As the curtain drops down on 2009, the tigers of the world find themselves in deep waters. The four-footed ones are in danger of losing more than just their stripes. And a two-footed one risks losing his reputation and substantial earnings. It may be a while before this tiger gets out of the woods.

Both high performing animals preside right on top of the food chain, in the jungles and on the golf course. Great performance, yet facing a bleak future. What got left out of the equation? My guess is character. Lack of it  leads to eventual self destruction and hurting others. Like the physical law of gravity, the spiritual law of integrity operates inexorably. Violation can only bring grief to oneself and others. A consequence of the interconnectedness of life as we know it.

And lest we point fingers, for each one who gets caught by his texting habit, there must be dozens who stay hidden and get away. Or think they do. Well, think again. It’s only a matter of time.

India is riding a high performance economy. From a high-growth rate in population and poverty, there is now something of a switch to growing middle class prosperity and consumerism. There are also those who identify another reality: a high-growth rate in corruption. Will a country packed with gurus and religious traditions go over the deep end, or will it develop the character to enable it to soar into the sky?

The answer lies ahead in the decade that follows.

Performance plus character has always been the winning equation.

Wishing you a happy new year filled with great performance and high integrity.