Most leaders say they want to finish well. Yet the majority don’t. Money, sex, pride, power, family problems, and stagnation are big barriers facing leaders who want to finish well. But what causes leaders to fall prey to these pitfalls? Why do successful, talented, and bright leaders so often sabotage their professional and personal lives through immoral and destructive behavior?
Read more
Today finds me sitting by the Atlantic’s seashore in The Gambia, West Africa. Children are kicking up sand as they play soccer on the beach. They seem oblivious to this week’s FIFA scandal that has cast suspicion over just about every major decision in the soccer world over the past twenty-five years. Eighteen officials are charged with offenses including racketeering, fraud, and money laundering. Their cozy lifestyles of kickbacks and obscene per diems are finally on global display. Time has its insistent way of bringing truth to light.
Read moreA middle-aged woman complained on Facebook about the lousy service she received at a local hot dog counter. She wrote, “The hot dogs were delicious, but the waiter was down-right rude.” She continued, “I’ll be looking for hot dogs someplace else.” Her post got lots of supportive responses. In the “Worthiness Era,” good products must be matched by good behavior.
We’ve heard enough news of Fortune 500 companies that shirk taxes while padding profits. Firms that make a widget, rake in revenue, but foul the planet. CEOs abuse their privilege, then bail out with a multi-million dollar parachute. Is this just more evidence that bad guys finish first? Maybe. But a different story is unfolding.
Read more