[_nedR]

I wouldn't conflate lack of ego with lack of drive or ambition or an averseness to risk. Especially for someone who went from a lower middle class family in one of the poorest states in India to becoming the CEO of Google.

When a group of very smart people get together, there is a tendency for them to try to show themselves as being the smartest. This can lead to less-desirable situations where people don't share or cooperate as freely as they should. In the worst cases the situation could become antagonistic with individuals or entire teams and departments refusing to talk to each other. Now in a group of smart people, walks in a person like Sundar Pichai, someone without ego, who always defers to the other person, who might put himself/herself down to make the other person feel better. When two people in the group get into a conflict on an issue (remember this is a group that can get into religious wars over which brace style to use), it will be that person who mediates and gets the team going again. When the team has to vote on a new leader, that person is likely to get the most votes because he/she is the person everyone has the least issues with. Such a person who avoids conflict is able to act as transcendental force. People are more willing to listen to such a person or do what he/she says because they don't feel threatened by him/her.

Someone like Steve Jobs who always puts himself above everyone else, could also act as a transcendental force as long as people agree to that. But if someone like Steve Jobs was to start at the bottom of the organisation, and moves up the ladder to its top position, it would be by putting other people and teams down. These people might harbour a grudge or ill-will and be less likely to do what the new boss says. It is not a strategy without its downsides (For example why did someone as incredibly gifted as Steve Wozniak end up leaving Apple?).

By promoting similar people to leadership positions, Pichai is creating a environment where people with great talent but less taste for politics can also get their voice heard. I think such an environment is good for creativity to flourish.

"A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit."

[kraknahs]

"Especially for someone who went from a lower middle class family in one of the poorest states in India to becoming the CEO of Google."

Not to take anything away from Sundar Pichai's accomplishments, but Tamil Nadu, from where he hails, is decidedly not "one of the poorest states in India." It has the second largest gross state domestic product in the country. [1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Tamil_Nadu

[_nedR]

GDP is not necessarily strongly related to poverty. But you are right. According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_states_and_territories_... Tamil Nadu is above the midddle when you rank by poverty. I stand corrected.

[rgovind]

And his father is an engineer in India. Definitely not a bad life.

[_nedR]

Perhaps. Although lot of articles seem to claim that he was from a lower-middle class family, and i was basing my statement on those. His upbringing probably wasn't uncomfortable but still it was modest.