If you missed Tuesday's annual "stakeholder dialogue" of the Center for Ethical Business Cultures at the University of St. Thomas with economist-statistician Robert Frank, it's worth a look at this article in The Atlantic: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/05/why-luck-matters-more-than-you-might-think/476394/

Frank says in his book "Success and Luck: Good Fortune and the Myth of Meritocracy," that luck plays a bigger role for successful folks than believed. And when they see themselves as self-made, they tend to be less generous and public-spirited, necessary ingredients for capitalism is serve the common good.

Most of us are not born Rockefellers, Daytons or Trumps-on veritable third base.

"Little wonder that when talented, hardworking people in developed countries strike it rich, they tend to ascribe their success to talent and hard work above else," writes Frank, professor at Cornell University. "Most of them are vividly aware of how hard they've worked and how talented they are. In some abstract sense, they probably do know that they might not have performed as well in some other environment [such as being born poor in a ghetto or impoverished country where they lack connections and opportunity].

"That we tend to overestimate our own responsibility for our success is not to say that we shouldn't take pride. Pride is a powerful motivator. And yet failing to consider the role of chance has a dark side, too; making fortunate people less likely to pass on their good fortune."

David Rodbourne, a center vice president, underscored one of Frank's key points: "[Successful] people resent being told luck is a factor and assume you are telling them that their hard work doesn't matter. But if you ask them to reflect on their lives and careers and invite them to talk about events, actions and people who may have helped them along the way, they are more willing to say that luck was a factor along with hard work."

My take: Humble, content folks of means credit at least some success to family, mentors, teachers and/or gifted employees. They tend to share the wealth through investments in things like employee ownership, philanthropy, education and training programs to perpetuate inclusive capitalism and the common good.