would have meetings where the CEO was breaking a tie when two groups were at an impasse, and often times both groups would leave the meeting thinking they got their way. And we'd end up in the same meeting again a few weeks later. Smart guy, but he really needed to grow a pair at times.

Countering his tendency to avoid conflict though was his passion for the company and its employees. He really was a good guy and he cared deeply about the company and the employees which is why I couldn't understand his lack of willingness to go the the mat for what the knew was in the best interest of both.

But path of least resistance is a powerful force, particularly for someone who owed much of their success to that.