than you estimated. 

“Before you commit to anything, make certain that you can live with the worst-case scenario resulting from what you're agreeing to, and always follow through,” Anderson notes. “Do what you said you would, regardless of the cost.” 

* Go the second mile. One of the most common character flaws in leaders and their employees is that they do just enough to get by; they come to work and do just enough to get paid and just enough not to get fired. That's not good enough. If the majority of people are doing only the minimum, then those who give just a little bit more of themselves will stand out and be highly valued — a great asset for any company or individual to have. So think about what you can do to go the extra mile each day. It may mean volunteering to take on an extra project, coming in on a Saturday once in a while, or taking a night class to improve your skill set. Whatever that extra mile may be, the benefits will be well worth your sacrifice.

* Don't give false impressions. When it comes to business, false impressions are everywhere. From misleading advertising campaigns to padded resumes, you won't be hard pressed to find examples of people trying to make others believe things are better than they really are. But Anderson says that you have to be upfront and honest with those you work with, or you may lose your credibility and build up bitterness and resentment in a once-valuable business relationship. Think about the ways that you or your company may be misleading others, and find ways to stop it. 

Anderson says: “Make sure that you aren't spinning feedback to make someone feel as though they're doing better or worse than they really are. And certainly don't mislead any potential job candidates or employees about realities concerning compensation, advancement or future plans.”

* Reconcile and forgive immediately. Holding grudges is a common and unfortunate consequence of competitive business. Resentment builds up when employees leave organizations, mistakes are made, or when co-workers feel slighted. This is an appropriate time of year to take an inventory of grudges you may be nursing and people you're resenting. If you're carrying and offense around, it's affecting your performance, whether you realize it or not.

“When you are busy harboring resentment and holding onto grudges, you are taking time and precious energy away from the things you could be doing to increase your productivity and your business,” Anderson says.

Dave Anderson is president of Dave Anderson's Learn to Lead and has given more than 1,000 leadership presentations in 13 countries. For more information, visit www.learntolead.com.