As you may have heard, Charlie Munger, the longtime partner of Warren Buffett, passed away this week at 99 years old. He was a phenomenal investor, but many saw him in the shadow of Warren Buffett. I was asked by a reporter at the Wall Street Journal whether being the number two person in an organization would be difficult for someone like Charlie Munger. I explained that many strong leaders are perfectly fine and comfortable with not being in the limelight, especially if they are given credit and appreciated by the number one person.
In the below article from yesterday’s WSJ, I shared with the reporter, Callum Borchers, what Warren Buffett said to me at a CEO meeting when I complemented him on the incredible performance of Berkshire Hathaway:
Keep the Ambition, Lower Your Ego. How to Thrive as a No. 2 Like Charlie Munger.
Warren Buffett’s longtime deputy showed that rising to the top isn’t everything
Charlie Munger was Robin to Warren Buffett’s Batman, a business equivalent of the Edge rocking with the Bono of investing. Munger, who died Tuesday at age 99, played one of the toughest roles in the corporate (or any) world: No. 2. Succeeding as second in command takes a rare blend of confidence and humility, say people who’ve done it. The consummate right-hand person must be devoted to organizational success while accepting that someone else’s star will always shine brighter. At a time when many American workers are reconsidering whether the race to the top is worth running at all, Munger’s apparent satisfaction with being the ultimate sidekick could be a model.
Read full article here (subscription may be required).
