Greatness is in the Giving

Daniel Boulud is among the best chefs in the United States, and he is at the pinnacle in the realm of French cooking. He holds high standards and works hard, getting in the trenches when needed. Boulud offers an interesting blend of business savvy and an insightful recipe for success that works well beyond the confines of a cooking pursuit:

"To be a great chef is to be able to express what makes you the most happy, and the most in harmony.... In the end, everything we do is not for ourself but to give it to someone else. What I love about cooking is the personalization of the work and the spontaneity of it. For me, the definition of a great chef is to be able to be spontaneous as well as intellectual and disciplined -- it is a combination of things that give a little more power in the soul." (Wine Spectator, 09/30/11).

Personal success (and organizational leadership) evolves from clarity about where you want to go and commitment for how you are going to get there. Add a splash of curiosity and, as another famous icon once wrote, "Oh, the places you'll go." (Dr. Seuss, 1960)