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Cowboy Ethics: What It Takes to Win at Life
A new approach to business ethics is quietly taking hold in executive suites and corporate boardrooms across America. Frustrated by an epidemic of misbehavior at all employee levels, management teams are getting back to basics—back to the idea that personal character and individual responsibility are the ultimate keys to integrity, just as they were back in the days of the Open Range.
A decade ago, the book Cowboy Ethics first inspired businesspeople to look to the Code of the West. Once they did, they discovered that its simple, common-sense principles can be more effective guides to business leadership than a truckload of corporate mission statements, rules, and ethics manuals. “Cowboys are role models because they live by a code,” says author James P. Owen. “They show us what it means to stand for something, and to strive every day to make your actions line up with your beliefs. And isn’t that as good a definition of integrity as you can find?”
In the years since, the book’s “Ten Principles to Live By” have been embraced by scores of companies, universities, and even a state government. This updated Tenth Anniversary hardcover edition traces the evolution of this grassroots business movement in brand-new chapters while preserving the inspirational lessons and stunning photography of the original. A new introduction traces the rise of the Cowboy Ethics movement, while a new epilogue discusses how to live by the code. It’s ideal for corporate gifts, the new graduate, business students, or any career person who cares about doing the right thing.
A decade ago, the book Cowboy Ethics first inspired businesspeople to look to the Code of the West. Once they did, they discovered that its simple, common-sense principles can be more effective guides to business leadership than a truckload of corporate mission statements, rules, and ethics manuals. “Cowboys are role models because they live by a code,” says author James P. Owen. “They show us what it means to stand for something, and to strive every day to make your actions line up with your beliefs. And isn’t that as good a definition of integrity as you can find?”
In the years since, the book’s “Ten Principles to Live By” have been embraced by scores of companies, universities, and even a state government. This updated Tenth Anniversary hardcover edition traces the evolution of this grassroots business movement in brand-new chapters while preserving the inspirational lessons and stunning photography of the original. A new introduction traces the rise of the Cowboy Ethics movement, while a new epilogue discusses how to live by the code. It’s ideal for corporate gifts, the new graduate, business students, or any career person who cares about doing the right thing.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
6 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
About the author
James P. Owen
18 books7 followersAfter a successful 35-year Wall Street career, James P. Owen found new purpose in being an author, inspirational speaker, and social entrepreneur. His book, Cowboy Ethics, a best-seller with more than 150,000 copies in circulation, and two follow-up volumes, Cowboy Values and The Try, shine a light on the importance of shared values and personal character in our society.
Now Jim is propelled by a new mission: showing older adults how to get and stay in shape. His latest book, Just Move! A New Approach to Fitness after 50 (National Geographic), was inspired by his personal journey of transformation. As a 70-year-old “couch potato,” Jim resolved to do whatever it took to become fit and ease his chronic back pain. Seven years later, he is in better shape than he was in his twenties, and has become a passionate evangelist for fitness as a way of life. In his speaking engagements, he reminds audiences that being in shape helps older adults stay mobile, active, and independent, enabling a quality of life no amount of money can buy. Jim lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Stanya.
Now Jim is propelled by a new mission: showing older adults how to get and stay in shape. His latest book, Just Move! A New Approach to Fitness after 50 (National Geographic), was inspired by his personal journey of transformation. As a 70-year-old “couch potato,” Jim resolved to do whatever it took to become fit and ease his chronic back pain. Seven years later, he is in better shape than he was in his twenties, and has become a passionate evangelist for fitness as a way of life. In his speaking engagements, he reminds audiences that being in shape helps older adults stay mobile, active, and independent, enabling a quality of life no amount of money can buy. Jim lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Stanya.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 30, 2012
With all due respect, there's nothing wrong with the spirit or intent of this book. Its call for trust, fairness, and accountability is timely, especially after the abuse of all three of those virtues in the financial services industry helped trigger the worst recession in decades. The basis of its argument in plot lines and characters from Hollywood westerns is, however, questionable. While the author says he's steeped himself in the history of the Old West, there isn't much evidence of it besides a few quotes from men who have actually been cowboys: Teddy "Blue" Abbott, Will James, and John R. Erikson plus western folklorist J. Frank Dobie. The screenwriters who wrote the lines for John Wayne and Robert Duvall lack that level of credibility.
