Beyond Oneself

Taken from the book Good to Great, by Jim Collins:

David Maxwell, like Darwin Smith (ex-CEO Kimberly-Clark) and Colman Mockler (ex-CEO Gillette), exemplified a key trait of Level 5 leaders: ambition first and foremost for the company and concern for its success rather than for one’s own riches and personal renown. Level 5 leaders want to see the company even more successful in the next generation, comfortable with the idea that most peopple won’t even know that the roots of that success trace back to their efforts. As one Level 5 leader said, “I want to look out from my porch at one of the great companies in the world someday and be able to say, ‘I used to work there.'”

I thought this was a fantastic example of what we should all aspire to do, going beyond oneself, working for the greater good rather than the individual, and not fearing nobody knew.