Over two decades ago, I created a wallet-sized notecard for my team called the “10 Pride Principles.” It served as a simple guide to help us stay grounded when things got loud — a quick reminder to remain human and proud of how we worked.
Today, noise levels have increased. Authoritarian thinking has infiltrated organizations. Fear, or worse, sycophancy, has replaced courage in too many boardrooms. The temptation for many to comply, conform, and remain silent grows stronger.
With fresh eyes and a new perspective, the principles remain vital. They’re not just about growth; they’re about maintaining your integrity, protecting your team, and leading with conscience while others pursue control.
1. Exceed Expectations — Especially of Yourself
Don’t just make people happy; make them proud to have crossed your path. Over-deliver on decency, service, and excellence. Don’t pander — prove that competence and compassion can coexist.
In a time when corners are cut and mediocrity is normalized, exceeding expectations is rebellion.
Ask yourself: What can I deliver today that restores trust and sets a new standard?
2. Live the Platinum Rule
The Golden Rule says to treat others as you want to be treated. The Platinum Rule says to treat others how they want to be treated. That distinction matters.
Authoritarians demand sameness; effective leaders practice empathy. Seeing others as individuals is how you resist dehumanization.
Ask yourself: How can I make respect and understanding a daily act of leadership?
3. Be a Leader — Without Permission
Leadership isn’t granted by title; it’s claimed through courage. You don’t wait for authority — you exercise it responsibly.
When organizations reward obedience, effective leaders choose conscience. Think independently, speak up, and set a moral example.
Ask yourself: What truth needs to be said — and am I brave enough to say it?
4. Participate and Contribute — Don’t Spectate
Democracy dies in silence. So do good teams. Participation isn’t optional if you care about progress.
Show up. Speak up. Build up. Don’t let cynicism gain ground.
Ask yourself: Where am I holding back when I should be stepping up?
5. Pursue Excellence — Not Perfection
Excellence is mastery and pride in your craft, not spotless performance. Perfection paralyzes; excellence liberates.
When you aim for excellence, you’re declaring that quality, rigor, and accountability still matter — even when others settle for the bare minimum.
Ask yourself: What does “excellent” look like today — and how can I raise the bar again tomorrow?
6. Work as a Team — Not a Group
Groups gather. Teams perform. Share credit, take responsibility, and deliver together. Teams that think critically, debate openly, and trust each other are harder to control — and that’s exactly the point.
Collaboration isn’t weakness; it’s strategic resistance to isolation and manipulation.
Ask yourself: How can I strengthen the trust that makes our team unstoppable?
7. Share Knowledge — Don’t Hoard It
Knowledge is power. Hoarding it keeps people small; sharing it makes everyone stronger.
In rigid hierarchies, information is withheld to maintain control. Effective leaders democratize knowledge — they build others up, not walls around themselves.
Ask yourself: Who can I teach or empower today by sharing what I know?
8. Keep It Simple — Clarity Is a Weapon
Complexity can be a smokescreen for incompetence or deceit. Simplicity cuts through the fog.
When leaders simplify, they create transparency — and transparency weakens tyranny.
Ask yourself: What can I clarify or eliminate to restore focus and truth?
9. Listen and Communicate — Really
Listening isn’t passive. It’s strategic awareness. Communication isn’t spin; it’s connection.
Propaganda thrives on people who don’t listen. Leadership thrives on dialogue grounded in respect and reality.
Ask yourself: Who needs to be heard — and am I giving them the space to speak?
10. Have Fun — Because Joy Is Resistance
Joy and laughter are not luxuries; they’re lifelines. Authoritarians hate joy because it’s uncontrollable.
When you keep humor, curiosity, and celebration alive, you keep your humanity intact. That’s leadership in its purest form.
Ask yourself: How can I reintroduce joy into my work and team today?
Why These Principles Matter Now
These aren’t just lovely leadership ideas. They’re safeguards against leadership drift — moral, ethical, and organizational.
- They fuel engagement — because people fight for what they help create.
- They protect freedom of thought — by building courage, empathy, and self-respect.
- They model integrity — showing that you can lead decisively without becoming a jerk or a tyrant.
- They drive excellence — not for ego, but for impact.
- They reinforce accountability — the backbone of healthy leadership.
- They defend humanity — by placing love, candor, and creativity above control.
These principles aren’t for perfect leaders — they’re for practical idealists who refuse to surrender their conscience.
Hold them close. Live them boldly. And remember: Leadership isn’t about control — it’s about character.
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