2. Pride

Walking through the Alpine village of Bezau you are constantly reminded of the pride that locals have in their traditions and the beauty of their environment. The houses are meticulously preened and maintained with beautiful flowers blooming into late September. When you look at these houses it is easy to understand why Aristotle called pride the crown of virtues. Something which makes virtue shine more brightly as the individual fills their potential without hesitation, believing and proving themselves worthy.
Pride can also serve as a strong unifying force, when we express through rituals and symbols that we believe in the same greater goal. Pride for a sports team, a country, an ideal or even a special personality  signifies and bonds people in powerful ways. Just as the flower boxes in Bezau become a strong symbol of proud belonging, expressions of faith through clothing or wearing insignia can sustain the power and influence of an ideology.

We are quick to point out how national pride led to the disaster of Nazi Germany or even the Apartheid regime of South Africa. We are not so quick to see the limiting force of what we consider "good" pride. The pride of technological and economic progress in the West. Who dares raise critique or questions in the face of something that is so obviously revered? The radiance of pride can blind us and isolate us from the changing world around us. It is no wonder that Pride is also called "the original sin." Lucifer's pride led him to upset the order in heaven, starting a rebellion that ended with the downfall of God's most beautiful angel. How do we find a balance where pride can serve to align and unite people whilst maintaining a critical and sensitive spirit, understanding the boundaries of our perceived truth?

When I started working in advertising, the agency had a giant wall in reception plastered with prizes. The golden lions and sparkling effies radiated through the entrance, telling every client and employee that this was no ordinary agency. In this place only brilliance is desired and required. Pride can quickly flip into hubris when someone is blinded by their successes and adoration. Over-extending their opinion of themselves through a lack of honest self-evaluation. Walking into that reception area every morning I am sure many employees took pride. They took pride into meetings and stopped listening to subtle signals of misalignment. Their pride did not allow them to admit mistakes, failure or even a lack of understanding. And so, building a sense of pride based purely on a glorification of past successes is a certain way to crash into the wall in front of you. Pride comes before the fall.

In my experience, two attributes limit the usefulness of pride. On the one hand it creates a boundary between people. Where one group believes they are more special or hold a more important truth. As Philip Zimbardo explains in the Lucifer effect, the separation between people is always the first step in a genocide. A strong sense of identity coupled with the pride of providence or belief quickly reduces the "other" to a less worthy being. By doing this we limit our ability to learn through empathy. We become blind to their plight. As a business, the more proud you become of your success, the harder it becomes to take the concerns and complaints of your customers seriously. It becomes "apple's word" against the consumer's concern. In this scenario the business looses the opportunity to turn "mistakes" into business opportunities because pride drives a divide between employees and consumers.

The second force is the blindness pride brings when confronted with new ideas or a shifting context. We have all encountered the out of touch CEO or senior manager. Proud of their accomplishments they believe that past success proves them right in current contexts. They become uncritical, and unable to question the first principles of their firmly held views. By believing their own mythology they begin to drift further and further away from the pulse of the present moment. The truth is that the world today is far too dynamic and complex for any one person to be "right." Information and competitive actions are flooding into a business at multiple points before any report can be filed or a board room meeting held. By the time a senior executive gets to weigh in with their opinion, the data is outdated. Responding to uncertainty with pride in such a situation is the certain road to nokia, motorola, or any company that believed for too long in their own myth, supported by pride.

How do we avoid that pride becomes a circle around our hearts? How do we remain critical of our beliefs, and maintain the curiosity of "beginner's mind?" The design process of prototyping and iterating is a great step in the right direction. Prototypes are designed to fail fast, thereby avoiding the pride and emotional commitment to little dinosaurs. Iteration brings a constant dialogue, ensuring the shifting situational signals are captured towards improving our design. No business plan has ever survived the first contact with a consumer. Letting go of pride allows us to be vulnerable in our curiosity, to open new doors and unexpected collaborations. By constantly engaging, with empathy and alertness, we can break through the blindness and solitude of pride to enjoy the connecting and uplifting elements more consistently.