Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve

“What catapults a company from merely good to truly great?  A five-year research project searched for the answer to that question, and its discoveries ought to change the way we think about leadership.  The most powerfully transformative executives possess a paradoxical mixture of personal humility and professional will.  They are timid and ferocious.  Shy and fearless.  They are rare – and unstoppable.” ~Jim Collins

If you have never read Jim Collins’ landmark book, Good to Great, make sure you read his classic article from the Harvard Business Review, “Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve.”  

Advertisement

12 Time Management Habits to Master in 2013

An interesting read about Benjamin Franklin’s method for changing habits and encouraging character growth.

Animated Leadership Lessons

Here’s a creative article filled with leadership lessons! Who knew there were so many hidden gems in some of our kids’ favorite animated movies?

Managing for Organizational Integrity

Too often organizations don’t realize that ethical failings are leadership problems–not just a lone employee’s shortcomings.  Here’s a great article about the importance of leaders building an ethical organizational climate based on shared values and purpose written by Lynn Sharp Paine, “Managing for Organizational Integrity.”

“From the perspective of integrity, the task of ethics management is to define and give life to an organization’s guiding values, to create an environment that supports ethically sound behavior, and to instill a sense of shared accountability among employees.” – Lynn Sharp Paine

First Follower: Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy

Here’s a funny and insightful video about leadership and starting a movement! Learn something new and have a laugh!

StrengthsFinder 2.0

As we discussed in our, “What is My Calling?” leadership lesson, becoming a leader requires the courage to look inside oneself, identify one’s strengths and talents, and explore how to offer those strengths and talents to others.  However, recognizing one’s own calling is only the first step, truly great leaders are able to recognize the potential in those they serve and help them discover the leader they are meant to be as well.

This begs the question, “How do I identify my strengths and talents–let alone others’?”

StrengthsFinder 2.0 is a great resource to help you do just that.  In 2001,Gallup introduced StrengthsFinder as part of the management book “Now, Discover Your Strengths.”  The book ignited a global conversation, and StrengthsFinder helped millions discover their top five talents.  In StrengthsFinder 2.0, Gallup unveils the new and improved version of its popular online assessment which identifies an individual’s top 5 strengths out of 34 strength themes.

What Makes a Leader?

In his research at nearly 200 large, global companies, Daniel Goleman found that while the qualities traditionally associated with leadership—such as intelligence, toughness, determination, and vision—are required for success, they are insufficient. Truly effective leaders are also distinguished by a high degree of emotional intelligence, which includes self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill.  These qualities may sound “soft” and unbusinesslike, but Goleman found direct ties between emotional intelligence and measurable business results.

Hence, Daniel Goleman’s famous quote, ‎”IQ and technical skills are important, but emotional intelligence is the sine qua non of leadership.”  Here’s an overview of his classic article, “What Makes a Leader?”

Leading Change

New years tend to bring new resolutions. Are you trying to implement some changes inside your organization?  If so, remember, consistent communication reinforces the change process.  What some more information?  Here’s a link to an overview of John Kotter’s classic article, “Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail.”