A CEO Role Model?

When you think of a typical Fortune 500 CEO, what characteristics come to mind? Personally, I see a standard corporate big-wig as…

-a male in late 50s, early 60s
-power-hungry
-in suboptimal health due to lifestyle
-sacrificing personal relationships for his career
-pocketing huge bonuses despite taxpayer-funded bailouts
-a fat-cat capitalist, through and through

And so on. I was generalizing greatly of course, but that’s the impression we most often get. It’s no wonder that these people are some of the wealthiest and most powerful in the world, yet we don’t often look up to them with envy. There isn’t much desirable about the traits I listed above, no matter how big the salary.

There are exceptions of course. Everybody loves Buffett. A lot of people love Jobs. And you have to applaud what Gates is doing. But those that we can look up to and truly admire seem pretty few and far between.

I recently found another one. He is most definitely not cut from the same mold as most others, which is precisely why I think he is such an awesome dude. I’m referring to John Mackey, the founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market. I only know a little bit about him, what I have learned has altered my view of the business world and given me a lot of inspiration.

What’s different about Mackey you might ask? Ha! Where do I even start?

1.) He cares about much more than his company’s bottom line:

As a publicly-traded company, Whole Foods must concern itself with turning a profit. But as part of Mackey’s business philosophy described as conscious capitalism, it’s far from their sole objective.

Mackey requires that his business have a noble purpose, and Whole Foods definitely does. Long before it was all the rage, they were a pioneer in selling only natural, sustainably-grown foods. The products on the shelves at Whole Foods are better for both consumers and for the earth than the typical American diet that originates from industrialized agriculture.

I think Mackey is living proof that the business world, despite what we often hear, can be an avenue in itself to do what you love and make a positive difference in the world.

2.) He’s innovative:

Take healthcare: he’s received a lot of criticism for his outspoken opinions of healthcare reform, but his system at WF (high yearly deductibles, health savings accounts for each worker) has proven successful. Mackey estimates that his company spends probably about half of what others do to cover their employees. Other corporations would probably do well to take note.

3.) He’s grounded:

No private jet for this guy- if you fly Southwest, there’s a chance he’ll be sitting in the next seat. And when other executives are bleeding their companies with the massive bonuses, Mackey continues to rake in his yearly salary of exactly $1.

Partially because he doesn’t allow himself to be treated like royalty, Mackey’s company is able to donate 5% of their profits to charity.

4.) He walks the walk:

Mackey backs up his talk of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. He’s probably in better shape than 99% of us who aren’t currently running a Fortune 500 company. If he can find the time to stay healthy, most of us have absolutely no excuse not too.

~

I feel like I’ve just given a 4th-grade report on a role-model of mine, but that’s OK. As someone who spends a lot of time wondering what I can possibly do to make the most of my life, learning about the likes of John Mackey is a huge inspiration.

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