Good People

Good People Plot Summary

Introduction

The air was thick with anticipation as Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's founding father, stepped into the conference room at the World Economic Forum in Davos. A young intern named Tony watched nervously from the corner, assigned to assist the senior statesman during his stay. What struck Tony wasn't just Lee's commanding presence, but his remarkable ability to balance seemingly contradictory forces. In meetings, Lee could be both authoritarian and compassionate, pragmatic yet deeply idealistic about his nation's future. This dance between opposing forces wasn't a weakness – it was the very source of his effectiveness as a leader. Leadership has never been about avoiding tension, but rather about embracing it. The most influential leaders throughout history have mastered the delicate art of balancing competing priorities: pragmatism versus idealism, short-term gains versus long-term vision, vulnerability versus conviction. They understand that these tensions aren't problems to be solved but polarities to be managed. In the pages that follow, we'll explore how exceptional individuals navigate these essential tensions, transforming potential conflicts into creative energy. Through their stories, we'll discover that leadership excellence doesn't come from eliminating tension, but from dancing with it – finding rhythm and balance in the midst of opposing forces.

Chapter 1: Truth as Foundation: Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore Vision

When twenty-four-year-old Tony was assigned as a temporary junior "body man" for Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he couldn't believe his luck. Having studied Singapore as a case study at Harvard, Tony knew of Lee's reputation as the architect who transformed a tiny city-state into an Asian economic powerhouse. What he didn't fully appreciate until their encounter was Lee's masterful balance of pragmatism and idealism. From the moment Lee arrived, Tony noticed his meticulous attention to detail. The senior minister's briefing package included precise information about the number of steps from his car to the hotel door, preferred room temperatures, and elaborate contingency plans. During their short car rides together, Lee peppered Tony with questions about everything from the sticks on mountaintops (were they for avalanche control?) to the logistics of how many cars were dispatched daily for the Forum. Tony often didn't know the answers, but quickly learned that providing incorrect information would be worse than admitting ignorance. Many obituaries following Lee's death in 2015 described him as an "authoritarian pragmatist." He wielded considerable power to realize his vision of transforming Singapore into a global city-state built on meritocracy, multiculturalism, and financial independence. His policies could be unforgiving – penalties for littering and prostitution included corporal punishment, while drug possession could result in death sentences. Yet at the center of these controversial policies was a leader guided by Confucian values and ideals, who believed society should respect individual rights, but not at the expense of society itself. Lee's accomplishments are undeniable. He created a municipality with virtually no crime, zero unemployment, and one of the highest savings rates globally. Singapore became a case study in sustained GDP growth. Lee believed individuals should fit into society, not the other way around. His philosophy echoed John F. Kennedy's famous words: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." During those days in Davos, Tony observed how Lee's disposition and practical philosophy were inextricably linked to his values and ideals – from his commitment to healthy living and precise exercise routines to his team's flawlessly executed logistics. Lee exemplified how truth could serve as the foundation for effective leadership, demonstrating that pragmatism and idealism weren't enemies but collaborators in waiting. The lesson was clear: exceptional leadership begins with truth – a deep self-awareness and commitment to core values that guide every decision, even when those decisions prove controversial. Lee's Singapore vision succeeded not despite the tensions he navigated, but because of his ability to dance with them, finding balance between competing priorities while staying anchored to fundamental truths.

