Level 5 Leadership

Many of you have read the book entitled Good to Great written by Jim Collins. If you have, then you should be familiar with the term "Level 5 Leader". Jim Collins focuses on 12 companies that he refers to as "great" companies and picks apart how each one of them achieved this status. The first area that he discusses is leadership of the company.

What is a Level 5 Leader?

• A level 5 leader never in a million years will stop trying to become qualified for the job
• Channel their ego needs away from themselves and towards the success of the company
• Modest and willful, humble yet fearless
• Dedication and desire to make anything they touch the best it could possibly be
• Ambition and concern first and foremost for the company, not for one's own riches
• Sets up their successor for success
• Don't talk about themselves
• Fanatically driven to PRODUCE results

• Look out the window to give credit when things are going well, and look in the mirror when things aren't going so well, never blaming bad luck when things go poorly

Now look at the Level 5 Leadership image above. Where do YOU fit in on the pyramid?

Level 5 Executive: Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humiity and professional blend of personal humility and professional will.

Effective Leader: Catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, stimulating higher performance standards.

Competent Manager: Organizes people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives.

Contributing Team Member: Contributes individual capabilities to the achievement of group objectives and works effectively with others in a group meeting.

Highly Capable Individual: Makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills and good work habits.

No matter where you are on the pyramid, if you apply these characteristics of a Level 5 Leader you will progress upwards towards the end goal of becoming a Level 5 Leader.