Here’s something stupid that CEOs, presidents and business owners do: they fail to keep it in their pants.

The biggest case in recent memory concerned the dear old president of these United States, William Jefferson Clinton – or Ol’ Willy as the stories will one day be told.

His failure to keep it locked down had to do with so many issues: his ego, his self esteem, his power, and the simple urges of simple men – or for short, men. Interestingly enough, it’s these same forces – ego, esteem, power and manly urges – that drive men to start companies and become presidents in the first place (money could be added to the list, too), but that’s no reason to get led around by your lesser brain.

If for no other reason (and when I’m talking about neglecting reasons I include things like the sanctity of marriage, practical morality, metaphysical morality, putting your family or business first, etc.) than to avoid getting caught, do not cheat on your wife or spouse while running a company.

Don’t cheat on them anyway but especially if you’re running a company it’s a bad idea. You will get caught – especially if your company is facing a crisis.

It always comes out . . . and not in the way to which you may have grown accustomed.

What’s worse is that these issues always have a way of arising when things are already headed south . . . and not in the way to which you may have grown accustomed.

I was dealing with a guy who was originally in the business of manufacturing apparel. He couldn’t keep focused on his core business, however, because he had a dream of designing the perfect yacht.

Lucky for him, he succeeded in making such a great yacht that he ended up on the cover of a major yachting magazine for his unbelievable hull design.

Unlucky for him, when he and his yacht were photographed for the cover shoot his scantily clad girlfriend, simply busting with joy and enthusiasm, ended up on the yacht in the background of the photo.

When his wife saw the cover of the magazine, she filed for divorce and took the company with her. After all, the business was started with her daddy’s money.

Another quickie, so to speak. The CEO and Chairman of the Board of a retail establishment – in the middle of his company’s bankruptcy – got caught with his kids’ babysitter. The messiness that ensued caused him to lose focus on the company’s issues, which ultimately had to be sold off in pieces.

Both of these men (and I’ve got 20 more of these stories) lost everything – businesses, money, families, and the lives they had built – because they couldn’t keep it in their pants.

Not keeping it in your pants can be very expensive.

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