Making Good on Good Intentions

With the benefit of hindsight, I realize that my drive for career success blinded me to the fact that my life was out of balance. And like many of my peers, I didn’t make time for self-exploration. I’m ashamed to say that I put winning above all else and never realized how shallow that victory was until later in life.

Too many business leaders believe that having a balanced life or sharing values is a bunch of psychobabble for weak people. To those, let me pose the question of whether winning and climbing the corporate ladder is really the most important thing? More important than time spent with your kids and your spouse? Your friends? Your community? Your place of worship?

I’ve learned that my dad was right: The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I know people who are considered financially successful but are emotionally and spiritually bankrupt. I know people who call it success when they achieve the corner office, but their kids are spending too much time in the principal’s office. And I know people who are considered business winners, but are losers in the eyes of their families.

I don’t want to come off as a preacher. I’ve been fortunate to gain the awareness that I have a mission for the tread left on my career tires: to do what I can to improve the moral leadership of our business community.

The truth is that I am embarrassed, disappointed, and angered by the recent behavior of several greedy and dishonest business leaders. I can’t undo what’s been done by other people, but I can encourage all of us to clean up our acts. And the place to begin is with principled leadership grounded in solid belief systems based on doing the right things.

Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic, Inc., wrote in his book, Authentic Leadership, “Authentic leaders demonstrate a passion for their purpose, practice their values consistently, and lead with their hearts as well as their heads . . . they know who they are.”

My greatest wish is for more business leaders to possess the principles that Bill and Tony do—and that this style of leadership becomes the norm. My wish is that we learn what my dad was talking about, and make good on our good intentions, once and for all.