In society, we may find contributors at different stages of their journey:

Stage 1: Functional Excellence
Some people are contributors at a ‘functional level’, where they ‘contribute by achieving excellence in their work or in their field’. For example, Roger Federer has the purpose of reaching the pinnacle in the field of tennis. His purpose is achieving functional excellence.

Stage 2: Team Excellence
Contributors in the second stage are those people who not only achieve ‘functional excellence’, but are also able to ‘work towards a shared goal or purpose’. Such people, because they put the shared goals/purpose at the center, are able to effectively ‘contribute to their team / group / organization’. They have achieved ‘team excellence’.

Stage 3: Human Excellence
Contributors at the third stage, are those people who not only achieve ‘functional excellence’ and ‘team excellence’, they also ‘focus on the larger good of society’ in their work. Such people try to expand themselves as human beings, i.e. they include others in their thinking and work in a manner that leads to the good of all. Thus, such people make deep contributions to society at large, and achieve ‘human excellence’.