From 1951 to 1971, Kimberly-- Clark's¹ stock fell 36% behind the general market. Then in 1971 Darwin E Smith (Smith) the in--house lawyer was appointed as the CEO of the company. He seemed to be an ordinary man with mild--manners. He was shy and unpretentious and sometimes awkward; he also disliked being in limelight.

Some of the directors thought that he was a wrong choice, and even Smith himself was not sure whether the board had taken the right decision. However, Smith continued as the CEO for the next 20 years and demonstrated an intense professional will. Under his leadership, Kimberly Clark became a leading consumer paper products company in the world. Smith turned Kimberly Clark from a merely good to a truly great company.

According to Jim Collins², Smith is a classic example of Level 5 leadership. He epitomized both humility and strong will.

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