“Greed is good.”

Some of you might remember that line from the movie Wall Street, which told the story of innocence corrupted by the smell of quick, massive cash grabs. Sure, the film took place in ’80s Manhattan, a time and place rife with breathtaking materialism, but the quick-strike-for maximum-gain mentality is still very much alive and well. 

Allow me to say that greed is not good. Ambition is just fine. In fact, I highly recommend it. But putting power before people is toxic. It’s shortsighted. It destroys relationships, teams, companies, and all of the wonderful innovations that can come from these things. It scorches the earth, allowing nothing good to grow.

Trust me, I like #money as much as the next person, but it can’t be an end-goal. Well, it can, but at what cost? For me, money is a means to an end. What’s that end? Organizations — and the people who power them — working not only for profit, but also for purpose. In other words, turning capitalism into a force for more than just one type of gain.