We found that for leaders to make something great, their ambition has to be for the greatness of the work and the company, rather than for themselves.  ~Jim Collins

I think Jim Collins’ work (author of Good to Great) is reflected in not only the talent, but the life of the extraordinary cellist, Yo-Yo Ma. In every performance when I’ve seen Ma, he has always shown great ambition for the work (music) and others, rather than for himself. It’s a higher purpose wrapped up in focus, passion, and humility.

HIGHER PURPOSE THROUGH FOCUS

Once when being interviewed, Ma said, “I can be incredibly focused, and you know, incredibly willful.” This incident in Philadelphia describes just how focused he can be. 

Once, while playing in Philadelphia, his chair tipped over. As Ma fell backward, the audience gasped. A musician behind Ma caught him just in time. Amazingly, Ma kept playing through all of it and sat back down without missing a beat.

HIGHER PURPOSE THROUGH PASSION

Ma said, “Passion is one great force that unleashes creativity because if you’re passionate about something, then you’re more willing to take risks.” 

If you’ve read Collins’ book, then you’re familiar with the hedgehog concept. The point where your answers to three key questions overlap. What are you deeply passionate about, what can you be the best in the world at, and what drives your economic engine. Passion is something that Ma understands and clearly demonstrates when he performs.

Here’s what I mean. When I listen to music on a classical station, I can actually tell when I hear a cellist if it is Ma. I can’t do that with any other musician; I’m not that good. But Ma is that passionate. His playing is different, it’s distinctly passionate in ways I simply don’t hear from other musicians.

HIGHER PURPOSE THROUGH HUMILITY

In a biography of Yo-Yo Ma by Susan Ashley he is described as “a true superstar, but one would never know it upon meeting him. Ma is soft-spoken and humble.”  This is something I have witnessed firsthand, several times.

I’ve been to many concerts, hundreds, and what I’ve seen Ma do is extremely rare. On one occasion when his featured cello concerto was finished, the audience immediately stood to their feet and he took a short and modest bow. Then, he walked over to the first-chair cellist and gave him a big hug. He proceeded to very personally greet each of the other cellists. Finally, he stepped back with the remaining musicians and included them in receiving the applause.

In another instance I was fortunate enough to see Ma in one of his somewhat secret pop-up concerts along the Chicago River playing with a group of very young musicians (in the photo). There too, he greeted each of his fellow musicians and in no way stepped into the spotlight for himself.

It wasn’t about him; it was about the music. Just as Collins’ said, “their ambition has to be for the greatness of the work, rather than for themselves.”

Yo-Yo Ma is the quintessential example of being driven by a higher purpose and leading with bold grace. I believe that our individual higher purpose becomes evident when find a similar intense synergy like Ma’s through focus, passion, and humility.