ABSTRACT
The larger culture attributes moral superiority to those who achieve material success, even by questionable means. The tendency to cheat or cut corners trickles down to ordinary middle-class citizens, who become insecure and cynical while trying to get ahead. A prime example of doing the right thing was provided years ago by William Peace in his managerial memoir published in the Harvard Business Review. Psychologists researching value formation note remarkable similarities and consistencies across societies and cultures, and conclude that these values are deeply rooted in the unconscious mind. Fairness was a predominant theme, often connected with other attributes such as trust, autonomy, and feedback. The inability of destructively narcissistic managers to form true and meaningful relationships, combined with a lack of a personal set of values, along with inner emptiness, can lead to excessive risk taking and the manipulation of others to get ahead.
