APPLICATION OF SELF UNDERSTANDING

In the book Good to Great, author Jim Collins discusses the topic of why some companies are able to make the leap to achieve success and why some fall short. He brings to the table this idea that as a company, you don't need to hire someone with an extreme personality to take charge and lead the company into greatness. The main ingredient for taking a company to greatness is having a “Level 5” leader. This is an executive who has that eccentric personality, but is able to blend it perfectly with their intense professional determination and will. Collins identifies the characteristics that are common to a Level 5 leader as someone who immolates humility, will, ferocious resolve, and the tendency to give credit where credit is due while assigning blame to themselves.

From what I have learned from Collins book, I am able to incorporate this into my own personal leadership perspective. I am able to change my perspective to better encompass that of a Level 5 type of leader. Showing humility can be hard for me sometimes, because a lot of the time I am very proud of my work or my teams work and I want to be recognized for the effort that were put forth. But, being able to take a step back and see that being humble is more important than being recognized, and that I will be seen as a better leader because of it makes it worth it. I already feel that I have a strong drive to be a good leader and always get the appropriate tasks completed, but keeping that in the four fronts of my priorities is critical.

I hope to be able to strive for Level 5 type of leadership by getting the right people on board and creating a type of culture where discipline isn’t seen as bad, but constructive and necessary. Collins states that, “Our own lives and all that we touch will be the better for making the effort” and I believe that any effort put forth will be seen by others and will help gain respect.