The Ambitious Leader

Ambition—we tell people to get some and praise those with drive. Ambition is, in many ways, a good thing. It is a necessary ingredient for success, both personal and organizational. But ambition, like a very potent spice, is best used in moderation. It can poison the entire dish when it becomes the dominant flavor, particularly the selfish kind.

Ambition itself isn't evil. Wanting to grow, achieve, and make a mark are normal human desires. The problem starts when ambition digresses into something self-serving, and pursuing "more" overshadows integrity and what the organization stands for. Selfish ambition kills culture.

Selfish ambition is ambition unrestrained by ethics and unburdened by consideration for others. It's the kind of drive that compels individuals to compromise their values, engage in office politics as if it's an Olympic sport and step on colleagues as if they are merely rungs on their personal ladder to the top. It's not just about wanting to win. It's about needing everyone else to lose.

Two colleagues who have been friends for years shared an agreement: the senior was mentoring the other for succession. But impatience took hold of the mentee. He bypassed the process, endorsing organizational changes that favored him but directly undermined his mentor's position. Selfish ambition severed their long-time friendship.

Two partners launched a startup. They were in sync with vision, direction and skills. As the company grew, one partner's ambition shifted. He began to hoard credit, exclude his partner from key decisions and subtly undermine his contributions to appear indispensable to investors. The partnership built on years of shared dreams and mutual respect dissolved into legal battles and personal animosity because of selfish ambition.

The department head once known for being a team player, became fixated on a promotion. To appear exceptional, she started taking sole ownership of team successes, failing to acknowledge the efforts of her subordinates. She even pointed fingers at team members for minor setbacks to deflect blame from herself and elevate her own image with senior management. Her selfish ambition turned her team from dedicated and high-performing to fragmented and distrustful.

How Selfish Ambition Kills Culture

It kills meaningful relationships because of betrayal. Trust is the glue that holds teams together. Selfish ambition thrives on breaking that trust. Leaders driven by this toxic ambition are willing to betray confidences, take credit for others' work, and even sabotage colleagues to get ahead. This stirs up a climate of suspicion and paranoia. People become hesitant to collaborate, share ideas, or form genuine bonds, fearing exploitation of any vulnerability. A workplace where betrayal is commonplace is a workplace devoid of meaningful connection. It becomes a transactional environment, not a community.

It kills sincerity. In a culture influenced by self-serving leaders, authenticity becomes a liability. People learn to present a carefully crafted persona, saying what they believe will advance their interests, not what they genuinely think or feel. Honest feedback is replaced by insincere praise or calculated agreement. Transparency dies as individuals become guarded and strategic in their interactions. This lack of sincerity creates a superficial and ultimately hollow culture. Real communication and genuine connection become casualties.

It kills other people's healthy ambitions. Witnessing selfish ambition rewarded can be incredibly demoralizing. When leaders see colleagues advancing through manipulation and self-promotion while those focused on genuine contributions are overlooked, it sends a destructive message. It suggests that integrity and hard work are not valued and that the "game" is rigged in favor of the self-serving. This can crush the healthy ambition of those genuinely driven to achieve and contribute for the good. They may become disillusioned, cynical, or even adopt the same selfish tactics to survive. The effort that should be channeled into collective progress is diverted into individual self-preservation or quiet resentment.

How to have a healthy ambition

1. Be Content, Not Comfortable. Contentment and comfort are not the same thing, though some confuse them. Comfort is about external ease – a plush office, a high salary, and minimal stress. You've settled down and stopped dreaming. Contentment is being grateful, regardless of external circumstances. Gratitude produces satisfaction. And satisfaction, a healthy ambition. Healthy ambition grows from a place of contentment. It's about wanting to contribute more, to learn more, to become more, not just to have more. On the other hand, selfish ambition is fueled by a relentless pursuit of comfort and a never-ending chase for external validation and possessions. It's a fragile foundation constantly demanding more to feel momentarily secure.

A runner who is content runs for the joy of the sport, pushing their own limits. A runner driven by comfort only runs for the prize, constantly comparing themselves to others and viewing every race as a desperate attempt to prove their worth. Which runner do you think will have a more sustainable and fulfilling journey?

2. Dream Bigger Than You. Selfish ambition is inherently small. It centers on your needs, desires and advancement. Healthy ambition looks outward. It is inspired by something greater than oneself – a God-given purpose, a cause, a team, an organization, or even the world. When your ambition is rooted in contributing to something significant, it naturally becomes less self-centered. You start to consider the impact of your actions on others, not just on your own trajectory. This is selfless leadership.

One dreams of building a company solely to amass personal wealth and power, viewing employees as expendable resources. The other envisions creating a company that solves a real problem, improves lives and provides meaningful work for its employees. Both are ambitious, but the scope of their ambition is vastly different. One is constrained by self; the other is expanded by purpose.

3. Trust the Process. Selfish ambition is impatient. It demands immediate results and instant gratification. It seeks shortcuts, bypasses necessary steps and is willing to compromise long-term integrity for short-term gains. Healthy ambition is rooted in patience. It understands that meaningful achievements take time, effort and perseverance. It respects the journey, knowing that growth happens incrementally. It trusts that consistent effort aligned with values will yield sustainable results.

Slow is fast. The most direct route is not the quickest path to lasting success. Building a strong career, a robust organization or a meaningful legacy requires laying a solid foundation, brick by brick. Do not despise humble beginnings. Every towering structure started with a single stone. Patience is not passive waiting; it is active perseverance.

Perhaps no verse summarizes the essence of healthy ambition better than this. Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV) puts it this way: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

The End DOES NOT Justify The Means

Here is a hard truth: the how of your ambition is just as important as the what. Selfish ambition fixates solely on the destination, willing to sacrifice integrity and relationships along the way. A career built on compromised values is a fragile structure, prone to collapse. Success achieved by stepping on others is ultimately hollow and isolating. The means matter just as much as the end.

The question is not whether you are ambitious but what kind of ambition drives you. Is your ambition building you up, or are you building it up by tearing others down? Choose wisely. Be aware that the end never truly justifies the means in the long run, especially when those means leave a trail of casualties.

What kind of ambition fuels you?

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REMEMBER

1. Ambition itself is not evil; selfish ambition becomes a culture killer by prioritizing personal gain over integrity and relationships.

2. Healthy ambition grows from a place of contentment.

3. The means to achieve ambition are as crucial as the end. Compromising values for personal gain undermines lasting success.

REFLECT

1. Have I ever prioritized personal ambition at the expense of my values or relationships, and what were the consequences?

2. How can I be content to ensure my ambition stems from a healthy place?

3. What is my "bigger than me" dream? Does it please God, inspire others, and make a difference?

RESPOND

1. Identify one area where your ambition might lean towards being "selfish." What specific adjustments can you make this week to redirect it toward healthy ambition?

2. Schedule time for reflection to define your "bigger than you" dream. How can you incorporate this purpose into your daily work and long-term career goals?

3. Consider a recent situation in which you felt impatient or rushed in your ambition. What lessons can you draw from that experience about trusting the process and embracing patience?