Leadership Update #2
June 2008

Does Level 5 Leadership Work at All Levels?

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This Leadership Update is about Level 5 Leadership from Jim Collins' book Good to Great.  The idea of humility often seems soft and counter intuitive in the business world.  Make no mistake, humility offers a clear competitive advantage in business and relationships.

If you're interested in thoughtfully fresh content regarding humility, pick up a copy of the new book - Egonomics: What makes ego our greatest asset or most expensive liability by David Marcum and Steven Smith.  This book will challenge your thinking about leadership effectiveness in the best way.  Its data is based upon research over 5 years.  On the phone today, author Steven Smith made a convincing case that their work is very important and it truly aligns with Learning Unlimited's purpose.

If there is anything Learning Unlimited can do to be of service, please contact us anytime.

Best regards,

Mike Todd
Partner & President
Learning Unlimited Corporation

Level 5 Leadership

By Keith Ayers
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Level 5 Leadership has become a talking point for many executives since Jim Collins introduced the concept in his best seller Good to Great. Collins refers to a hierarchical model of executive capabilities with Level 5 at the top. He describes Level 5 Leaders as a "paradoxical blend of extreme personal humility with intense professional will".

But is Level 5 Leadership restricted to the executive level?

If Level 5 Leadership is essential at the CEO level to create a great company, would it not also make sense that Level 5 Leadership would work for creating a great business unit, or a great team?

Just think about the implications of that for your business. If every leader... every executive, manager and supervisor was operating at Level 5, they would "demonstrate an unwavering resolve to do whatever must be done to produce the best long term results, no matter how difficult."

Their focus would be on doing what is best for the organization rather than satisfying their own ego needs. They would accept responsibility for poor results, never blaming others or bad luck, and yet give credit for their success to other people.


Ego is a Barrier to Level 5 Leadership
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Many organizations promote people into leadership roles who have the biggest ego needs. Ambitious people, those who are most hungry for the promotion, often have the greatest need for ego gratification... they want the power, the title and the status that goes with these positions.
 
The problem here is that this leader's focus will tend to be primarily on him or herself. Yes, they will claim that they are doing what is best for the organization, but can they? The leader without humility is likely to be blind to the level of their self-interest.
 
Maybe this is a significant part of the reason why there are so few organizations that have made the transition from good to great AND been able to sustain it.


Can Level 5 Leadership be Developed?
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Collins suggests that some people have the "seed" within them to become Level 5 Leaders, others do not. Those who don't would never put the needs of their organization ahead of their own personal needs.

Our view is that Level 5 Leaders can be developed... over time, if the leader has the desire and commitment to do so. It requires a significant increase in self awareness and self-management, foundational competencies for emotional intelligence.  Is it worth the investment of time and effort? Well, do you want to be good or great?  The choice is yours.

For more information on how you can achieve this attainable goal, visit our web site at www.LearningUnlimited.com, or give us a call.