Leading from character is not always easy as you learned through this experience. You did the right thing because you were protecting the values and culture of your company which are the key to the results you produce for clients. Your company is an extension of your own character and through that you have striven to attract employees who embody the same character.

This reminds me of something I experienced first hand in my first job out of college. I joined Lawry's Restaurants famous for Lawry's The Prime Rib as a management trainee later moving up to assistant manager and general restaurant manager. At the time, they operated eleven restaurants with eight different names and concepts. Just prior to my being hired, they had hired an individual to act as the Vice President of Operations over all restaurants. He reported to Art Wynne Sr., The Senior VP of Operations who had worked for the company for 30 years and was hired by Lawry's co-founder Lawrence Frank.

At the end of my first year at Lawry's, the company fired this new VP because his approach in dealing with managers was counter to the philosophies and values of Lawry's. All the general managers complained to Art Wynne about what he was doing and that was it. The real key to Lawry's success was it's employee relations which were built on a foundation of respect and treating everyone as a professional from dishwashers on up.

On my first day at Lawry's The Prime Rib, the general manager introduced me to all the employees. When he walked me into the dishwasher room, I had a shock that taught me a lot about the company I was working for and why they were successful. He introduced me to the two dishwashers working that night. Both showed me their gold watches signifying 25 years of service to Lawry's. Where else would you see someone working as a dishwasher for 25 years let alone two of them?

Art Wynne understand the critical importance of maintaining Lawry's values concerning employee relations and knew the company could not afford to have someone in a key position like a VP whose character was not from the same page as everyone else. This was the right decision for Lawry's just as your decision was the right one for your firm. Look forward to your growing success as a character-based company!