---
title: "A CEO’s epitaph"
description: "Learn how great leaders build winning teams through humility, from Andrew Carnegie's leadership philosophy to modern startup management principles."
categories: ["management"]
keywords: ["Andrew Carnegie","leadership philosophy","executive leadership","humility in management","startup management principles","venture capital","team building","self-awareness in leaders","Tomasz Tunguz"]
ai_summary: "Explore how humility in leadership, inspired by Andrew Carnegie, fosters effective team building and executive success."
date: 2013-01-09
lastmod: 2026-07-23
canonical_url: https://www.tomtunguz.com/a-ceos-epitaph/
author: "Tomasz Tunguz"
---

<p>There is no prouder boast, but also no better prescription, for executive leadership than the words Andrew Carnegie, the father of the U.S. steel industry, chose for his own tombstone: “Here lies a man who knew how to bring into his service men better than he was himself.”</p>

<p>Amen.</p>

<p>This epitaph captures succinctly so much of leadership: the ability to articulate a vision and convince others of the importance of that mission; the self awareness of knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses; the desire to be <a href="http://tomtunguz.com/the-dumbest-guy-in-the-room/">the dumbest guy in the room</a>; and the capacity to build and maintain those relationships during a life’s work.</p>

<p>Carnegie’s noble idea of leadership is one that every manager, founder and VC can aspire to. But it all starts with humility.</p>

<p>NB: first paragraph paraphrased from the Effective Executive</p>