We were surprised, shocked really, to discover the type of leadership required for turning a good company into a great one. Compared to high-profile leaders with big personalities who make headlines and become celebrities, the good-to-great leaders seem to have come from Mars. Self-effacing, quiet, reserved, even shy -- these leaders are a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. They are more like Lincoln and Socrates than Pattern or Caesar.

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As Alcoholics Anonymous and other recovery programs are quick to point out, the foundation of dealing with some of our most difficult life challenges is the wisdom and humility to accept the fact that there are some things we simply cannot do without help beyond ourselves.
The opposite of humility is arrogance and pride. It's putting ego first -- above principles, above others.