"There is no doubt that Marley was dead. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate."
Charles Dickens understood. To truly get to the heart of the matter, without being distracted by all the smoke and mirrors, start with the key that opens the lock. His classic novel "A Christmas Carol" teems with wondrous scenes, memorable characters and immortal lines ("Bah, humbug!"). Yet without Marley's death, there is no ghost to offer Scrooge a second chance, no chilling potential fate if Scrooge fails to seize this chance. And as we all know, although if at first with great reluctance, Scrooge does seize his chance at reclamation and the sheer joy of his revival still resonates within the hearts of viewers and readers everywhere.
As we approach another Christmas, many folks opine on the myriad of moral lessons taught by Dickens' tale. May I suggest one other possibility: When dealing honestly and fairly, and not putting the "business of business" ahead of the "business of mankind," it is through understanding of the "key that opens the lock" that we can add immense value to our interactions with our clients.
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