Leadership, “Reputation Matters” Forbes, October 16, 2013
“Edgework,” an old boyfriend used to call it. He meant taking risks right up to the edge of disaster, but staying just on the safe side of the edge.
In some situations, edgework is actually a lot of fun – the adrenaline flows, the body and mind are pumped, all senses are engaged, and you can then be a hero and pull the situation out of the fire at the very last minute. Innovative. Young. Sexy.
But, you know what…after a certain point, it isn’t fun anymore. It just is tiresome. And then it gets dangerous. As with any addiction, in order to get the same thrill, you have to take more and more chances, and get closer and closer to the edge. Until one day, you can go too far, and you can fall over – and die.
Sound familiar? So, this is where we are as a nation – at the death of brinksmanship. […read more]