integrity by the numbers: clean sheets

Julius Baer is the latest Swiss bank to settle with United States justice and tax authorities over an

investigation that revealed its active participation in a scheme with wealthy American clients to avoid taxes. Were this an isolated incident, one could chalk it up to greedy bankers and self-centered multimillionaires—the former for the hefty fees, the latter for the hefty fortunes. Yet this is merely the latest in ongoing investigations. Even if we were not in our current age of omnipresent—and, to be sure, omnipotent—electronic financial trails and travails, why do some people still consider integrity a human trait best left to our society’s do-gooders? Why can clean balance sheets still not be taken for granted, if only because they are so difficult to hide nowadays, let alone because tax fraud is hardly a victimless crime?

The easy answer is that the house needs to be bigger, the Ford needs to be a Mercedes, the meals need to be five-star, the travel needs to be first-class, the art needs to be in the trophy league. Yet how much is enough? Five million, 10 million, 100 million dollars or euros? Two, four, six houses? Beyond a certain point, the pursuit of money takes on its own appetite, its own “freedom” or “glory.”

As the New York Times put it, “White-collar defendants seem to be emerging as the new media stars, generating publicity sometimes rivaling that of social phenomena like the Kardashians.” What governs individuals from Martin Shkreli, the hedge-fund manager and pharmaceutical executive recently charged with financial fraud, to corporations like Volkswagen charged with emissions fraud? The key answer is what does not govern them—integrity.

Is it legacy that they crave, as they already have more money than is spent annually by an entire country like Bangladesh? Is it ego, power, control and/or a dozen other all-too-sweet human attributes?

Taking a few steps back, how humbling to recognize the brevity of our time on this little planet, the gratitude that comes with having instant access to food and heat, and the desire to look beyond ourselves to help other individuals and nonprofits. During the last month, email inboxes have been overflowing with year-end donation requests; how fortunate that the same government that prosecutes tax fraud also allows tax deductions for charitable giving.

As we look ahead to 2016, grateful for our health, our relationships, our finances, or helping others with their health, their relationships, their finances, the big picture remains huge. Those clean sheets allow for very good sleep indeed.

using time wisely: autumn leaves

In just five days, when December 20th comes to a close, autumn leaves and we brace for winter. How many of us remember the start of 2015 as though it took place a mere few months ago? Then multiply that feeling by 10 and a decade has passed. How easy it is to forego an extra hour for Law & Order, a further hour for Judge Judy, confident that the time could well be made up tomorrow, next month, next year…. Fill in the blanks for any activity that stretches a bit too far and the hours add up like credit-card interest, unable to be recouped and ultimately a waste.

To be sure, those few extra hours in bed or relaxing in front of the browser, cup of tea in hand while nursing a cold, or that two-week vacation in Paris or Prague after an intense and productive period of work, are both wise and rejuvenating. Yet day to day, this extra 10 minutes here or that 15 minutes there can add up to hours each day, dozens each week and hundreds beyond.

Recognizing the brevity and preciousness of life is a prime starting point that teenagers rarely display, that 20-year-olds are generally immune to, that 30-year-olds only begin to sense, that 40-year-olds start to understand, that 50-year-olds tend to embrace, that 60- and 70-year-olds long to maximize, and that 80- and 90-year-olds accept with either resignation or satisfaction depending on whether having lived an unfulfilled or satisfying life.

This awareness goes a long way in separating what really matters from what simply musters, let alone minimizing the daily stressors that ultimately carry little import. The body and brain—that lyrical duet playing in concert—then do their part in offering adrenaline, endorphins, dopamine, serotonin et al.

A sensitive perspective also reveals layers of appreciation and insight. Writing in today’s New York Times, Stefan Friedrichsdorf brings us back to the beginning of breath, reminding never to take a day for granted: “Our interdisciplinary team has met the families of many children facing life-limiting conditions. Each case is heartbreaking, tragic and utterly unfair in its own way. Our role at Children’s Minnesota—one that still goes unfilled at many pediatric hospitals—is to work with families on a plan to help their child live as long as possible, as well as possible.”

As long as possible, as well as possible. When the end of breath inevitably comes, when winter, spring, summer and autumn leave, if we can utter or think these words with the force of reality and truth, then how much easier to brace for the coda.

ego in the workplace: a bad knows job

Self-esteem in the workplace can be both healthy and productive, as it points to self-respect and confidence in one’s abilities. Lawyers, for example, having gone to four years of college and three of law school before passing a rigorous bar exam, not only have reason to be confident but in fact must be, given the competition and stakes involved. Doctors require years more training with life and its quality at stake. Executive assistants need to be highly organized and efficient. Insurance salesmen must be well versed in the often-arcane byways of life, home, auto, health and disability. The same parameters of individualized excellence apply to a thousand other professions, which lead to promotions, salary increases, personal fulfillment and positive societal contributions.

