One of the (many) attributes ascribed to great leaders is that they know who they are. They are sure of who they are being and it is very likely they have thought deeply about why they are so. Without that self-knowledge and confidence they would not be as effective in their leadership. They would be at the mercy of circumstances.

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Nice guys finish last. The only reason for a business to exist is to increase shareholder value. As long as it’s legal, you can do it. If it’s not legal and the fines are less than compliance costs, you can do it. If you think you won’t get caught, you can do it. Caveat emptor. Enron, WorldCom, Bernie Madoff, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, Fukushima. And lest you think it’s only business, check out the Federal Workers Unions, Teacher’s Unions and the Teamsters. And go ahead and name your favorite political scandal; Joe Wilson, Tom Delay, Charlie Rangel, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton. The list goes on and on and on. How about the sports figures and scandals?

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As long as we continue to only use or heavily weigh our past experience to interpret the present circumstance, we will condemn our organizations and ourselves to staying “inside the box.” As much as I am tired of that old cliche of “think outside the box,” the sentiment is not only true, but critical to implement if we are to survive and thrive at work and in our personal lives.

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