So much has been written about leadership: what it is, what it isn’t, how to do it right, how to screw it up. We’ve seen examples of great leaders and terrible leaders, most of whom are public figures with high profiles. The actions of these famous leaders often play out in the media and get lots of attention.

One of the leaders I’ve always paid attention to myself is General Colin Powell. I’m impressed by his leadership principles and the way they guide what he does during good times and bad. I’ve admired his willingness to admit when he’s made mistakes, as he did when he spoke to the UN regarding the false information he was given on WMD. He’s often held up as an example of a strong, well-respected leader with devoted followers. You can read more about his leadership principles here.

But what about all the great leaders who don’t generate a lot of press? I’ve been fortunate to work with some outstanding people over the years who exemplify great leadership but do it on a smaller scale than Colin Powell.

Here are a few I think you can learn something from:

One of our first clients was Jim Hynes, CEO of a Charlotte, North Carolina, sales organization that represented many national companies that manufactured consumer goods. In the mid-1970s, Jim was ahead of his time in recognizing that the key to sales success was selecting the right people and providing them with great training. While other companies focused almost exclusively on the products they were selling, Jim paid closer attention to the people he hired to sell them. He soon built an organization that blew past his competitors. I remember once attending an industry convention with the Hynes team. Their reputation was so great other attendees stopped talking and just stared at them when they walked into the room. Jim hired strong managers who put together high performing teams, and Hynes became arguably the No. 1 company in its industry.

Another great leader is David Weekley, CEO of David Weekley Homes in Houston, Texas. David was building and selling homes in Texas during the years when almost all of the banks and S&Ls failed and when the oil business dragged the entire state into a depression. At one point, things got so bad he had to make a choice: shut the business down and save his investment, or take advantage of the tough environment and grow his company. He chose the latter (certainly the harder option) and focused during the lean years on holding onto his best people, training them, and getting them ready to pounce just as soon as the housing market started improving. As a result, his company was much better staffed and prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that arose, and he was able to grow David Weekley Homes from a $30 million company to one with revenues well past $1 billion.

I’ve also had the pleasure of working with Larry Webb, who built one of the largest private home building companies in the nation while also maintaining some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry. Larry has one of those infectious personalities that people just want to be around. He’s self-deprecating and funny and has outstanding people skills. He speaks often about how much he values his employees and cares about them as individuals, but unlike a lot of executives who make similar comments, he truly “walks the talk.” I once heard him say he was passionate about putting people in homes and he didn’t see how he could do that effectively unless he took care of the people in his company first.

Jim, David, and Larry are very different leaders in many respects, but what they all share is a commitment to their employees and a willingness to show it. In all three companies I have seen devoted team members who would do anything to get the job done. These are three very successful businesses led by unique individuals with a common philosophy: great people make a great company.

I’ll introduce you to more low profile leaders who have made a big impact in future posts. In the meantime, tell us in the comments section about great leaders you admire who aren’t especially well-known but do a terrific job. Who are they and what makes their leadership notable? What can we learn from them?