Yet why does the ego so often cross the line from benefit to baseness? S. Mark Young, a professor at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, points out that “narcissists may do the most damage at the top, but they can disrupt workplaces at all levels. They possess very little empathy and have grandiose views of themselves, leading to feelings of entitlement and a constant need for admiration. Narcissists are cutthroat and scheming; they tend to dominate the conversation and will do just about anything to be the center of attention, even if it’s negative attention.”

The history of the business world is littered with examples of executives who may have started out their jobs with idealism and discipline, yet became ever more unbearable as their responsibilities, salaries and stock options increased. This hardly needs to be a quid pro quo. For every such insufferable manager, there are those on the other side whose egos do not require skyscraper attention and who take corporate social responsibility seriously. Why do some descend into the former camp, while others thrive within the latter?

Taking a step back from the moments and tasks at hand, those able to recognize the brevity of life, and how small they are not only in relation to the size of our planet but within the annals of history—regardless of title or entitle—have consistently shown themselves to be happier and more content than those whose ego allows them to operate with the visibility of a snowstorm. And beyond home and hearth, family and fellowship, education and enlightenment, what good is money? Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s cofounder and chief executive, just announced that he and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, would donate 99% of their company shares (currently approaching $50 billion) to charity during their lifetime, a pledge made via an open letter to their newborn daughter: “Our initial areas of focus will be personalized learning, curing disease, connecting people and building strong communities.”

Who would anyone rather work for, someone who knows how fortunate he or she is and is determined to give back, or someone who knows little beyond a job’s daily parameters and base measurements? Given how permanently obvious the answer is to most people with a heart and two lungs, it remains astonishing how prevalent—how bad—the alternative.

putting it on the line: open doer policy

Why is it that some people are perpetually out and about, causing things to happen, initiating contacts and contracts, and for whom a day without learning or achievement is a wasted day?

On the other side of the door, why is it that some people go through life passively, causing few things to happen, showing little initiative, and for whom a day without television or lots of time at the kitchen table is a wasted day?

There’s a reason why a certain sneaker and apparel company’s catch phrase has become part of the national lexicon—so very simple and yet for some, ever elusive.

Given the choice (and most of us are in fact given it), which course would you choose, or have already chosen? Where is the utility in going through life apathetically? If you’re held back by fear, reticence or a host of other possible barriers, ask a deceptively simple question: “What do I have to lose?”

“Failure is not an option” is a pithy refrain and sometimes self-fulfilling prophecy, but it does happen. Often. OK, so then what? Every single day, in every state and region, in most countries, it’s the second entrepreneurial attempt that resonates with the marketplace, the second novel that gets published, the second marriage that leads to a lifetime of personal fulfillment. Or the third or fourth tries. Here’s how a once-struggling software company handled what looked like imminent failure.

Take heed of the benefits of becoming a doer; be prepared for what may be multiple attempts to break out. Note the humility and gratitude—the wisdom—that accompany failure. Seek the help of others; abundant resources are as close as the computer, the phone, the hallways and elevators, the roads.

Be transparent and open in all your endeavors. Reap the clear benefits of putting it on the line. Bury the hesitations and don’t look back. Just do it (as it were...).

faux support: cup sizes

Starbucks expresses our ounce options in the faux elegance of Short, Tall, Grande, Venti Hot, Venti Cold and Trenta Cold cup sizes. Wawa is much more utilitarian if no less direct with 12, 16, 20, 24.

How easy it is to lean on this support system when confronted with an endless day of meetings, intense job responsibilities, family obligations and the day-to-day activities that keep our stomachs and bank accounts full.

The support of coffee.

To be sure, countless studies have confirmed the direct health benefits of these daily deliveries (while noting that too much, as with any of life’s potential excesses, turns negative). According to The New York Times, “in recent years, many studies have pointed to coffee’s health benefits, suggesting coffee may protect against Type 2 diabetes, reduce overall deaths and perhaps even help protect against dementia. Other studies have suggested coffee may reduce the risks of certain cancers, including colon cancer. The benefits are generally attributed to coffee’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.”