Owen first abstracts a code of the west from whatever he read and his viewing of westerns and then expresses it like 10 commandments, few of which lack anything like the clarity of the original 10 commandments. The principles they are meant to reflect are sometimes in conflict with each other, and sometimes open to debate. Principle #3, "Always finish what you start," sounds reasonable enough, but it contradicts some basic cowboy advice often quoted elsewhere, "When you've dug yourself into a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging." More ambiguous is #7 "Ride for the brand," which calls for loyalty to the boss and the owners but doesn't leave much room for whistle-blowers, in which case, I guess, you apply #10 "Know where to draw the line."
Looking to the Old West as a basis for an inquiry into American character has had its precedents, and in a century-old novel, "The Virginian" by another Owen - Owen Wister - you will find the certainties and ambiguities of cowboy values and codes of behavior explored with greater depth and plausibility than you will find in this 15-minute coffee-table read. Wister knew the West from first hand experience. A modern-day writer steeped in cowboy history, Elmer Kelton ("The Day the Cowboys Quit"), does another fine job of it. Translating these values to the boardroom and the corner office is more complex than the author is able to convey. Googling on the author's company, Austin Capital Management, reveals unfortunate connections with Bernard Madoff as of this writing. Sounds like there might have been a bit more in-house emphasis on #10, "Know where to draw the line."
Owen first abstracts a code of the west from whatever he read and his viewing of westerns and then expresses it like 10 commandments, few of which lack anything like the clarity of the original 10 commandments. The principles they are meant to reflect are sometimes in conflict with each other, and sometimes open to debate. Principle #3, "Always finish what you start," sounds reasonable enough, but it contradicts some basic cowboy advice often quoted elsewhere, "When you've dug yourself into a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging." More ambiguous is #7 "Ride for the brand," which calls for loyalty to the boss and the owners but doesn't leave much room for whistle-blowers, in which case, I guess, you apply #10 "Know where to draw the line."
Looking to the Old West as a basis for an inquiry into American character has had its precedents, and in a century-old novel, "The Virginian" by another Owen - Owen Wister - you will find the certainties and ambiguities of cowboy values and codes of behavior explored with greater depth and plausibility than you will find in this 15-minute coffee-table read. Wister knew the West from first hand experience. A modern-day writer steeped in cowboy history, Elmer Kelton ("The Day the Cowboys Quit"), does another fine job of it. Translating these values to the boardroom and the corner office is more complex than the author is able to convey. Googling on the author's company, Austin Capital Management, reveals unfortunate connections with Bernard Madoff as of this writing. Sounds like there might have been a bit more in-house emphasis on #10, "Know where to draw the line."
January 8, 2016
Overall: it's a coffee table book you are supposed to read.
Seems to me "Cowboy Ethics" is how one investment banker righted his conscience after his industry shafted America. Other than that, it's a good collection of thoughts on ethics in the American workplace today and is applicable to everyone, even though it was written directly to the Investment Banking industry.
The Cowboy Ethics laid out in the book are something to write down and consider everyday, akin to a post on the "Art of Manliness" blog, but the rest of the book is a collection of hand-picked scenes from Western books and movies. The pictures are the main selling point of "Cowboy Ethics," let's be clear, but the words are worth a leisurely read on a cold day in front of a fireplace. Then, place the book back on the coffee table and go outside and shovel snow thinking about how to integrate the cowboy way of life into your own. Chivalry is not dead, but only because few choose to keep it alive. The same can be said for honesty, integrity and loyalty to things other than sports teams. All of which "Cowboy Ethics" speaks to.
I would recommend this book to: white collar fans of cowboys, empty coffee tables and young professional men just starting out in their career.
Seems to me "Cowboy Ethics" is how one investment banker righted his conscience after his industry shafted America. Other than that, it's a good collection of thoughts on ethics in the American workplace today and is applicable to everyone, even though it was written directly to the Investment Banking industry.
The Cowboy Ethics laid out in the book are something to write down and consider everyday, akin to a post on the "Art of Manliness" blog, but the rest of the book is a collection of hand-picked scenes from Western books and movies. The pictures are the main selling point of "Cowboy Ethics," let's be clear, but the words are worth a leisurely read on a cold day in front of a fireplace. Then, place the book back on the coffee table and go outside and shovel snow thinking about how to integrate the cowboy way of life into your own. Chivalry is not dead, but only because few choose to keep it alive. The same can be said for honesty, integrity and loyalty to things other than sports teams. All of which "Cowboy Ethics" speaks to.
I would recommend this book to: white collar fans of cowboys, empty coffee tables and young professional men just starting out in their career.
