Good To Great / Lvl. 5 Leadership

"You can accomplish anything in life, provided that you do not mind who gets the credit." 

- Harry S. Truman

Periodically I well be posting key notes from a book I read by world renown business researcher, Jim Collins, who is has quite the unique perspective on businesses. 

The book Good to Great shows through 5 years of research the differences between the great companies (Walgreens, McDonalds, ect.) and ones that do enough to be above water, but didn't change the status quo like the greats did and still do today.

  

Since I don't feel like blogging about all of the great concepts that come out of this book and truly going into good depth (I do have a life ya know..) this post well hit more on some of the key concepts that Jimmy is pushing onto his readers.

Key Concepts from the Begining Chapters

- Good is the enemy of Great. When you settle for just "good enough," you will lose in the long run. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT JIM. Agreed 100%

-Level 5 leadership. What Jimmy noticed about all the CEOs that lead everlasting GREAT COMPANIES was that they all carried the characteristics of a level 5 leader..

Becoming a level 5 leader is something I personally strive to be everyday not only because of what the research has shown, but because you can truly relate these characteristics to great leaders like Churchill or even Herman Boone from Remember the Titans. 

What makes a level 5 leader

-They emboy a paradoxical mix of personal humility and professional will

-They are ambitious, but they are ambitious first and foremost for the company, not themselves.



"For me, my role is about unleashing what people already have inside them that is maybe suppressed in most work environments."
- Tony Hsieh 

-They set up thier successors for even greater success in the next generation, whereas egocentric Level 4 leaders often set up their successors for failure.

-They display a compelling modesty, are self-effacing and understated.

-They are fanatically driven.

-They are more plow horse than show horse

-THE BIGGEST LESSON I LEARNED?? (and need to work on personally..) was that LEVEL 5 LEADERS look out the window to attribute success to factors other than themselves. But when things go wrong, however, they look in the mirror and blame themselves, taking full responsibility.

- Also, they attriute much of their success to good luck, rather than personal greatness.


I CHALANGE ALL OF YOU TO PUSH YOURSELVES TO BECOME A LEVEL 5 LEADER. IT WILL HELP YOU GROW INTO SOMETHING BIGGER THAN WHAT YOU THOUGHT POSSIBLE, I garuantee it.


One more meme, then I'm done, I swear.. (well, for tonight):

But seriously, go buy this or check Good to Great by Jim Collins out from a library ASAP! Your future business well thank you.