Yet equally countless is the research forcefully arguing that we humans must get enough sleep, the lack of which directly causes a kaleidoscope of mental and physical problems. Short-term “benefits” have long played against the effects of long-term consequences. Perhaps it’s driving too fast so as not to be late, thus tempting the increasingly likely fate of a crippling accident. Or the immediate pleasures of saturated fat that inevitably lead to problems of heart and weight. Or putting off a doctor’s visit that for the moment delays having to confront this or that increasingly serious health issue. Or… Or… Or.

Our resourceful and resource-full society enables access to practically anything at all hours of the day and night. A midnight run through the Starbucks drive-thru? A quick pick-me-up at the 24/7 Wawa? Let alone the Internet’s infinity or the ubiquitous diner’s attractions unlimited by the confines of clocks. How easy.

But the brain and body, despite their remarkable resilience, still need palpable rest, despite our society’s best efforts to the contrary. Why not hold off responding to that last possible email or text message, or setting the alarm 15 minutes later or heading up to the pillows 15 minutes earlier? No question, we can choose our cup sizes and feel that rush of short-term support, yet that bit of extra dream time ultimately offers far more consequential rewards.

rising interest: corporate bonds

Cutthroat. Merciless. Fierce.

Cold-hearted. Brutal. Harsh.

Corporate executives operating with less ruth than an oceanic whitetip shark.

These descriptions may well still be the norm for the Fortune 500s and Russell 2000s out there, yet more and more corporations are demonstrating a rising interest in the opposite approach—offering generous and extended paid parental leave (Netflix), providing free college education (Starbucks), building collegial campuses filled with free gourmet cafeterias, play areas and creative fun (Google), and countless etceteras. These environments yield dedication, gratitude and, to be sure, a willingness to work that much harder.

Generous to a fault in the eyes of their shareholders? Far from it. These are strategic decisions carefully vetted and taken by enlightened companies that realize the value of loyalty that goes far beyond their biweekly employee ADP salary deposits. Humans have a demonstrated and deep-seated need for fellowship, camaraderie, working toward common goals and, yes, fun. Must the bottom line be as divorced from that word as a previously married couple?

Preconceptions are as stale as month-old bread. CEOs may well feel the need to drain their employees dry, with the same acidic approach as Liquid-Plumr. After all, their stock options and 400-to-one salary differences depend on quarterly profit reports that rise with the sun’s regularity. Yet despite kaleidoscopic, well-nigh unlimited differences, people are (not surprisingly) similar when it comes to the basics of respect, goodwill, loyalty and willingness to work for their daily bread.

To be sure, business success more often than not requires discipline, long hours, utter devotion and focus; within this context, the human bonds that develop amid the corporate environment can be palpable. These are people who work together over extended periods of time. Personal friendships grow. After-hours meals take place. Vacations are booked. Even marriages result. The work itself is often fascinating, but a misplaced and relentless focus on the last possible dime can not only shave pennies from the bottom line but can make employees literally hate walking into the office, thus obscuring what could otherwise make for stimulating and fulfilling careers.

Demonstrably, corporate bonds and shareholder returns make for a profitable merger.

making choices: hard rock

How many times have you found yourself in that crushing space, faced with the dilemma of making a choice between two much-less-than-ideal alternatives? Having to choose the lesser of two evils speaks for itself, yet difficult choices are often the most helpful in the long run. Why, then, are they generally looked upon as eagerly as invasive surgery?

But our days are filled with just such decisions. Here is one area of life for which acting dispassionately is inarguably the best course of action. Put the inescapable emotional component into perspective and move forward. Avoiding such decisions only makes them harder to make and accept.

Our little planet’s nonfiction pages abound with stories of people who had their aha moment, who made the jump, who lived through sacrifice, who climbed out from under the rock. Are the satisfactions not that much sweeter when they’re fought for, whatever the beat? Are they not magnified in direct proportion to the effort expended? Tomorrow the Republicans will vote on electing Paul Ryan Speaker of the House. This has proven to be a thankless position and political dead end, despite its power and high profile. It may prove to be a deft decision or an idiot's island, yet however reluctantly he may have acceded to his colleagues' wishes that he take the job, Ryan has made a strategic, carefully considered choice. 

The relentless clock will surely not lend a hand. The inviolable calendar will certainly not cede its days. For better or worse, if the decision rests with you, consider it carefully, then act decisively. Fear of making a mistake has hamstrung countless people, yet those very mistakes will often mark the difference between complacency and urgency, between persistent struggle and enduring success.

