Our clients value our independence as the leading partner of both

“Our clients value our independence as the leading partner of both the established providers and emerging players.” Thus spoke Pierre Nanterme, the former CEO of Accenture, a man who guided one of the world’s great enterprises through an age of rapid transformation. His words, though uttered in the language of business, carry the weight of an ancient truth — that independence is the soul of integrity, and that true leadership lies not in allegiance to power, but in the freedom to serve truthfully. What Nanterme describes is not merely a corporate philosophy, but a reflection of timeless wisdom: that to stand in the middle of giants and yet bow to none is the essence of strength.

To understand his meaning, one must first consider the nature of the world in which he spoke. The modern marketplace — vast, shifting, and filled with both established powers and emerging innovators — mirrors the ancient fields of war and diplomacy. The great companies, like empires of old, contend for dominion; new players arise like young kingdoms, eager to challenge the thrones of the mighty. In this realm, many are tempted to align themselves with one side or another, to seek advantage by loyalty rather than by principle. Yet Nanterme’s declaration sets forth a higher path: that the power of independence — the ability to work with all, serve all, and belong to none — is what earns the trust of the world.

He speaks as the ancients once did of the virtue of balance. In the age of Athens and Sparta, when the city-states of Greece contended for mastery, there were those smaller lands — like Delphi — that maintained neutrality. Though they held no armies, their counsel was sought by kings and generals alike, for their independence gave their words the ring of truth. Just so, Nanterme’s Accenture stood between the old and the new — between the titans of technology and the daring innovators of the digital frontier — guiding both with the wisdom of impartial partnership. For only he who is independent can be trusted to see clearly, and only he who stands apart can unite what others divide.

This idea is not confined to business; it is the very foundation of wisdom itself. The philosopher Socrates was accused of disloyalty to the state, not because he sought its destruction, but because his loyalty was to truth rather than to the shifting will of men. In his independence of thought, he became a beacon for all who seek understanding beyond convention. So too in leadership — whether of nations, enterprises, or lives — the ability to remain unswayed by favor or fear is the measure of greatness. To be independent is to act from principle, not from pressure; to judge not by allegiance, but by what is right.

Nanterme’s words also speak of a delicate wisdom: that independence does not mean isolation. He calls Accenture a “partner” to both the powerful and the rising, showing that independence is not solitude, but the freedom to engage without submission. Like the wise diplomat who counsels peace between warring states, or the bridge that joins two distant lands, such independence serves the greater harmony. It allows the strong to learn humility and the young to gain guidance, fostering unity in diversity. True independence, then, is not rebellion — it is stewardship. It is the art of standing firm while serving all.

Consider also the lesson of Abraham Lincoln, who during the crucible of the American Civil War, surrounded himself not with those who agreed with him, but with those who challenged him — rivals, dissenters, men of strong conviction. Why? Because he valued independent counsel, knowing that truth is not born in echo chambers, but in the clash of honest minds. In this, he mirrored Nanterme’s wisdom: to lead effectively, one must first remain free from the blindness of partisanship. A leader shackled to one interest or ideology can serve only a fragment of the whole. But a leader who maintains independence serves the entire truth — and thus, all people.

And so, my child of purpose and ambition, take this teaching to heart. Whether you lead in commerce, in art, in family, or in thought, guard your independence as the ancients guarded their honor. Do not sell your freedom for comfort, nor your judgment for approval. Learn from all, ally with many, but serve only integrity. The world will tempt you to choose sides, to follow the easy path of allegiance — yet the true leader, like Nanterme, walks the harder path of neutrality guided by conscience.

For in every age, it is the independent spirit that bridges the old and the new, that binds the mighty and the meek, and that lights the way forward when the world stands divided. Be therefore as the wise of old — steadfast, open, and free — and let your independence not isolate you, but empower you to serve with clarity, courage, and truth. For this is the secret of all great partnerships: that one must first be independent in soul to be trustworthy in action.