Chapter 2: Balancing Pragmatism and Idealism: The MiniLuxe Story

In the fall of 2006, a group of entrepreneurs were searching for their first venture investment. They had considered everything from pricing search engines to Asian hot pot restaurants, but nothing clicked. Then one partner suggested a thought experiment: "What businesses do we encounter daily that are still 'Starbucks-able'?" While driving around his North Shore hometown that weekend, John noticed nail salons on nearly every corner. This observation sparked what would become MiniLuxe, a reinvention of the nail care industry. The team's research revealed a troubling landscape. The $8-10 billion nail care industry employed some 400,000 technicians, yet standards were wildly inconsistent. Health and hygiene practices were often deplorable, with toxic fumes and poor sanitation common. Many technicians faced exploitation, stolen wages, and difficult working conditions. Landlords were reluctant to rent to "another nail salon" due to odors and chemicals associated with the business. This created a profound tension for the founding team. On one hand, they felt vulnerable entering an unfamiliar industry where they had little expertise. They worried about forgoing traditional services like acrylics due to health concerns, potentially limiting their market. They questioned whether they could create a profitable business while ensuring fair labor practices and growth opportunities for employees. On the other hand, they had strong conviction that the industry needed transformation – that a people-first business that happened to do beauty, rather than a beauty-first business that happened to employ people, could succeed. The team decided to launch MiniLuxe in Newton Centre, Massachusetts in 2007. They installed surgical-grade autoclaving systems in an exhibition clean lab, established competitive wages with benefits, and created an architecturally award-winning space. Their guiding principle was "think big, start small, and scale appropriately." The business was built on a central purpose of self-care – the belief that you cannot fully take care of others unless you first tend to yourself. Nearly ten years later, MiniLuxe had expanded to multiple states, though the founders acknowledged they still had "a long way to go before claiming victory." When the New York Times published a front-page investigation in 2015 highlighting the shocking conditions in many nail salons, it validated the concerns that had inspired MiniLuxe's creation eight years earlier. The MiniLuxe story illustrates how successful leaders navigate the tension between pragmatism and idealism. They don't view these forces as frustrating contradictions but as productive tensions that lead to balance and innovation. By acknowledging their vulnerabilities while maintaining conviction in their purpose, the founders transformed an industry ripe for disruption. The dance between pragmatic realities and idealistic vision created something neither could have achieved alone – a business that improved conditions for both workers and customers while building a sustainable model for growth.

Chapter 3: The Long Game: Warren Buffett and Tom Brady

In late 1999, while dot-com companies were going public at the rate of almost one a day, Warren Buffett made what many considered a puzzling move. Instead of investing in the booming tech sector, he acquired Jordan's Furniture in New England. Critics were harsh. Barron's ran a cover story titled "What's Wrong, Warren?" suggesting the Oracle of Omaha was "too conservative, even passé." Online commenters dismissed Berkshire Hathaway as a "middlebrow insurance company studded with a bizarre mélange of assets, including candy stores, hamburger stands, jewelry shops, a shoemaker, and a third-rate encyclopedia company." Buffett remained unmoved by the criticism. He stuck to his belief that all businesses, technology-based or not, ultimately become valuable based on durable competitive advantage and superior cash flow. While Yahoo!'s value soared to $100 billion, more than Berkshire Hathaway's entire portfolio, Buffett continued his methodical, long-term approach to investing. Fast forward to 2016, and Berkshire Hathaway was worth at least $300 billion more than Yahoo!, which Verizon offered to buy for less than $5 billion. Buffett's patience had proven more valuable than the market timing strategies of his critics. As he often advised, "Only buy something that you are perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years." This same long-term perspective is evident in Tom Brady's approach to his NFL career. When Brady entered a 2001 game as a backup quarterback after Drew Bledsoe was injured, few could have predicted his eventual five Super Bowl championships, four Super Bowl MVP awards, and twelve Pro Bowls. What distinguishes Brady is not just his talent but his extraordinary discipline and commitment to sustained peak performance. For over a decade, Brady has followed what he calls the TB12 method – a holistic training program that enhances muscle pliability through intense tissue manipulation, specialized exercises, and a carefully considered diet with rigorous hydration. His eating habits are clockwork-like: no caffeine, no white sugar, no white flour, heavily plant-based seasonal foods, and constant hydration. When Brady spoke about his method, he emphasized that the real benefits emerged more than a decade after he began the program. "I never felt so good throwing the football," he explained. "Early in my playing, I used to think that pain and injury were just part of the way it was in sports, but I've committed myself to a different path and truly feel that I've never thrown the ball as well as I'm doing now." Both Buffett and Brady exemplify the power of playing the long game. They resist the short-term thinking that dominates their respective fields, choosing instead to focus on sustainable excellence. Their stories remind us that goodness and character development are similarly long-term endeavors. There are no shortcuts to building humility, self-awareness, and integrity. Like investing and athletic performance, the journey toward becoming our best selves requires patience, consistency, and a willingness to resist immediate gratification in service of more meaningful, enduring rewards.