So the next time you find yourself between two proverbial places, be ruthlessly logical and accept the resulting consequences with either celebration or tighter resolve. Whether for decisions proven right or wrong, how you deal with them is often far more telling than the potential reward or fallout.

Turn up the volume and go for it.

the freedom in patience: losing wait

Perspective is among the defining aspects of our days and nights, offering myriad ways to endure what cannot be changed. Why is it, then, that some people consistently face the clock with equanimity and acceptance, while others fight reality with the relentlessness of a watch’s hyperactive second hand?

Two people find themselves in stultifying rush-hour traffic, each needing to attend a key meeting, yet it looks like they’ll be late. (Sure, the easy answer is to simply leave earlier, yet so many no-fault things can interfere with that obvious goal.) One of them constantly cuts in and out of traffic, airbrushing cars right and left, and perpetually instigating the seeds of road rage, with all of that activity gaining a whopping quarter-mile “advantage” after half an hour. The other calls ahead to notify colleagues that he’ll be 30 minutes late, and asks whether the meeting can be delayed or promises to do whatever it takes to catch up with what is missed. He then uses the extra time to make hands-free calls that he’d otherwise have to get done while at the office, or listens to an engrossing audio book or language-learning CD. His blood pressure remains within safe levels and his day is that much richer, generally absent of stress-induced barking.

A first-time television documentary director has a compelling project at hand for which she feels altogether passionate. Trying to raise the $925,000 production cost continues to mean enduring a tiny shared apartment, no vacation time, a minimal food budget and little rest. Twenty-nine months later, not only does she see it to fruition, but it’s nominated for an Emmy—providing the recognition and springboard that enables a $6 million film documentary.

Overarching goals pursued with discipline and passion can offer tangible freedom from fleeting and ultimately meaningless concerns. Patience is the stamped envelope that carries a given project to completion, that enables focus, that mitigates stress, that can access the bestseller lists. Here’s how two veteran tech journalists patiently persevered for 18 months to gain the cooperation of Apple Computer—the world’s most valuable company—for their recently released book, Becoming Steve Jobs.

The next time you’re waiting in traffic late for a meeting, or are waiting for a carefully considered plan’s components to gel, try stepping back for the larger perspective. On the fulfillment scale, discover lightness as a byproduct of all that lost wait.

cutting screen time: embracing turnoffs

Few of us wake up in the morning looking forward to a day of turnoffs.

Yet such days can be filled with the kind of productivity and focus simply not possible without them. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, have demonstrated concrete findings that reveal how removing the nonstop distractions of email during the workday not only reduces stress but enables tangibly sharper focus. “We found that when you remove email from workers’ lives, they multitask less and experience less stress,” said informatics professor Gloria Mark, who coauthored the study, “A Pace Not Dictated by Electrons,” with a UCI project scientist and U.S. Army senior research scientist, funded by the Army and the National Science Foundation.

To be sure, being on screen call can be both fun and stimulating. Receiving and responding to a dozen emails every hour or so requires quick thinking, provokes additional mental and personal connections, opens a range of possibilities and offers a palpable sense of productivity. What happens, though, when preparing a speech under deadline that requires hours of focused thought and related research? Or completing the chapter of a book with an unbroken arc of logic and engagement? Or helping a son or daughter with a complex school project? Or… Or… Or….

Turn off the email program for several hours at a time and watch what happens. The clock doesn’t move at quite so relentless a pace. Concentration can’t help but be enhanced. The mind’s natural elasticity responds with previously denied creativity. In a typical 10-hour workday (the cliché of an eight-hour workday having gone the way of the Palm Pilot), having four or five periods of email access and completing the associated tasks enables the kind of dedicated attention not otherwise available.

The continuous bursts of adrenaline may initially be missed, but the longer-term feelings of peace and demonstrated increase in productivity should more than compensate. Projects can be savored rather than rushed, akin to lunch with a colleague at a relatively quiet restaurant, away from the computer and with mobile access either left at the office or turned off from appetizer to dessert.

Life’s menu awaits.

moving forward: reading & righting

Arguments. Disagreements. Disputes.

Or perhaps with a bit of floor polish: contretemps.

They have happened every day among friends, lovers, relatives, spouses and business associates since the beginning of time. Must this state of affairs continue unabridged, accepted as the cost of getting up in the morning, as inevitable as stale bread? Or can people learn to read problems in light of the bigger picture by considering the brevity of life and how genuinely good it feels to be generous, to be forgiving, to be proactive in righting the mistakes that each of us inevitably make? Does the ego really need to hold sway as some sort of unchecked emotional dictatorship?

