Level 5 Leadership Characteristics–an understanding of what you can be
Level 5 Hierarchy
I can’t help myself to get excited and talk about this great book by Jim Collins Good to Great (Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t). This is a follow up from my previous post on Hedgehog Concept. First, let me define what does a Level 5 Leader is. It refers to a five-level hierarchy of executive capabilities, with Level 5 at the top. Level 5 leaders embody a paradoxical mix of genuine personal humility and professional will. (A simple formula is Humility + Will = Level 5). They operated first and foremost with genuine humility – defined by a burning passionate obsessive ambition for the cause, for the work, for the company, not themselves. They had this utterly stoic will to make good on that ambition. They channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company. A good example of a Level 5 Leader is United States President Abraham Lincoln who never let his ego get in away of his primary ambition for the larger cause of an enduring country.
Here are some few characteristics of a level 5 leader.
Level 5 leaders are fanatically driven, infected with an incurable need to produce sustained results. They are resolved to do whatever it takes to make the company great, no matter how big or hard decisions.
Level 5 leaders look out the window to attribute success to factors other than themselves. When things go poorly, however, they look in the mirror and blame themselves, taking full responsibility. The comparison CEOs often did just the opposite – they looked in the mirror to take credit for success, but out the window to assign blame for disappointing results.
Can you learn to become a level 5 leader in your own field of work? Jim Collins hypothesis is that there are two categories of people: those who do not have the seed of Level 5 and those who do. The first category consists of people who could never in a million years bring themselves to subjugate their egoistic needs to the greater ambition of building something larger and more lasting than themselves. For these people, work will always be first and foremost about what they get – fame, fortune, adulation, power, whatever – not what they build, create, and contribute.
The second category of people consists of those who have the potential to evolve to Level 5; the capability resides within them, perhaps buried or ignored, but nonetheless. And under right circumstance – self reflection, conscious personal development, a mentor, a great teacher, loving parents, a significant life experience, a Level 5 boss, or any number of other factors – they begin to develop. Some of the level 5 CEOs like Darwin Smith of Kimberly Clark fully blossomed after his battle with cancer. Gillette’s Colman M. Mockler converted to evangelical Christianity while getting his MBA at Harvard, and later, according to the book Cutting Edge became the prime mover in a group of Boston business executives who met frequently over breakfast to discuss the carryover of religious values at corporate life.
There is a potential of Level 5 leaders that exist all around us, if we know what to look for, and that many people have the potential to evolve into Level 5. So how can one grow in level 5 direction? There are no specific steps to become one but an understanding about what you can become with your decisions is a great start. Imagine yourself walking in a path and a decision is needed. In the right hand path if you make that decision is about yourself, your ego, what you will get and on the left path is different decision that reflects more ambition for the cause, or the work. In some point you are confronted with that actual concrete decision and you are pulled to the right but you step to the left. This might be the start of what you can be in this process.
I suggest that you read the book so that you will understand what I am trying to share. Honestly, I wrote the key concepts about level 5 here so that I can just go back here and understand the process and besides I have to return the book to the library (haha! 
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Please check out Jim Collins audio about can you be a level 5 leader?
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Personal Development Leadership – a Leader Without a Title
Myth – I can’t be a leader if I’m not at the top or a title is needed like CEO, president, manager, supervisor, team leader. This is definitely a fallacy. Anyone can definitely become a leader without a title needed. The most important thing you need to do before you can lead other people is to lead yourself first. To become a great leader, one must first become a great person. To attract other people you need to be attractive first.
Personal development leadership is challenging yourself to become someone more than mediocre. Here are some fundamental ideas that I can share with you to develop your personal leadership.
Continuous Learning – to quote the great Jim Rohn, “Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” So make it a habit to read books or in my case listen to audio books. I make sure that I visit the library as often as I can or when I have finished the books that I listened. Read books that will inspire you, strengthen your character and get to know and model the life story of the greatest leaders of our world.
Positive Affirmations – another habit that you can practice (though it may look weird) is to get in front of the mirror and talk to yourself with positive statements. In my case, I say to myself “I’m the best; I like myself “over and over again. It is best if you reinforce the statement with intense emotions. Gratitude is the best affirmation you can give to yourself. Everyday I make it habit to thank God for the day he had given me like when I finished working.
Book Journal – this is a must have. This is your book of life. Write down your insights, feelings, dreams, and goals, ideas from a seminar, mission, or purpose.
Visualize – close your eyes and envision yourself achieving your goals or the person you want to be by playing at your very best. The mind works best with pictures of yourself in the future.
Goal Setting – Goals make you move forward. It generates hope and positive energy. Definitely you need to write down your goals because it works. Believe that you can achieve and exercise concentration and focus. Begin with the end in mind.
Exercise – you need to sweat it out. Doing something physical each day boosts brain function and fuels high energy levels. Everyday I walk a kilometer long from office to the MRT train station. I do also a 2-3 kilometer jog just along our home vicinity and some occasional aerobics at my room.
Nutrition – your performance depends on the food you eat. Be organic as much as possible, eat green in moderate amounts. Just like an automobile you need to feed it with premium oil and gasoline to maintain its peak performance. Take nutritional supplements as necessary.
Here’s an experience that I want to share with you during one of my son, Justin Daniel, swimming lessons when he was still 5 years young. At that time his coach was teaching older batches of teenagers on how to jump on a 10 ft diving platform. The coach took him a lot of time convincing or motivating the student to jump. This is part of their training to conquer their fears. His coach noticed my son where we are on the other side of the pool to come over the platform and to show how a very young kid can jump over the platform. Without hesitation, Justin Daniel climbed up and jump down the board. This scene inspired the student to finally dive down the pool. My point is anyone can become a personal leader. You just have to start to conquer yourself first before you can influence others.
Here’s how Justin Daniel dived down the 10 ft deep swimming pool.
