Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom 5 Key Qualities of Real Ambition

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom 5 Key Qualities of Real Ambition In a wood-paneled, authentically British office in central London, I had the privilege of meeting Kevin Allen, one of the original advertising “Mad Men.” Kevin led massive global teams during his multi-decade tenure at McCann-Erikson and Interpublic Group, including the one that came up with the famous Mastercard “priceless” campaign. In his new book, The Hidden Agenda, Kevin talks about the fact that everyone has ambition. Real ambition, he says, is the human desire to create something good where nothing existed before. It is a measure of our individual worth, and that of our organization. It has five key qualities. Noble Intentions Real ambition serves an overarching goodness and is of benefit to all constituencies. It is the compass that guides all of our activities, and it appeals to the core in all of us that wants to be a part of creating something special. Clear Intent Real ambition is not a destination or a “hoped for” goal. It is a steely confidence in what is to come. It is a statement of unequivocal intention and certainty of purpose that makes it clear that “almost” is not good enough and half-measures are no measures at all. Dreams are thoughts, but real ambition is action. Difficult to Believe Real ambition is not about increments or percentage points. It’s about making the great leap to a completely new state of being. It is the path that no one thinks is even possible. For more from Kevin, check out the full post on Intuits Fast Track blog.