This is not some idealistic pontification, but a mindset of moving forward positively. The longer that the sandpaper of conflict is allowed to grind, the harder it is to ultimately address the resulting roughness. Making a firm decision for resolutions opens up a kaleidoscope of possible solutions. Conversely, digging in with the flexibility of cement leads to fractures and concussions. This is hardly to suggest passively bearing the brunt of unfairness or loss. If abused, we have municipal and supreme courts to address obstacles, police to deal with immediate squabbles.

Yet looking beyond the last possible penny, most of us possess an inborn sense of right and wrong. Admitting mistakes, righting those wrongs, offers a liberating freedom unfettered by the ugly restraints of self-centered behavior. You’ve inadvertently made a lane change without seeing the car to your left; admitting fault and expressing genuine regret literally closes the matter and facilitates the insurance settlement. You were unable to meet a work deadline despite best efforts; coming forward without excuse—coupled with a simultaneous determination to do whatever it takes to fix—cannot help but engender respect. Come up with a hundred different examples and the results are unsurprisingly similar. Provided that the neglect or irresponsible behavior is not deliberate (if so, the consequences will surely reign tomorrow if not today), there are almost always ways to right mistakes, the sooner the better.

Regardless of one’s religious beliefs or lack thereof, Pope Francis’ recent remarks before Congress offered a straightforward, nondenominational guide to resolving interpersonal and business conflict. One paragraph among many: “Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples. We must move forward, however, as one in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good.”

Moving forward. Righting wrongs. Maintaining commitments. Cooperating generously. Read and embrace these words, then marvel at the simultaneous decline of heart attacks and lawsuits.

the result of indecision: bad whether

In Measure for Measure, Shakespeare makes clear that "our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the

good we oft might win by fearing to attempt." Over four hundred years later, these measured words are as relevant as ever. Must indecision continue to rule the centuries like some perverse King Henry loop?

The current refugee crisis gripping Europe offers life-and-death lessons about decisive action. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said this week that “political indecision among European Union member states may lead to more refugees drowning in the Mediterranean” and called for agreement and “responsibility-sharing.”

The business world rarely has so much at stake (though, to be sure, untold lives have perished due to mercenary decisions and cut corners), yet reckless overspending, massive layoffs and criminal conduct routinely hit the headlines. At the same time, nimble organizations that can decisively weather crises, adapt to changing circumstances and wear the non-stretchable fabric of integrity not only survive but thrive.

A willingness to invest in the future has shown throughout history to be a key link, not only to overcome very real problems, but to continue moving ahead. In 1929, on the cusp of the Great Depression, Marjorie Post’s Postum Company made a large acquisition, paying $22 million for 51% of Clarence Birdseye’s General Foods Company. The following few years were spent on stabilizing its business but then it quickly expanded, buying the rest of General Foods, the Sanka Coffee Corporation and others, all while its competitors generally retrenched. Those decisions resulted in countless jobs created and huge wealth generated.

The resulting company is today worth more than $50 billion. Yet while that is a positive number benefiting lives worldwide, lasting measures of success based on the pillars of methodical decision-making take myriad forms, from the community nonprofit that provides food and shelter to the orchestra that offers resonance and fulfillment.

Once all of the relevant facts are in place, indecision becomes a corrosive trait destined to rust and ruin. Is there a risk in most decisions? Of course. But add prudence and experience and they become educated risks. The calendar continues its relentless progression whether growth or stagnation mark the days.

Look outside, weigh the whether, and decide. More often than not, we control the forecast.

the meter of daily life: electric company

The refrigerator and stove. ATM and auto-pay. Self-service checkout.

The computer, smartphone and iEverything. Facebook and Twitter. Google and untold others.

Drive-up, drive-through, drop-off everything.

These and all the other accoutrements of daily living can be accomplished with little or no human interaction. But what do our hours mean without meaningful or even passing companionship? In the drive for technological supremacy and efficiency, many tasks can now be accomplished at any hour of day or night, with just a few keystrokes or drops of gas.

But put two or more motivated people in a room together on a compelling project and watch the reciprocity, the dynamics, the results. The meter of daily life rolls by so much more genuinely with #work and challenges, with love and laughter.

Sure there are outages. Projects may not come to fruition on time. Promised delivery dates can get pushed back. Contracted workers don’t always follow through. People may become hamstrung by a gamut of roadblocks. Use these experiences to fix weak links, to learn from, to improve efficiency.

