Every Thursday morning in our little Florida retirement community a group of old timers (exclusively men) gathers for a kaffeeklatsch, appropriately called ‘The Liar’s Club’.  Most talk centers on fishing and golf, ready topics for lies, but frequently turns towards fanciful remembrances of our ‘working years’.

Participants are mostly retirees from middle management or small businesses and the conversation frequently turn to ‘forks-in-the-road’ or critical decisions that changed our paths in life, more business-like than personal. (We are, after all, men.)

One pervasive theme is the failure to develop a Plan B – what to do now that we’re no longer gainfully employed. Sitting in a rocker by the dock of the bay is, in actuality, the pits. Without exception, friends in Florida and elsewhere, are wrestling, with varying degrees of success, with that selfsame dilemma. Some take menial jobs or volunteer for social services just to get out of the house or from underfoot. Others try reinventing themselves as sole entrepreneurs or consultants, usually with limited success.

But what is success? And, how is it measured once one leaves the office behind?

We want our opinions sought, the freedom to travel and explore new opportunities (on an expense account), we want to make decisions and have the force to see them properly executed. We want to find young talent and mentor it to new heights. We want to leave a legacy (not unlike former presidents).

However, success is largely an internal evaluation and therein lies the dilemma. What is ‘enough’ success? When does one say, “I’ve done all I can,” or “I’ve made enough money, now it’s time for others to take over”.

I have worked, both for and with, hugely successful men by measure of the companies they’ve built, the teams they forged or their contributions to the arts. Some examples:

• Robert Sarnoff, Chairman and CEO of RCA – forced out of office by his Board of Directors for trying to expand the company into unrelated businesses (Random House, Hertz, Karastan Carpets, etc.) Bob died a bitter man five years after his ouster.
• Arthur Collins, Chairman and CEO of Collins Radio Corp. – developed a very successful ham radio and avionics business only to be forced into a merger with Rockwell Intl. after incurring too much debt to venture into the computer arena. Art died seven years later after failing to start another company.
• Joe Paterno, Head coach of Penn State University, my alma mater – was forced to resign in disgrace after a sexual scandal involving an assistant whom Paterno foolishly tried to defend. Two years later, Joe “Pa” died of cancer.
• Loik Le-Floch Prigent, Chairman and CEO (of Elf largest oil company in France at the time and an investor in my company, Saber Equipment Corp.) – was found guilty of bribing African potentates in a pay-to-play scandal involving French access to African oil reserves and refineries.  Loik is still in a French prison.
• Lord John Brown, Chairman and CEO of British Petroleum, another Saber investor – Built BP into a major oil company through merger with Amoco, created TNK-BP a partnership with Russia to explore and develop Russian oil reserves. He was forced to resign after accusations he lied in court about his relationship with a male associate. Lord John still serves as a crossbench member of Parliament but was stripped of his interests in BP.
• Ross Perot, founder and CEO of Electronic Data Systems (EDS) – I first met Ross in a meeting with Art Collins when Perot expressed an interest in acquiring Collins Radio. The offer was rebuffed but Ross went on to build EDS into a colossus in data processing until he sold it to General Motors for $2.5 billion and a seat on GM’s board. After selling his ‘baby’ he became bored and frustrated by what he termed the ‘sleaze’ in American politics. He ran, unsuccessfully, for president in 1992 and today operates the SuperPAC United We Stand America.

Whether toppled or felled by circumstances beyond their control, all suffered a loss of pride, ego and self-esteem. Bob Sarnoff said to me over a few drinks one evening: “It’s not the money. What hurts most is the loss of platform.” He meant the company plane, the secretaries, the speaking engagements, the deference paid him by his peers.

My guess is that, sadly, like the Greek legend Icarus who flew too close to the sun, they had no Plan B. When their metaphoric wings melted, they too fell into the sea.

Others that I never knew personally, like Harold Geneen of ITT, Brian Williams of NBC, Dick Grasso of the NY Stock Exchange, Dennis Kozlowski of TYCO, Ken Lay of Enron, Ernest Hemingway, Marilyn Monroe, Robin Williams, Vincent van Gogh and others too numerous to mention all suffered after having reached what mere mortals would consider the ultimate in life – success.

Fame – how quickly the flame can flare, and then die.

My ‘PLAN B’?  You’re reading it !  Though, it is still a work in process.  I’ll keep you posted.

You are welcome.

For more go to: http://www.jameshpyle.com