March 13, 2019
READ MAR 2019
The Code of the West, from "Cowboy Ethics" buy J.P. Owen lists these timeless principles we can all strive to live by:
1. Live each day with courage
2. Take pride in your work
3. Always finish what you start
4. Do what has to be done
5. Be tough, but fair
6. When you make a promise, keep it
7. Ride for the brand
8. Talk less and say more
9. Remember that some things aren't for sale
10. Know where to draw the line
The Code of the West, from "Cowboy Ethics" buy J.P. Owen lists these timeless principles we can all strive to live by:
1. Live each day with courage
2. Take pride in your work
3. Always finish what you start
4. Do what has to be done
5. Be tough, but fair
6. When you make a promise, keep it
7. Ride for the brand
8. Talk less and say more
9. Remember that some things aren't for sale
10. Know where to draw the line
June 17, 2014
I suspected from the first page that this was a management consultant's tool for explaining the mission, vision, values thing to some company to turn around after being caught with a hand in the cookie jar, and in the last segment, I was pretty much confirmed. Investment Management Consulting Association is mentioned as being created by the author and tasked with bringing "cowboy ethics" to the investment corporate culture.
Now I've long had a dim view of consultants, who I have always considered to be parasites at best, piranhas at worst, and the TV show "House of Lies" has only reinforced that view. I saw Marty Kaan in almost every line of this, felt Don Cheadle's greasy smile dripping off each word.
Even if I were able to completely push those images out of my head, I would still see a glossy, shallow rah-rah team corporate bullsheet written with movie plots to illustrate the principles. Really? Shane? Hud? Open fucking Range?
No. If you want to make me believe this stuff, cut the gloss. Show the history--the real history--unvarnished and without the Photoshopped pictures. Go in depth and bring me the primary source documents, show me how the cowboy ethics really were. Don't just tell me. Because the second I know you are a management consultant, your word means less than nothing to me.
Now I've long had a dim view of consultants, who I have always considered to be parasites at best, piranhas at worst, and the TV show "House of Lies" has only reinforced that view. I saw Marty Kaan in almost every line of this, felt Don Cheadle's greasy smile dripping off each word.
Even if I were able to completely push those images out of my head, I would still see a glossy, shallow rah-rah team corporate bullsheet written with movie plots to illustrate the principles. Really? Shane? Hud? Open fucking Range?
No. If you want to make me believe this stuff, cut the gloss. Show the history--the real history--unvarnished and without the Photoshopped pictures. Go in depth and bring me the primary source documents, show me how the cowboy ethics really were. Don't just tell me. Because the second I know you are a management consultant, your word means less than nothing to me.
February 8, 2023
Someone I greatly respect in the banking industry recommended this book. I grew up in a ranching community, so I was pretty excited to read a book about how Cowboy Ethics translate to big business. The 10 principles in the book are bang on for any industry and any leader. The disappointing part of the book is that the stories used to illustrate the points in his 10 principles are all based on Western movies, most of which I haven't seen or don't remember and so the characters and references didn't translate for me. I was hoping for some brilliant examples from big business of how to apply a code of ethics that is much easier managed on the range in the presence of zero people and a lot of animals. I was also disappointed in the lack of explanation of the photography throughout. There are a lot of photos and none of them are captioned. Overall, read the 10 principles online and then spend your time looking for real life examples to illustrate them.
June 18, 2025
Owen made a compelling presentation on the subject of ethics in financial services at a National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, with a slideshow of images from his book. The artistry of the images had me interested in spending time on ranches for my own photography. The ethics lessons in his text inspired me to buy maybe fifty copies for clients and friends. Whicl I have not ventured onto ranchland quite like I imagined, the photography has inspired me to by at least book by the photographer Owen worked with in producing Cowboy Ethics.
July 26, 2017
I so fully support the concept that I can't give this book 3 stars, but it's not the greatest of literature. This is a must-read for people who dislike reading but wonder audibly, "Why are people so messed up these days?" Give them a copy; tell them it's supposed to be read first and then placed back on the coffee table. That's what a real cowboy would do. Address the situation and tell people to have a moral backbone that others can see from the front.
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September 12, 2023Wyoming codified this in statute… 8-3-123
https://casetext.com/statute/wyoming-....
https://casetext.com/statute/wyoming-....
