Level 5 Leadership
(Jim Collins)

Applying humility and strong professional willpower to leadership. Explanation of Level 5 Leadership of Jim Collins. ('01)

Contributed by: Jeffrey Pelletier MA



  

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Level 5 Leadership - CollinsWhat is Level 5 Leadership? Description

Level Five Leadership is based on the idea that respect towards people, selflessness by the leader, and a strong powerful commitment to achieve results, bring out the best in subordinates. Level 5 leaders are a paradoxical blend of fierce will and personal humility. They are stubborn and ruthless. Yet they are humble. They are ambitious for their company, and rarely allow their ego to be an obstacle for the success of their organization. Though they accomplish great things for their organizations, they attribute their remarkable accomplishments to their people, external factors and sheer luck. Level 5 Leaders lead with the help of disciplined people, disciplined thought and disciplined action.
 

Origin of Level 5 Leadership. History

The Level 5 Leadership theory evolved independently. It was "discovered" by Collins and his researchers in the companies which had a high level of growth over fifteen consecutive years. Compare: Servant-Leadership

 

Calculation of Level 5 Leadership. Formula

The Right People (culture, character rather than competence) + Humility + Strong Professional Will (regarding the goal) = Success.

 

Usage of Level 5 Leadership. Applications

This method apparently works every time it is tried. It is more about character than competence. A high competence is not absolutely required to be successful, but character is a non-negotiable.

 

Steps in Level 5 Leadership. Process

  1. Hire the right people.
  2. Deploy them in the jobs which they are "intended" to do.
  3. Set a really high long-term goal. (BHAG).

Strengths of Level 5 Leadership. Benefits

You can achieve superb results, long-term, and lasting results.

 

Limitations of Level 5 Leadership. Disadvantages

  • It requires a lot of time and personal investment by the leader.
  • The leader does not receive personal credit.

Assumptions of Level 5 Leadership. Conditions

This leadership methodology is emerging, and it has until now not been discussed extensively. But it appears sensible and strong.

 

Book: Jim Collins - Good to Great - Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't -

 

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Recent User Comments
Tochukwu Okpala - Nigeria Level 5 Leadership "Level 5 leadership entails a high level of sense of ownership, undiluted humility and passion for greatness with change in mind."    0
 - South Africa Level 5 Leadership also Applies to Life in General "The principles applied by level 5 leaders also apply to life in general - Respect for others, humbleness, selflessness, commitment, drive and a passion to bring out the best in others. By allowing your people the glory and praise you build a committed team that will achieve results. To build the right team takes time and longterm investment.
You have to be passionate about people, life and your job to achieve this - your job needs to be a calling not a means to earn an income! The focus needs to shift from recruiting highly skilled (operationally) people to people with relevant human, life and leadership skills. You can teach operational competencies."		    4
 - Jordan GREAT Preformance ... Stay with Basics "It is amazing how we human complicate things ... We try to find answers few miles away but most of the time the answers are just within an arms reach around us ... Leaders can reach GREAT success when they do the BASICS & show determination ... To UNLEASH "hidden powers/aspirations" ... Show them 1. ROLE clarity (Focus measurable area's, LOA & Process) 2. Respect them and be FAIR to all 3. Support them when need it (open door) 4. Reward Performance. This will take an average employee to a very good one and definitely you will see some who will shine and become STARS "potentially the future leaders" ... Of course ... setting the stage will be the most difficult period (6-12 months) from taken charge as the leader and employees are gaging each other .... but with a clear vision and determination ... the results are usually move the good company to an excellent competitive one without really talking too much about the competition ... FOCUS is the KEY ..."    2
Ursula Courtney - Ireland Level 5 leadership "Level 5 leadership also includes passion, innovation, creativity and advocacy - without these traits level five is just a very good level 4"    3
 - Ukraine L5 Leadership (vs L4) "Do you think that L5 leaders differ from L4 ones in the level of personal humility, level of spiritual growth? They are capable to look inside as deep, as outside and see and feel emotionally much broader picture. What's your opinion?"    3
Best User Comments
imran khan - Pakistan level 5 leadership "Level 5 Leaders are the real leaders, they are determined consistent and yet shy and humble, they dont show off themself, don't take the credit of company's success. How many leaders have you come across who say that the company is successful because my people worked hard, and i did nothing, "i just used to worked there". That is what we call level 5 leader."    14
Tim S - USA Leadership and Values "Character is a result of internal values, Self Discipline to keep you on task, Affiliation to keep you focused on your team, Self Esteem to allow you to complete difficult tasks and Self Worth to allow to to see how important you are to the success of the purpose and goals of your team. The Leader's humility allows the team to enjoy your values and successes placing the praise and rewards back where they belong, on the whole team."    13
ADIL - SUDAN L5 Leadership "Based on application it is true challange and in this type of leadership one shoud be ready to be a guru rather than just a leader, assume that change emerge from within then the organization to be with those can sail or at least who are not afraid to sail for long."    11
Vipul - India Leadership "The moment you stop managing things/activities and start managing people you become Leader. Leadership is not about designations/hierarchy."    7
Harry Lagad - Australia Level 5 Leadership "I always relate Level 5 Leadership to two key people that I have studied in depth. Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi. Both worked for the people and the a goal that was far more difficult than compared to just making a company or an organisation to surpass their shareholders expectations. Gandhi took immense personal pains and sacrifices to reach the goal and lead from the front, igniting the minds of the people rather than forcing them to change."    1
Ajantha - Sri Lanka Level 5 Executive: Great Leader "I would prefer the term "Great Leader" instead of Level Five Executive. This is in line with Lao Tsu's work on Great Leadership."    0
Mitch McCrimmon - Canada Meaning of Level 5 Leadership "I don't think this page or even Collins really sums up the crucial difference between level 4 and level 5 leadership clearly enough. For me, level 4 means promoting your own solutions while level 5 draws them out of others. This makes level 5 a facilitator, which, for me is a management technique, not leadership at all."    0
Pieters - South Afric L5 Leadership "In Process >Item 2 -this must imply competence. Competence is a pre-condition for Innovation and Leadership is among other dependent on innovation."    -4
Nageswar YSV - India One must try "Anything based on Character and Attitude would normally be successful. In this type of leadership, the Leader should be properly taken care of well."    -10
kamakshi - India Leadership "Assume A leader as Railway Track and think subordinates as the train carrying duties and responsibilites, so if the track i.e. Leader is perfect, the train goes smoothly!!!!!, i.e the relationship between the leader and the subordinates"    -15
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Compare with Level 5 Leadership: Emotional Intelligence  |  Hagberg Model of Personal Power  |  Leadership Pipeline  |  Leadership Continuum  |  Path-Goal Theory  |  Theory X Theory Y  |  Contingency Theory  |  Competing Values Framework  |  Expectancy Theory  |  Seven Surprises  |  Seven Habits  |  Coaching  |  Mentoring  |  Results-Based Leadership  |  Situational Leadership  |  EPIC ADVISERS

