If I mention Huggies Diapers or Kleenex Tissues I am quite sure that you know the products well. What you likely do not know is the former CEO of the company which produces those items.
You probably do not know that this CEO radically changed the culture and products of the company - Kimberly-Clark - a generation ago.
You probably do not know that the CEO put his reputation and wealth and career on the line for the greater good of the company.
You probably do not even know the man's name - Darwin Smith.
In my opinion Darwin Smith was a classic Life-Giving Leader. Why? Because he exhibited some crucial, attractive qualities namely:
Discipline and Focus: Smith made very painful decisions early on to sell off unprofitable paper mills and cut the losses for the company. The decision was wildly unpopular with the company's employees and board.
Consistency: Smith had an unwavering consistency in which people absolutely knew his yes meant YES and his no meant NO.
Invisibility: Darwin Smith never sought the limelight, never sought accolades, did not take credit for the company's turn-around and eventual success. (parenthetically, I yearn to encounter Christian leaders who embrace this same quality - they are painfully few and far between)
Finishing Well: Darwin Smith retired in 1991 from Kimberly-Clark and the company did not miss a beat. Over the coming years Kimberly-Clark merged with Scott Paper to become the world's largest paper goods company in the world. Smith died suddenly in 1995 of a heart attack. While his life was cut short, we still finished well.
You probably do not know that the CEO put his reputation and wealth and career on the line for the greater good of the company.
You probably do not even know the man's name - Darwin Smith.
In my opinion Darwin Smith was a classic Life-Giving Leader. Why? Because he exhibited some crucial, attractive qualities namely:
Discipline and Focus: Smith made very painful decisions early on to sell off unprofitable paper mills and cut the losses for the company. The decision was wildly unpopular with the company's employees and board.
Consistency: Smith had an unwavering consistency in which people absolutely knew his yes meant YES and his no meant NO.
Invisibility: Darwin Smith never sought the limelight, never sought accolades, did not take credit for the company's turn-around and eventual success. (parenthetically, I yearn to encounter Christian leaders who embrace this same quality - they are painfully few and far between)
Finishing Well: Darwin Smith retired in 1991 from Kimberly-Clark and the company did not miss a beat. Over the coming years Kimberly-Clark merged with Scott Paper to become the world's largest paper goods company in the world. Smith died suddenly in 1995 of a heart attack. While his life was cut short, we still finished well.
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