What relationship is there between companies in which top management is given obscene giant golden parachutes (Merrill Lynch and Home Depot) and the culture of "we're here to make this company great through our collective efforts."

Is that an example of what Jim Collins calls "willful humility" of the best ceos? As he describes such people they'll do whatever it takes to make their company great while at the same time insisting that they are not the authors of the company's greatness. Are such people going to hold their heads up high and take a $200 million payout when they are dismissed? I think not.