Gauge what you will need for work, for relationships, for living. Then double it. Given this fascinating, imperfect, striving world, allow for what will inevitably go wrong. Plan for inescapable delays, for certain detours that can often add richness and heightened satisfaction if we allow ourselves to be open to monthly statements that don’t always follow prescribed patterns.

Rates of failure may be high. The real tests of dependability and reliability come when the birds aren’t singing, when the sun isn’t shining, when the promised isn’t forthcoming. Yet when two or more people are determined, and not just the kind of determined that passes for a dictionary definition, but the sort of resolve and strength of character that leads to powerful results, anything can be accomplished.

Embrace those with like-minded goals. Form #partnerships and genuine collaborations. Become adept at networking. Don’t be fearful of heart-to-heart conversations. There will never be a substitute for true human interaction.

Seek the company of others and watch the sparks fly.

the brain-body connection: flat tired

The alarm clock rings or buzzes. It could scream for all that matter, as the last thing you want to do is heed its call. Is it because of a lack of sleep or the insurmountable day that promises to stare right back as soon as you confront it?

You’re in a meeting or have gone to give a presentation or are taking a test or have an upcoming interview... or an entire rowboat of possible ors. It’s just not happening. Your energy level is low. You feel ambivalent. You’re just plain flat. Is it because you’re tired, or does it betray a lack of excitement for the task at hand?

The brain-body connection is at once remarkably complex and patently simple. You’re about to play a double-header on the last day of a long season, but you get to the stadium two hours early to take extra batting practice because you want to hone your swing in advance of the playoffs. You’re about to give a concert after a long day of travel, but your technique isn’t just where you’d like to see it. So you go right to the performing-arts center to get in an extra hour of practice beforehand. One of your patients comes in for emergency surgery, but this comes right after a grueling six-hour operation during which, while successful, you dropped five pounds on the effort. You’ve come home after a 14-hour day at work and would gladly sign over your house for a good night’s sleep. Yet your son needs help with his homework and you do so selflessly. The celebrated neurologist and writer Oliver Sacks, who recently learned that he has terminal cancer, offers a fascinating perspective in seeking to live the "richest, deepest, most productive way I can."

These examples and countless others speak of loving what you do, whether as a parent or professional. The stimulation of that kind of passion enables you to perform in ways the body would otherwise categorically refuse.

Feeling flat? Terribly tired? Do what you love, then take advantage of energy reserves that surely shine.

a lack of transparency: stained glass

Why is transparency within the realm of all types of communication—friend-friend, parent-child, husband-wife, manager-employee—so consistently elusive? Why must the ego so quickly approach the greasy fast-fed drive-thru that values expediency and quick profit over healthy dialogue? Why do so many start with perfection as the baseline, from which there is no room to breathe?

Imagine almost any type of scenario. You’ve borrowed a friend’s or parent’s car and have had an accident that was your fault; does the car’s owner not far more appreciate an immediate admission and pledge to do whatever it takes to right the situation, rather than an elusive answer and possible insurance or courtroom fight? You’ve missed a Friday deadline at work to the detriment of a client relationship; does the client not far more appreciate an immediate call and pledge to work through the entire weekend to right the situation, rather than an elusive excuse and possible contractual fight?

Elusive/fight? Transparency permits the kind of freedom and relationship growth not possible by any other means. Genius-level intelligence, fierce discipline and sky-high aspiration can no more reach perfection than those who live under the clouds. Must looking good from every angle trump (as it were…) clear and direct communication?

All of us are ultimately accountable, so why not settle the mistakes when they happen rather than let progressively harmful circumstances eat away at the conscience? In just one of countless events to which this question could be applied, would Baltimore as a whole have been nearly so outraged if its citizens fully trusted that the local authorities were being transparent at all times after Freddie Gray died this past April, critically injured while in police custody? Yes, the U.S. Justice Department stepped in to investigate whether police disregarded Gray’s civil rights, and the local police pledged transparency. But with mistrust more abundant than smog over Beijing, built up over years of deception and bigotry, many generations will have to live and die before seeing lasting progress.

Stained glass—as intricately constructed as a corporate or political cover-up and equally difficult to see through—may appear indelibly beautiful to the eye, yet relationships and communications viewed through Museum Glass, with inevitable flaws and imperfections unable to be hidden, can be far more durable.

Embrace transparency, and leave the thousand-year-old guile of stained glass to the craftsmen, not the crafty.