In the opening episode of the hit series Suits, Mike Ross bluffs his way into Harvey Specter’s office, then lands a job as an associate in a prestigious law firm despite never graduating from law school or officially passing the bar. The ruthless Specter can’t help being impressed by Ross’s brazenness.

Brazen is one way to describe Specter’s future protege. Another might be audacious. Also: bold, brash, insolent, cocky, shameless, cheeky, spunky, or unabashed.

But there is one word that includes all of these, and more. Which makes it a fitting choice for the current entry into the Ethical Lexicon:

Chutzpah (chutz·pah/’ho?otsp?) noun

Confidence or courage bordering on arrogance, roughly equivalent to “nerve”

The origin of the word is not classical Hebrew but ancient Aramaic, a pidgin hybrid that evolved when Jews exiled from Israel to Babylonian blended local speech with the language of their homeland. Appearing in rabbinic literature, the root word means to peel, strip away, or lay bare. Hence the adopted Yiddish connotation of barefaced, undisguised impudence.

But is it necessarily a bad thing?

Six hundred years ago, an unknown German-Jewish philosopher published The Ways of the Righteous, a work now revered as an essential guide to personal development. The author proposes that there are no good or bad character traits; rather, every element of our personalities can be utilized productively or destructively. Applying practical wisdom, we can harness our natural temperament and channel our behavior in our own best interest.

Consider a sledgehammer versus a feather duster: both are useful tools. The former may be indispensable for demolition but good for not much else; if used irresponsibly, it will cause enormous damage. The latter is much more difficult to misuse, but you won’t want to insert it under the hood of your car with the engine running.

The same model applies to character traits. Kindness has far more positive applications than ruthlessness, but misdirected kindness can enable self-destructive behavior, and dispassionate sternness may be necessary to enforce accountability. Similarly, although chutzpah is generally associated with arrogance, insolence, and disrespect, it can also describe the unapologetic straightforwardness occasionally needed to break through gridlock and get the job done.

Case in point: One of the most audacious endeavors in military history was Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps to attack the Roman Empire within its borders.  Embarking on what seemed an impossible campaign, the Carthaginian general led a contingent of 70,000 men, 20,000 horses, and 37 elephants on a 1,500-mile-long trek, overcoming treacherous terrain, bitter cold, and tribal chieftains along the way. His chutzpah paid off, culminating in a series of successful engagements against the Roman army (although he never received the reinforcements he needed to capture the capital of Rome and claim ultimate victory).

In business, it’s hard to find a more compelling example of chutzpah than Elon Musk. Love him or hate him, his accomplishments with Tesla and SpaceX prove that refusing to bow to conventional wisdom can pay off with stratospheric success.

The value of chutzpah is canonized in ancient teachings. Not long after Hannibal led his expedition over the Alps, the Jewish sage Judah ben Teima taught: Be bold as a leopard, light as an eagle, swift as a deer, and strong as a lion to fulfill the purpose for which you were created.

Once upon a time, a culture that counted modesty among the highest virtues regarded the spotted leopard as the exemplar of brazenness. This is a far cry, however, from the exhibitionism and frantic attention-seeking that has become the norm in our era of social media and self-promotion. Rather, it’s a boldness that emerges naturally from devotion to core values and a sense of inspired purpose.

Being bold, however, is easier said than done. We give lip service to the adage that there are no bad ideas. But the fear of looking foolish—whether in the eyes of our colleagues or the boss—brings the weight of self-censorship fully to bear. It’s better to keep silent, is it not, than offer a proposal that might elicit a smirk, an eye-roll, a snort, or full-blown ridicule? Yet how many bright ideas never see the light of day because we suppress them fearing disapproval?

Netflix founder Marc Randolph turns the adage on its head when he asserts that there are no good ideas. With the single exception of Mozart, the most celebrated composers all worked through countless revisions to produce their masterpieces, as have the most brilliant novelists, poets, scientists, and inventors. Genius does not burst into the world fully formed. It gradually takes shape over time through trial and error, through slow polish and refinement, ideally through consultation and collaboration.

The worst idea may ultimately prove to be the best idea. But that only happens when we have the chutzpah to throw it out on the table and, by doing so, give it the chance to succeed.