Today, the Golden Arches of McDonald’s are one of the most recognized symbols in the entire world. With 31,000 restaurants in over 120 countries it seems one is never far from the planet’s biggest and most successful burger chain. But while people from Argentina to Zimbabwe can easily identify Ronald and his restaurant’s trademark Golden Arches, how many could name the savvy entrepreneur and leader who turned a tiny restaurant into the most successful fast food operation in history?

Ray Kroc, opened the first franchised McDonald’s restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955 and over the course of his career amassed a $500 million fortune from a business that, as he put it, “put the hamburger on the assembly line.”

While Ray passed away in 1984, without his passion and leadership the company would never have achieved the levels of success it enjoys today.

Here are some of the leadership principles Ray Kroc lived and led by.

Vision. When Ray Kroc first saw the multi-mixers in the McDonald Brothers hamburger drive-in, he knew he had found what he was looking for: the opportunity to establish a nationwide chain of standardized, fast-food eateries. Kroc envisioned eight restaurants churning out burgers and making a steady stream of cash immediately.

Good leaders are people of vision and when they look at a certain situation, they see it’s potential. They see what things could become.

Conviction. "There’s almost nothing you can’t accomplish if you set your mind to it," Kroc told a group of university graduates in 1976. Kroc held fast to his dream of McDonald’s restaurants. And furthermore to the idea that the restaurant concept would only succeed if everyone in the system— the operators, suppliers, corporate managers—held to the same rigid standards in food quality, preparation, delivery, and service.

Good leaders must have a conviction which command’s other as if it were there own.

Flexibility. As rigidly as Kroc held to strict standards in food preparation and service, he was always open to new ideas from his many operators and franchise owners. New products from franchisees like the Big Mac and Egg McMuffin were huge successes while others, such as the Hula Burger and a strawberry dessert were total failures. Yet Kroc was smart enough to run with a good idea no matter who brought it to him.

Good leaders stay committed to their decisions, but are flexible in their approach.

Enthusiasm. Ray Kroc loved talking about the hamburger business. He was passionate about it and he genuinely cared about all aspects of it, from the size of the meat patties to cut of a french fries. This enthusiasm or passion for the business seems innate to many leaders, and they need it in spades. With such infectious enthusiasm, Kroc was able to attract so many of the right people to him.

Good leaders attract and inspire people with their passion and enthusiasm.

Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. – while Ray Kroc may not have the well-known cache of other great leaders in history, and while the ubiquitous Golden Arches may get more recognition than the man behind them, he most certainly embodies the qualities of a good leader. When asked about leadership, Ray once said that, “The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves”. A man with vision, conviction, flexibility and enthusiasm – Ray Kroc is a model for all those who aspire to lead.

What other qualities do you see in good leaders? What leaders do you feel exemplify good leadership? Join the conversation by adding a comment below.