Chapter 4: Vulnerability as Strength: James Dyson's 5,127 Failures

The story of how entrepreneur and inventor James Dyson went through 5,127 prototypes and 5,126 failures over fifteen years before inventing his massively successful vacuum cleaner has become entrepreneurial legend. Most people would have given up after a few dozen attempts, let alone thousands. But Dyson embraced each failure as a stepping stone toward eventual success, turning vulnerability into his greatest strength. Dyson has often said that the inventor's life is one of failure. "I've always thought that school children should be marked by the number of failures they've had," he once remarked. "The child who tries strange things and experiences lots of failures to get there is probably more creative." This perspective challenges conventional wisdom about success and failure. While most educational systems train students to find the "right" answer, Dyson suggests that doing things the "wrong" way is often the path to discovery and innovation. What makes Dyson's approach remarkable is his willingness to be actively vulnerable – to deliberately expose himself to risk, uncertainty, and potential failure in service of a greater purpose. This is fundamentally different from passive vulnerability, which implies weakness or helplessness. Active vulnerability is a conscious choice to take calculated risks while maintaining conviction in one's vision and values. With each failed prototype, Dyson gained new knowledge that brought him closer to the correct design. His vulnerability wasn't a liability but an asset that fueled his persistence and creativity. Similarly, at WD-40, CEO Garry Ridge has created a culture where there are no failures, only "learning moments" that encourage employees and build confidence. The company name itself celebrates this philosophy – WD-40 came about after thirty-nine prior attempts failed. This tension between vulnerability and conviction challenges leaders daily. Taking risks involves vulnerability, but once decisions are made, leaders need to show unwavering conviction in their purpose. The best leaders exhibit an intense conviction that derives from deeply held beliefs in the rightness of their decisions – a quality that can sometimes be misinterpreted as arrogance. Few leaders are adept enough to reconcile this balance, and fewer still can simultaneously maintain sufficient self-awareness and humility to adjust their plans when conditions change. The power of vulnerability extends beyond product development to human relationships. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable with others – to share our fears, doubts, and struggles – we create space for authentic connection. As researcher Brené Brown has observed, "Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy – the experiences that make us the most vulnerable." The dance between vulnerability and conviction teaches us that strength doesn't come from eliminating uncertainty or doubt, but from acknowledging these feelings while maintaining faith in our purpose and vision. By directly confronting our vulnerabilities and treating them as sources of potential growth rather than weaknesses to be hidden, we develop the resilience and authenticity that characterize truly exceptional leadership.

Chapter 5: The Fire Within: Mike McNamee's Toughest Decision

In late December 1999, a devastating fire engulfed the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Company in Massachusetts. Built in 1906, the abandoned building had become a shelter for homeless people who lit fires inside to keep warm. When smoke was spotted seeping from the roofline, firefighters were dispatched to the scene. What began as a routine call quickly escalated into one of the most significant fires in United States history. The building was a firefighter's nightmare – no windows above the ground floor, a single staircase, three-feet-thick walls, and a labyrinth of meat-storage lockers coated with highly combustible insulation. As the fire grew, six firefighters became lost and disoriented inside the inferno. District Fire Chief Mike McNamee, the incident commander, faced an impossible decision. Nearly two hours into the blaze, with six men already lost inside, McNamee saw a dozen more firefighters preparing to enter the building in rescue teams. He thought about their families – their spouses, children, and parents. After what he later recalled as about a minute of deliberation, McNamee made his decision: "Look, it's over. No more." As some of his men objected loudly, he physically blocked the doorway, spreading his arms and bracing one foot against the jamb. "We've already lost six," he said firmly. "We're not going to lose any more." The aftermath brought national mourning. President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and Senators Kennedy and Kerry attended the memorial service for the six fallen firefighters. McNamee later reflected, "We failed that night... The building kicked our butts big-time. The building won." Yet his decision to prevent more firefighters from entering the building likely saved many lives, even as it meant accepting the tragic loss of those already inside. McNamee's story illustrates the profound tension between grit and acceptance – between the determination to persevere against all odds and the wisdom to recognize when continued effort becomes destructive. This tension challenges us daily, though rarely with such life-or-death consequences. Give up too early, and you're seen as lacking perseverance. Hold on too long, and you're considered stubborn or reckless. Finding balance requires a strong sense of purpose and values, coupled with the ability to "sense and respond" to changing conditions. Strategic management theorist Stephan Haeckel described this approach as essential for navigating complex adaptive systems. Rather than rigidly following predetermined plans, adaptive leaders absorb information from their environment and adjust accordingly. As boxer Mike Tyson famously observed, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face." The resolution of this tension often comes down to eight key considerations: letting purpose and values lead; considering how decisions impact others; using a structured approach to decision-making; remaining open to new information; understanding your own biases; reading broadly to gain perspective; seeking counsel from trusted advisors; and recognizing that making a decision – any decision – is empowering. McNamee's story reminds us that heroism sometimes means finding the balance between grit and acceptance – doing what many would not do or be able to do. Each time we navigate this tension successfully, we develop a better sense of what lies within our control and what doesn't, echoing the wisdom of Reinhold Niebuhr's serenity prayer to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference.

Chapter 6: Mentorship Beyond Ordinary: Clark Terry and Justin Kauflin

The cameras were rolling in August 2011 when Justin Kauflin received a life-changing phone call in his doctor's waiting room. His mother sat beside him, with his guide dog Candy at his feet. Kauflin, who had lost his sight completely by age eleven due to a hereditary eye disorder, had just been selected as one of twelve finalists for the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute jazz competition. This moment, captured during filming of the documentary "Keep On Keepin' On," marked a turning point not only in Kauflin's career but in the remarkable relationship between the young pianist and legendary jazz trumpeter Clark Terry. Their story began years earlier when Kauflin, a top-ranked high school graduate, received a Presidential scholarship to William Paterson University, where Terry was a faculty member. By then, diabetes was causing Terry's own eyesight to fail. A mutual friend suggested Kauflin might share his experience with blindness to help the older musician prepare for the potential loss of his sight. What started as practical assistance quickly blossomed into something much deeper – a profound connection between a young musician and an elder master that transcended the traditional mentor-mentee relationship. Terry, who had mentored jazz luminaries including Miles Davis and Quincy Jones, recognized Kauflin's exceptional talent and took him under his wing. But their relationship went far beyond music lessons. As Terry's health declined, Kauflin became a constant presence, offering support and friendship to both Terry and his wife through numerous medical procedures. The documentary captured touching scenes of the pair playing together, with Terry exclaiming, "We've got a million of them!" about the tunes they shared. Their bond exemplified mentorship at its finest – reciprocal, authentic, and deeply human. In one poignant scene, Quincy Jones visits Terry's home while Kauflin happens to be there. After hearing Kauflin play, Jones offers to represent him through his music company. As Terry had written to Kauflin: "Challenges are a part of life. As you know, your mind is a powerful asset. Use it for positive thoughts and you'll learn what I learned. I believe in your talents and I believe in you." The Terry-Kauflin relationship demonstrates that effective mentorship begins with genuine connection. Unlike formal programs that often feel procedural and empty, their mentorship flourished because it was built on mutual respect, shared passion, and authentic care. Research confirms this reality – mentoring relationships without real rapport yield little benefit compared to no mentoring at all. True mentorship requires different roles at different times. Sometimes a mentor serves as a master of craft, sharing technical expertise and wisdom. Other times, they function as champions who advocate for their mentees' success. They might act as copilots working alongside on specific projects, anchors providing stability during difficult times, or even reverse mentees, learning from those they guide. The best mentoring relationships flow naturally between these roles as needed. The most effective mentors approach their role with five critical questions: What are you truly trying to achieve? What are you doing well that's helping you get there? What's slowing you down? What will you change tomorrow? How can I help? These questions, asked with genuine interest and compassion, create space for meaningful growth and development. Beyond technique, great mentorship embodies the Yiddish concept of being a "mensch" – a warm, authentic human being who listens deeply, celebrates others' strengths, maintains optimism, encourages unconventional success, chooses kindness over rightness, and shows up reliably. As psychologist Erik Erikson observed, mentoring fulfills our human desire for "generativity" – leaving behind better people than we found. Through their extraordinary relationship, both Terry and Kauflin achieved this, each helping the other become more fully themselves.

