Being a Good Boy

Monday Security Memo

Intellectual Firepower for Professionals

Being a Good Boy

“There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.”

— Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers)

Dear A,

This weekend I asked my three-year-old son what I should write about in my Monday Morning Memo. Without hesitation, he said, “Being a good boy.”

Simple. Clear. No qualifiers. No corporate jargon. No performance metrics. Just… be good.

At three years old, being a “good boy” means sharing toys, listening to mom and dad, not hitting, helping clean up, and saying “thank you.” It’s about behavior, not status. Effort, not titles. Character, not credentials.

Somewhere along the road to adulthood, we complicate that idea. We replace “be good” with “be successful,” “be important,” or “be impressive.” We measure ourselves by promotions, followers, revenue, or recognition. But underneath all the layers, the core question hasn’t changed much since we were toddlers.

Are we being good?

Are we treating people with respect, especially when there’s nothing to gain? Are we doing the right thing when it’s inconvenient? Are we owning our mistakes instead of hiding them? Are we helping someone else succeed, even when no one is watching?

Leadership, business, and life all get better when we return to fundamentals. Not just competence. Not just ambition. Character.

Mr. Rogers famously said, "Try your best to make goodness attractive. That's one of the toughest assignments you'll ever be given."

Being a “good boy” — or a good man, good woman, good teammate, good leader — is about reliability, honesty, kindness, and accountability. It’s about the small daily choices that build trust over time.

My son doesn’t know anything about strategy, markets, or risk management yet. But he understands something many adults forget: being good is the foundation everything else is built on.

This week, before we focus on being impressive, let’s focus on being good.

Stay safe and vigilant!

Luke Bencie