You should say what is right is right and stand up for it. But if you support that in an absolute sense and insist on that position no matter what, you might end up making people unnecessarily hostile. Nothing can take the place of being considerate. You’ve got to be open and take things simply without letting self-interest get in the way. There is also such a thing as timing. But most importantly you should take all circumstances into account even when you think you’re doing the right thing.

By Konosuke Matsushita, founder of Panasonic