Good to Great – CH02

Level 5 Leadership

“You can accomplish anything in life, provided that you do not mind who gets the credit.” –Harry S. Truman

  • Level1-Highly capable individual
  • Level2-Contributing team member
  • Level3-Competent manager
  • Level4-Effective leader
  • Level5-Executive

“I never stopped trying to become qualified for the job.”

Level 5 leaders channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company. Their ambition is first and foremost for the institution, not themselves.

Fight for future greatness

Described as: quiet, humble, modest, reserved, shy, gracious, mild-mannered, self-effacing, understated, did not believe his own clippings

It is very important to grasp that Level 5 Leadership is not just about humility and modesty. It is equally about ferocious resolve to do whatever needs to be done to make the company great.

If you have a cancer in your own arm, you have to have the guts to cut off your own arm.

10 out of 11 G2G CEOs came from INSIDE the company, 3 by family inheritance. Comparison CEOs turned to outside saviors & failed to produce sustained results.

Level 5 Leaders look out the windows to apportion credit to factors outside themselves when things go well (& if they cannot find a specific person or event to give credit to, they credit good luck). At the same time, they look in the mirror to apportion responsibility, never blaming bad luck when things go poorly. Comparison leaders do the opposite.

Those who can never become Level 5 leaders are people who could NEVER let go of their ego to build something greater, larger, & more lasting than themselves. They will never become Level 5 Leaders.

Those who can grow and can evolve into Level 5 Leaders.  Under the right circumstances: self-reflection, conscious personal development, mentors, great teachers, loving parents, significant life experience, Level 5 boss, or any # of other factors – they begin to develop. Some of these leaders went through cancer, ww2 experience, religion, religious conversion, etc.

Humility & will; ambitious for the company!

  • Level 5 Leaders set up their successors for even greater success
  • They are fanatically driven to produce sustained results, whatever it takes
  • They have workmanlike diligence; more plow horse than showhorse
  • They look externally for causes of success & internally for causes of setbacks/blame.

Mr Golden and TSgt Rogers – definitely Level 5 Leaders

Larger than life CEOs and egos will FAIL!