Like many driven executives, Kevin Johnson once measured success primarily through career achievements and financial milestones. As Aon’s North America 3×3 Activation Leader and Chief Operating Officer, Johnson had climbed the corporate ladder skillfully, checking off the traditional boxes of professional accomplishment.
But through deep reflection, Johnson came to understand that genuine success can’t be measured by titles or bank accounts alone, but rather through the depth of one’s connections and positive impact on others. This revelation would go on to dramatically change not just his personal philosophy, but how he approached every interaction, whether with CEOs or cleaning staff, family or strangers.
Johnson described his transformation in an engaging conversation with Sydni Joseph, the Co-Founder of Big Plan Holdings, at the Metropolitan Club in a Chamber Emerging Leaders discussion on Thursday, Oct. 24.
In their riveting talk, Johnson discussed his book, “The Success Makeover,” and how his newfound appreciation for life now affects everything he does.
“Everyone that I encounter, no matter what walk of life that they come from — I give them the same level of respect, the same level of care,” he said. “The CEO of our company gets a lot of respect, right? But the person who’s cleaning our office – I’m going to give them that same level of respect. I always make sure to treat everybody the same way.”
Johnson’s selfless attitude means that he spends a lot of time doing work that helps others: He’s a commissioner for the police and fire for the town where he lives, for instance. He also sits on the board of the educational Golden Apple Foundation, and he coaches baseball for the blind.
“I want to be involved because I want to make sure that everyone is taken care of,” he said.
This work takes time, and Johnson acknowledges the difficulty of maintaining a full life that creates space for a career in addition to other considerations.
“You have to create that balance,” he said. “And even though work is a significant part of everything that we do, if you don’t take some time for yourself, for those you love, for your community, I honestly don’t think that you can be truly successful.”
But doing this type of work can also benefit your work life, Johnson noted. “Connecting with your complete life really helps you to be even more effective in your career,” he said. “When your life is out of balance, it creates many distractions. More balance provides greater focus in all the important areas of your life.”
In the end, Johnson expressed the importance of surrounding yourself with people you care about, in addition to making time for selfless work.
“Find whatever it is that you love and do what you really want to do with your career. Get locked in on that and get connected to who you love — make those the bookends of your life,” he said. “So no matter what seasons of life that you go through, as long as you’re doing what you love, the world can be a great place. At the end of the day, doing what you love and being with the ones you love — that’s all that matters.”