July 4, 2018
Had to read for work
This is just about cowboys
That is my haiku
(Pictures were good - cowboy analogy is simplistic way of sharing business ethics and commandments of work, not bad, not life changing either)
This is just about cowboys
That is my haiku
(Pictures were good - cowboy analogy is simplistic way of sharing business ethics and commandments of work, not bad, not life changing either)
February 22, 2020
A good quick little coffee table type book with 10 principles to live by inspired by cowboy code. Not knocking the message or intent, but it’s not really what I would properly call a “book” in the true sense. You can read it in 30 minutes or so.
May 27, 2021
More of an inspiration leadership book that happens to explain things through cowboys than a book about cowboys. I got a couple golden quotes from this to take with me as I begin my own leadership journey.
December 19, 2021
Dreck with great photos. Other reviews discuss his shallow Hollywood understanding of the West and cowboys, but his blindness for the rapacious greed represented by his industry as a fundamental cause of the ethical problems he identifies is remarkable.
March 9, 2018
used this book as a base for a teen leadership and ethics workshop series. it was great and makes for a good coffee table book as well.
April 29, 2020
Short and to the point
December 28, 2020
Love the concept. Values to live by.
January 18, 2024
Cannot praise this enough it puts into words many of the standards my dad holds himself to
March 26, 2015
Just as with his previous book, "Cowboy Values", I am so appreciative of what this man has to say. He really offers a great view of the big picture and how applying the ways of the cowboy to even someplace as wordily as Wall Street would bring about huge paradigm shifts and offer people moral strength and power. Some quotes to illustrate:
"Now, when I think about how I would like to be remembered, it is not as the guy who lived in a beautiful house or brought in a lot of business or helped to build investment firms - though I have done all those things. I would rather be known as the guy who was not embarrassed or afraid to speak up about issues that matter a great deal. I have come to realize that anybody can make money; it is much harder to make a difference."
"To me, the fundamental problem is that we have confused rules with principles. Rules can always be bent, but principles cannot."
"What we need is not more regulation, but more inspiration."
"The Code of the West is not based on myth, but on the reality of life on the open range."
"There is more to courage than jumping into a river to save someone's life. It is also being willing to speak up and say something isn't right - even if that means going up against parters, colleagues, or superiors."
"When there's nothing more to say, don't be saying it."
"We can all be heroes in our own lives."
"Now, when I think about how I would like to be remembered, it is not as the guy who lived in a beautiful house or brought in a lot of business or helped to build investment firms - though I have done all those things. I would rather be known as the guy who was not embarrassed or afraid to speak up about issues that matter a great deal. I have come to realize that anybody can make money; it is much harder to make a difference."
"To me, the fundamental problem is that we have confused rules with principles. Rules can always be bent, but principles cannot."
"What we need is not more regulation, but more inspiration."
"The Code of the West is not based on myth, but on the reality of life on the open range."
"There is more to courage than jumping into a river to save someone's life. It is also being willing to speak up and say something isn't right - even if that means going up against parters, colleagues, or superiors."
"When there's nothing more to say, don't be saying it."
"We can all be heroes in our own lives."
August 7, 2013
The photos are incredible and the message is inspiring, as it's intended to be. I quibble with the notion that cowboy ethics are necessarily as black and white as Owen paints them to be, but I agree with him that Wall Street could learn a great deal from a set of values or a code that is based on hard work and integrity.
September 7, 2014
Read it!
A great review of timeless rules for life. It has been said that "the gates of history swing on small hinges." The principles that Mr. Owen discusses lay the ground work for making good decisions. I'll be glad to have this book in my library to review and use in teaching the young people in my life.
A great review of timeless rules for life. It has been said that "the gates of history swing on small hinges." The principles that Mr. Owen discusses lay the ground work for making good decisions. I'll be glad to have this book in my library to review and use in teaching the young people in my life.
February 17, 2013
The pictures in this book are beautiful. My favorite is the picture of the horses in the water which captures the reflections stunningly. The ethics discussion is a reminder of the value of a personal code to guide one's life.
October 11, 2010
Good, sound, down to earth advice.
August 3, 2012
Love this book. Good reading and awesome pics.
December 7, 2013
Great as a art book, the photos are beautiful
June 23, 2014
Great pictures and an especially useful set of principles and skills. It is the essence of ethical and responsible living through the "code of the west".
January 7, 2015
A beautiful Christmas gift, an oversize glossy paperback coffee table book, full of simple rules for all of us to live by, using the working American cowboy coda.
Read
September 26, 2010Read at the register...
June 7, 2012
One of the best short reads I have ever put in the path of my eyes. So true to the Cowboy Culture!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews