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Disagrees With Duty Before Self

Please note: This item is from our archives and was published in 1999. It is provided for historical reference. The content may be out of date and links may no longer function.

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I was dismayed that the rule “Put duty before self” was listed as one of “The Eight Universal Laws of Leadership” (JofA, June99, page 8).

To state that a person must always sacrifice family, friends and personal interests in favor of responsibility and mission is shortsighted and wrong. In fact, a poll of successful leaders would indicate that always putting work first does not necessarily make a great leader.

A significant characteristic of a successful leader is the ability to effectively promote a work/life balance among employees while still achieving an organization’s goals.

If people lose sight of their personal lives, their efficiency and effectiveness generally suffer. I hope others agree that family, friends and personal interests need appropriate priority in a person’s life.

Douglas E. Horne, CPA
Fairfax, Virginia

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