There are many individuals, companies and countries that have experienced major declines due in part to their own arrogance.  Success can breed content and when people become content, it is very difficult to find the motivation and desire to keep working hard.  However, arrogance, the overtly proud and inflated opinion of one’s self, is almost an absolute guarantee of a coming fall.  As the saying goes, one should not rest on their laurels.

We have all known individuals that held their own opinion in such high esteem that it was difficult for them to even tolerate listening to a dissenting point of view.  Over time, they are left surrounded only by “yes men” that echo their opinions.  An engineer would never design a system with 20 sensory inputs that are really only 20 redundant inputs.  Failure would just be a matter of time.

Technology companies are infamous for becoming arrogant.  Success, fast growth, market share gains and great financial performance very often lead to corporate arrogance and an over inflated opinion of the corporate name, products and strategy.  In whatever area you work, you probably know people from an arrogant company.  Doesn’t it make your life easier competing against those companies?  Think of some of the companies that have fallen from those lofty heights in the last 40 years.  I thought there must be some strange correlation between companies paying to have sports stadiums named after them and the same companies rapid financial decline.  But really, it is simple.  Most of the companies paying for these naming rights are incredibly arrogant.  The stadium is just an outward sign of over inflated egos.

Though the word “arrogance” has French roots, I will stick to my own country.  At certain times in history, the United States has certainly had its share of arrogance in working with the international community.  Can patriotism be achieved without blind nationalism and arrogance?  Yes, I believe it can.  I don’t believe the US has an over inflated opinion of itself today, but I do see that the acts of some US politicians as incredibly arrogant.  Allowing the US to default on some debt obligations would be an example of not understanding the international implications.  Do you want investors to believe the US might not pay its debts?  What does that say about the inherent risk in the system?  The US needs to get its economic house in order, not create a panic over the potential fault risk of US government obligations.

I see the lack of arrogance in the US as a good sign.  Hopefully we can find leaders that will bring us face to face with our issues and build a consensus for the right solutions.  We will eventually have to deal with not being the largest economy in the world.  Hopefully our historic ability to innovate and bring capital to the right opportunities will keep us from going the route of the Roman Empire.

As for TEAM A.T.E. we pledge to never take an arrogant approach to our markets and customers.  We will treat you fairly, with respect and we will expect that you treat us in the same manner.  We will bring Creativity, Integrity and Performance to our everyday business practices.  We will do our best to help your company make the most of its capital budgets.  We look forward to working with you and making the secondary markets work for your company.  Like our political leaders, you too have difficult and important decisions to make when challenges arise.  We would like to prove to you our ability to be part of the solution.

-Kyle Schroeder, President