An Idea A Day

SELF-HELP GET A LIFE Jonathan Gifford

LEADERS NEED A life outside work. Working too many hours is counter-productive; quality of work and one’s perspective on life both suffer.

Lack of healthy social and family relationships can cause leaders to behave badly and to make poor ethical decisions.

The idea

Tom Stern used to be a stand-up comic; he then launched a highly successful executive search company and found himself so driven by his urge to succeed that his family life suffered. He now considers himself to be “a recovering success addict”.

“People who work too much tend to have really bad personal lives. Their families become unhappy, their ...