The Selfish Benefit of Selflessness
- by Jim VandeHei
Axios Finish Line — The best people and leaders put their friends, colleagues and company above their own ambition.
Why it matters: It's often the wild CEOs with cutthroat cultures who get featured in books or HBO shows. But the most successful — and happy — leaders we know realize their own selfish ambitions by genuinely serving others.
- This sounds counterintuitive. But particularly in this era of valuing inclusion and purpose at work, people want to do things for people who do things for others.
- This is like a magnet, attracting other talented people of high character who want and cheer for you to succeed. You, in turn, benefit.
- The opposite is true, too: You can win a battle or an early promotion by being an ass or hiding your self-obsession. But it will bite you or bring you down eventually. Or leave you lonely at the top. Both outcomes are terrible.