Chapter 7: Becoming a Better Judge of People: Ten Questions

Becoming a better judge of people may be one of life's most valuable skills. The choices we make about colleagues and associates form the foundation of our personal fulfillment because, ultimately, we are the sum of our interactions and experiences with others. After years of both successful and unsuccessful judgments about people, it becomes clear that our business and personal success largely reflects the quality of these decisions. Leadership is respected and organizational cultures endure only when choosing the right people becomes a top priority. But how can we look beyond competency or status to assess someone's character and values? Famous names and impressive titles are easy to evaluate but offer limited insight into a person's goodness. We need better tools to judge others not just for business purposes, but in our everyday lives. The first step is becoming aware of our biases. Two are particularly problematic: judging goodness by familiarity (seeking people who remind us of ourselves) and the "competency bias" that prioritizes skills and achievements over character and values. These biases can blind us to the qualities that truly matter in long-term relationships. To overcome these limitations, consider asking these ten questions when evaluating someone: Do you believe this person is self-aware? Self-awareness is the nucleus of success and happiness. Look for intellectual honesty about strengths and weaknesses, active curiosity, and consistency between thoughts, words, and actions. People who willingly document their intentions and follow through demonstrate this quality. Does this person feel authentic or obsequious? Good people don't contort themselves to impress others. When they offer praise or criticism, it feels genuine and objective. Authenticity means being yourself honestly and consistently, regardless of the situation or audience. What is the talk-to-listen ratio? Self-confidence is intoxicating, but someone who talks more than listens may be drunk with self-importance. Listening and caring go hand in hand. Watch for how often they use "I" versus "we," and whether they constantly try to "one-up" others in conversation. Is this person an energy giver or taker? Some people exude negativity while others radiate positivity, passion, and optimism. After interactions, ask yourself whether you feel energized or drained. Energy givers approach ideas with openness and tend to speak with optimism rather than cynicism. Is this person likely to act or react to a task? When asked to do something, some people become critical and defensive, while others jump in and try to solve the problem. Look for those who say "yes" to opportunities outside their job description, seeing the bigger picture of collaboration. How does this person treat someone they don't know? Watch interactions with strangers, service workers, or new colleagues. Is the person polite or brusque? Does she engage genuinely or treat others as inferiors? Condescension often stems from insecurity about our fundamental equality. What is the spouse or partner like? We are known by the company we keep, especially those closest to us. Consider meeting a candidate's partner, and ask how people close to them would describe their best and worst qualities. Does their self-perception align with how others see them? Is there an element of struggle in the person's history? Early setbacks shape character more than early successes. What matters is how someone transforms low points into learning opportunities – codifying lessons, reflecting on what was within their control, and planning for future challenges. What has this person been reading? Reading frames ideas, ignites new thoughts, and adds complexity to familiar perspectives. The habit of reading one to two books monthly, especially outside one's profession, enriches experience and enables multidisciplinary thinking. Would you ever want to go on a long car ride with this person? Beyond professional skills and workplace commonalities, could you genuinely connect with this person? This question tests the "who" rather than the "what" of a person, recognizing that shared values and authenticity matter more than common interests. These questions provide a framework for judging character and goodness, helping us move beyond superficial assessments to understand the values that truly define a person. By applying them thoughtfully, we can become better judges not only of others but also of ourselves, creating relationships built on authentic connection and shared purpose rather than mere convenience or utility.

Summary

The art of balanced leadership emerges from a willingness to dance with tension rather than eliminate it. Throughout these stories – from Lee Kuan Yew's transformation of Singapore to James Dyson's 5,126 failures before success, from Mike McNamee's heart-wrenching decision at the Worcester fire to the beautiful mentorship between Clark Terry and Justin Kauflin – we've witnessed how exceptional leaders navigate opposing forces. They don't choose between pragmatism and idealism, vulnerability and conviction, or grit and acceptance. Instead, they find the creative space where these tensions generate energy and possibility. This dance with tension isn't merely a leadership technique; it's a pathway to becoming more fully human. When we embrace the full spectrum of our experience – our strengths and vulnerabilities, our convictions and doubts, our need for both connection and individual expression – we discover our capacity for authentic leadership. The journey isn't about perfection but integration, finding wholeness amid complexity. As we develop our ability to balance competing priorities and values, we create environments where others can flourish as well. The most profound leadership lesson may be this: our greatest impact comes not from eliminating tension but from transforming it into a creative force that serves a purpose larger than ourselves. In this delicate balance lies the true art of dancing with tension – and the secret to leadership that endures.

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Anthony K. Tjan

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