Cowboy Ethics: What It Takes to Win at Life

By James P. Owen

A new approach to business ethics is quietly taking hold in executive suites and corporate boardrooms across America. Frustrated by an epidemic of misbehavior at all employee levels, management teams are getting back to basicsback to the idea that personal character and individual responsibility are the ultimate keys to integrity, just as they were back in the days of the Open Range.

A decade ago, the book Cowboy Ethics first inspired businesspeople to look to the Code of the West. Once they did, they discovered that its simple, common-sense principles can be more effective guides to business leadership than a truckload of corporate mission statements, rules, and ethics manuals. Cowboys are role models because they live by a code,” says author James P. Owen. They show us what it means to stand for something, and to strive every day to make your actions line up with your beliefs. And isn’t that as good a definition of integrity as you can find?”

In the years since, the book’s Ten Principles to Live By” have been embraced by scores of companies, universities, and even a state government. This updated Tenth Anniversary hardcover edition traces the evolution of this grassroots business movement in brand-new chapters while preserving the inspirational lessons and stunning photography of the original. It’s ideal for corporate gifts, the new graduate, business students, or any career person who cares about doing the right thing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Release date: Mar 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781629141398

Book preview

Cover Page of Cowboy EthicsTitle Page of Cowboy Ethics

Copyright© 2015 by James P. Owen

Photographs on pages: front cover, title page, pages 6, 10, 12, 28–69, 73, 75, 79, 81, 83, 86, and back cover provided by David R. Stoecklein.

Photographs on pages: fly page, pages iii/iv, v, 4, 8, 14/15, 17, 19, 21, 22/23, 24, 26, 70/71, and 84 provided by Robert Dawson.

Cover design by The Alvarez Group, Inc.

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Print ISBN: 978-1-62873-663-2

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-62914-139-8

Printed in the United States of America

This book is dedicated to

STANYA

~ the love of my life.

Stash, I cannot imagine

riding off into the sunset

with anyone but you.

~ Jim

AUTHOR’S NOTE

A PLACE TO START

Wherever you are in life, and whatever your goals may be, it’s never too soon ~ or too late ~ to get on the path to life success. Inevitably, there will be twists and turns. You are sure to encounter unforeseen obstacles and opportunities. You may find yourself in places you never expected, and shift direction along the way. This is all part of life’s journey, and the better equipped you are for it, the more rewarding it is likely to be.

Having some idea of your goals and purpose can certainly get you off on the right foot. But deciding where you want to go in life isn’t something to rush. It takes time to explore the world, open your eyes to its rich array of possibilities, and discover your own interests and potential. Then, too, we live at a time when we may want or need to reinvent ourselves periodically. It’s no longer uncommon to have three or four different careers in the space of a lifetime. As for what we call retirement, it can be the launch pad for a whole new set of endeavors, as I can personally attest.

To my mind, the most fundamental requirement for success is to know who you are at the core and what you stand for. That’s where the Code of the West can help.

By no means am I suggesting it’s the definitive, all-purpose statement of beliefs for everyone; quite the contrary. This is America, a country founded so we could have the freedom to believe what we want.

But, with its simple, timeless principles, the Code of the West gives us a place to start ~ a framework for deciding which values and principles we hold most dear.

I hope the Cowboy Way will inspire you to reach for the hero within.

JAMES P. OWEN

Austin, Texas