Story (real‑life fact): The 2008 Lehman Brothers collapse!

  Observe

 When You Put Yourself First, Everything Else Becomes Secondary…..

In the years leading up to 2008, Lehman’s senior leadership made self‑preservation their unspoken rule. Bonuses, short‑term stock‑price targets, and personal career gains became the priority. Risk‑y traders and executives chased ever‑riskier mortgage‑backed securities because the upside lined their own pockets—_the firm’s long‑term health was secondary_.

- Decision‑making bias: When the bet went sour, the same leaders chose to _hide_ the exposure (Repo 105 transactions) because admitting the truth threatened their personal reputation and bonuses.

- Result: The firm filed for bankruptcy, 15,000 employees lost jobs, and the shock rippled through global markets, wiping out trillions in wealth.

Why it fits the concept:

- First priority = personal benefit. Their interests (bonuses, status) outweighed the duty to shareholders, employees, and regulators.

- Bias: The tunnel vision created by self‑interest skewed judgment, making risky bets look “safe” and ignoring warning signs.

- Outcome: The collapse proved that when _self‑preservation_ eclipses _collective responsibility_, the entire system can crumble.

Moral twist: The story shows how self‑interest as the primary driver can become a dangerous bias, turning a company—and even an economy—into a house of cards. When “me” outweighs “we,” the foundation cracks, and everything else becomes secondary!