【Management 0327】关于生活和领导力，大卫·洛克菲勒教给我的那些事

刘颖

Shortly after graduate school I landed a job at Chase Manhattan Bank’s corporate headquarters in New York City. I was part of a management program that developed young employees who were viewed as potential future company leaders. It was then that I first met the legendary David Rockefeller, scion of perhaps America’s greatest family, and one of the greatest corporate leaders our country has ever known. Over the years, I have been blessed to know him and consider him a role model.

This week, David passed away at the age of 101. His life was not just long, but incredibly full. He understood better than anyone the vast power of the CEO to not only lead a company, but also strive to change the world. Astonishingly kind and humble, he was the leader and the visionary that every CEO should aspire to be.

From the first time we met in the executive offices at Chase to our last time together in his home, every moment in his presence was a learning experience for me. As a small way to honor his memory, I thought I would share a bit of his wisdom:

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Understand the opportunities and obligations of power

David was highly conscious of the power of his famous name. But while he fully embraced every aspect of his family’s lineage, he was deeply invested in remaining humble and respectful in every interaction. He embodied the saying that “the true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is looking.” Whether he was dining with a head of state or chatting with a junior employee, he never relied on his name or the trappings of his vast power. As he once put it, “When you have a lot of resources, the most important thing is to have had good parents and to have been brought up by people who gave one the proper values.”

At the same time, he had a remarkable and visionary understanding of how to leverage his power for good. I have talked and written about the “Age of the CEO Statesman,” an emerging era in corporate leadership in which geopolitical dynamics are creating new opportunities for private sector leaders to exert moral power. David was the quintessential CEO Statesman; as The New York Times wrote, “His stature was greater than any corporate title might convey…His influence was felt in Washington and foreign capitals, in the corridors of New York City government, art museums, great universities and public schools.”

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Focus on relationships, not networking

David may have had the most extensive personal rolodex system. It contained hundreds of thousands of contacts, all of which included comprehensive personal information, mostly hand-written by David himself. If you were so fortunate to be a “fly on the wall” for any of his countless meetings and interactions, you would hear him inquire about the smallest details of his guest’s life, from a child’s ballet recital to a parent’s recent health concern. This was not done for show or effect, though it never failed to delight and disarm his visitors. To be in the company of David was to have an audience with greatness, but his interactions were always transformational, never transactional.

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Give the world more than you take from it

For all his accomplishments in business, David was most passionate and animated when he discussed philanthropy. He never simply wrote a check; he took an active interest in every organization and cause he founded and supported. His philosophy toward charitable giving was ahead of its time; he once described the goal of philanthropy as supporting “innovations that transform society, not simply maintaining the status quo or filling basic social needs…” The manifestation of this philosophy can be seen in the extraordinary legacy initiatives he founded and supported, such as the Council on Foreign Relations and the Americas Society. He also famously almost singlehandedly saved New York City’s treasure, the Museum of Modern Art, from financial ruin in the 1970s, in keeping with his life-long love of art. His dedication to philanthropy lives on in his children, including his daughter Peggy Dulany, who started the Global Philanthropists Circle with her father.

There will never be another man like David. A genuine American legend, he left the world a better place than he found it in endless ways. He never sought credit or attention, always seeking instead to shine his light on others.

When asked about his legacy back in 2003, David simply replied, “I can only say that I have had a wonderful life.” His greatest gift was that he shared his life with so many.

His legacy will burn brightly and eternally through the continued good work of his children, his extended family, and all those who see him as role model.

刘颖

TRANSLATIONS


我刚毕业不久在纽约的大通曼哈顿银行总部找到一份工作。当时公司挑选了一批有可能成为未来领导者的年轻人进入管理培训项目。培训期间我第一次见到传说中的大卫·洛克菲勒，美国最伟大的家族传人，也是美国有史以来最杰出的公司领导者之一。多年来我都因为认识他为荣，一直将他当成心目中的偶像。

上个星期，大卫去世了，享年101岁。他的生命不仅漫长，但极其充实。他比任何人都了解首席执行官不仅是企业的带头人，更要努力改变世界。他为人友好而谦逊，领导素质和远见卓识是所有首席执行官学习的榜样。
从我们第一次在大通银行经理办公室认识，到最后一次在他家见面，每次与他交流对我都是学习的机会。在此我想分享一些他传授的智慧，聊作缅怀之意：

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要了解权力带来的机会和责任

大卫非常清楚伴随名声的巨大权力。他努力继承家业认真经营，但与任何人交流时都很注意保持谦逊和尊重。他充分体现了一句老话“周围没人时的行为才能看出一个人真正的品格。”不管与国家领导人共进晚餐，还是与初级员工聊天，他从未刻意强调自己的名声或沉浸在权力中。他曾说过，“如果一个人拥有很多资源，最重要的就是有深明事理的父母，成长过程中遵循正确的价值观。”

与此同时，他也很深谙如何利用权力多行善事。我曾写过一本书《首席执行官政治家的年代》，提到当今是企业领导崛起的时代，随着地缘政治多变，私营领域的领导者越发有机会发挥道德力量。大卫就是首席执行官政治家的典范；正如《纽约时报》写道，“他的地位没有头衔能准确描述……他的影响力不管在华盛顿特区还是外国首都，不管是纽约市政府走廊，艺术博物馆，顶尖大学还是公立学校处处皆是。”

刘颖

注意维护关系，而不是单纯社交

大卫的关系网极其庞大，里面有上千上万的联系人，每个联系人都有详细的个人信息，大部分都是大卫亲手标注。如果有幸化身“墙上的苍蝇”跟着大卫开会聊天，就会发现他总是认真询问对方的生活，从孩子的芭蕾舞表演到父母最近身体欠佳。他从不是做做样子，也没什么强烈的目的，不过确实能让对方心情愉快放下戒备。加入大卫的公司后经常有机会得到杰出前辈谆谆教诲，成长会非常迅速，眼光不会局限在日常事务。

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贡献要大于索取

诸多事业成就中，大卫谈起慈善总是格外热情有兴致。他在慈善方面的努力很超前；他曾表示慈善的目标是支持“改变社会的创新，而不是保持现状或是满足社会基本需求……”在他成立和支持的卓越传承计划中这些理念都有体现，比如在美国外交协会（Council on Foreign Relations）和美国社会（the Americas Society）。此外他还以上世纪70年代一手拯救纽约现代艺术博物馆闻名，因为他一生挚爱艺术。大卫对慈善的热衷也影响了孩子，包括女儿佩吉·杜拉尼，她与父亲共同创立了全球慈善圈。

世上再也找不到第二个大卫·洛克菲勒一样的伟人。他是美国传奇，终其一生都在努力将世界变得更好。他不图名利，总是散发温暖之光照亮他人。

2003年时有人问起大卫如何看身后遗产，他只简单回答，“我只能说这一生非常美好。”其实他留下最好的礼物便是与很多人共享幸福生活。

今后他的遗产也将永远闪亮传承，通过孩子们，通过家族，也通过每一个将他当成榜样的后辈。