 

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Copyright 2009 12manage - The Executive Fast Track. V10.4 - Last updated: 11/21/2009. All names tm by their owners.


  ● India (Bhadresh Buch) Level 5 Leadership is Rare "I totally agree with your points. But you see this form hardly this in the world, because the leader has to really spend time with the people and bring out the best from them. And most importantly, he should not worry about personal gain and credits he gets. A really tough task for him!"



  ●  (West Aust) L5 Leadership "Yes, my research indicates there is a degree of difference in leadership and a good proportion of it is linked to emotional intelligence of the individual, ethics locus of control"



  ● kamakshi (india) L5 Leadership "good and successful comment"

  ● Connie (USA) Leader vs manager "Leaders lead, managers manage. The two are very different. PEOPLE cannot normally "be managed"; they can however, follow leaders (good or bad). Leadership is a personal investment of time and energy in not only telling staff the organizational priorities, but exhibiting behaviors that show "walking the walk". Exceptional managers, in my experience, manage processes; exceptional leaders show us how to meet the personal and organizationsl goals."
  ● Kaycee (India) Level 5 Leader "Great thought process. The essential difference in a Manager and a Leader is while the effectiveness of the manager is determined by "Available resources, Optimal utilization and Maximum output", the effectiveness of a leader is determined by "When in doubt - Show the way" to his team."



  ● Michael Anthony (USA) Meaning of Level 5 Leadership "Very thought provoking view point, thank you."
  ● Mark (USA) Level 5 "A leader has the ability to raise the level of performance and contribution of those around him/her, encourage and allow the sharing of those ideas, and finally implementing the ideas in a productive fashion. Much more than facilitating."
  ● Marty Blake (Canada) Meaning of Level 5 Leadership "Thanks you for your point, Level 4 is a motivator and leads by creating strong consensus supporting their direction. Level 5 does facilitate but it is to raise the game of those around him or her, to draw on the strengths and acentuate them toward the common goal. That is leadership and being an effective facilitator is a skill that enables that."
  ● Joyce (NewZealand) Familiar "All this is so familiar to the layman who already applies this practically. Academics apply this on paper... interesting!!!!"



  ● Meenakshi Kohli (India) Learning Organisations: Peter Senge "A leader is someone who can add value to its organisation making use of all five disciplines of peter senge"