John D. Halamka is CIO of CareGroup Healthcare System and CIO of Harvard Medical School, but he is more concerned about his karma than about fame or fortune. The leadership principles he espouses center on avoiding special interest and instead promoting the greatest outcome for the most people.  

In a column at Computerworld, Halamka spells out five rules of thumb for keeping one's "karma balance" in the black. 

• "[D]o not grandstand, take credit inappropriately or demean others to enhance your own stature."
• "Treat everyone with respect, listen to their concerns and make decisions based on the greatest good for the greatest number."
• "Use email as a communication tool, not a weapon. If you feel emotion, save as draft and send it later. Never resort to blind cc's or use email to make others look bad to their superiors."
• "At the end of every day, look back on each open issue and ask if you've moved the issue forward."
• "Stick to your principles."

Before taking any action, Halamka advises, ask yourself how it would look to your parents, to a Senate panel and on the front page of the newspaper. If it looks good in these venues, it probably will be a boon to your karma.

For more:
- see John D. Halamka's column at Computerworld

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