The Infinite Game

Ethical fading occurs when company culture allows unethical behavior for the sake of advancing interests. By sacrificing moral decision-making, a company suffering this condition will often prioritize profits over the safety and well-being of employees, customers, or innocent bystanders. Ethical fading is a symptom of finite thinking.

Existential flexibility is a leader’s ability to disrupt the status quo of their current business model, a strategy to advance the just cause of their organization. It demands sacrifice and entails risk. It is often met with hesitation or opposition by team members and shareholders, but Sinek cites Walt Disney and Steve Jobs as leaders who successfully flexed to advance their just causes.

A just cause is a specific vision of the future that a leader wants to manifest through their organization, as opposed to a past-oriented “why.” Just causes require sacrifice and followers who believe in it. An infinite mindset adheres to the just cause in all decision-making.

Developing a trusting team requires leaders to convince their team members that vulnerability will help them succeed. Vulnerability leads to empathy and trust, which allow employees to feel safe, take risks, and help each other overcome challenges. Sinek illustrates this point with Rick Fox, who was hired by Shell to run their URSA oil rig. The dangerous job required Fox’s team members to cultivate trust through open discussions.