Nearly 30 years ago, I spent the day with a man named Ron Robinson. He was a renowned communications strategist with a resume that included advising U.S. Presidents and many other leaders. To be clear, this wasn’t my choice. At the time, I was a first-time CEO, and my Board had decided I needed a little polishing. I didn’t have much room to argue.
Over the course of the day, Ron coached me on a range of topics. He talked about speaking slowly, embracing the pause, and sitting on my coattails during TV interviews. He tried to convince me of the virtues of a sunlamp, given my complexion. Aside from the sunlamp suggestion, it was all good advice.
But it was the message Ron gave at the end of the day that stuck with me more than anything else. He said, “Chris, at a certain point in your life, it is going to be very important to move beyond success to significance.”
While I understood the profound nature of Ron’s challenge, my 36-year-old self was far more focused on the success part.
What I failed to internalize back then was that I had my goals mixed up. I was striving for – and intently focused on – success without much consideration for the significance of what I was building or working toward. Success and significance aren’t mutually exclusive, of course. But in those early days, the concept of significance never factored into my decision-making. If my company was successful, that seemed good enough.
Suffice it to say, I no longer feel that way.
Our world is navigating perilous times. We live in an era of global pandemics and catastrophic natural disasters. Healthcare costs are soaring – and on an unsustainable trajectory. Our energy consumption trends are untenable. And we live with the daily realities of intense geopolitical competition ranging from deterrence to, sadly, open conflict.
At the same time, the world is transforming at remarkable speed. Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries with quantum close behind. Breakthroughs in energy generation alternatives like fission and fusion are accelerating. And, perhaps most profoundly, we have entered the bio-revolution, an era where the code of life itself can be edited.
In the midst of all of this, I’m excited.
Why? This is exactly the right moment to create companies of true significance. Those that will contribute consequential solutions to the most vexing issues of our time. Companies that are building what matters. And I believe the greatest companies of this century are being seeded right now and will continue to emerge over the next 20 years.
So, three decades after Ron challenged me, I am now challenging you. Build something that is remembered not just for what it achieved, but for how it changed the world for the better. If that is your ambition, we want to be your partner on the journey.
Be Significant. Shape the Future.
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