Some years back, I worked for a company that offered training, consulting, and education, etc. to the public. Times were tough in America, and businesses were struggling. Many of my coworkers and I believed so strongly in what we were doing we gave up countless hours of free time, sacrificed relationships with family and friends, abandoned outside interests, etc. during that period to devote our lives to the company. One day our board of directors, a bloated, whiny group of bumblers, announced they were replacing the current CEO with an individual they hoped could take the company in a new direction. The new CEO was a chubby, oily faced, neophyte who rustled when he walked. Not long after his arrival he stepped into my office one afternoon and announced he was unhappy with the prevalent attitudes in the company, stating employees were too complacent in their positions. He said he preferred a sense of urgency, where employees never knew if they would have their jobs the next day. I seethed as he spoke (it’s amazing how quickly respect can be lost), and I’m certain he had no idea how close he came to losing teeth that day. They let me go several years later, and I’ve never felt more liberated than the day I walked out their door.