Level 5 Leadership In Action

Jim Collins Level 5 Leadership In Action

Here is a brief summary of key components of the Strategist developmental level. Note that while it is helpful to begin thinking about where you perform, it is very difficult to evaluate others accurately. As a reminder the levels progress as follows:

* Impulsive
* Opportunist
* Diplomat
* Expert
* Achiever
* Individualist
* Strategist “Level 5″ — As many as 1.4 % of US Managers score at this level
* Magician
* Ironist

To aid in your understanding of the different thought processes and behaviors typical at each level, we’ve created a story about one person’s possible journey through the levels. While the character, Jill, is fiction, she embodies many beliefs and actions that we have experienced as we’ve made our own journeys through development.

jim collins level 5 leadership At age 42, Jill has moved from the Executive Director role to a CFO job with a midsized company that builds wind mills. They have orders well beyond their capacity and Jill was recruited because of her ability to understand how processes work and how to help the company scale while performing profitably at the same time. She is loving the opportunity to do challenging work that is completely aligned with her values. As she reflects on her journey, her choices now make sense and they led her to this opportunity.

Jill and Mathew sold their large house and invested in a modest condo near a ravine that they retrofit with a kitchen so that friends could join them for meals cooked with fresh local food. Paul comes by often and is her mentor and friend.

Jill feels a meaningful commitment to her life as she dedicates herself to offering a solution to fossil fuels and dependence on Middle East oil. Wind power is more environmentally friendly and promotes clean air in her local community. Additionally, the company manufactures the wind mills in the Midwest so she is creating jobs for people in the local community that pay fair wages.

As a volunteer, she has moved to be the Board Treasurer of the nature preserve. She believes that her volunteer time should have as much impact as possible and board work allows her to meet an organizational need that would be expensive to purchase.

jim collins level 5 leadership When Jill thinks about the challenges she had with Matthew, she is grateful that they decided to work through their relationship challenges. She recognizes that while the counseling and personal changes were difficult, he has played a critical role in her life and she still loves him for his willingness to support her during her transition. She is excited to see Mathew make several changes in how he sees himself in the world as a result of their counseling like his willingness to simplify their living arrangements and move to a much smaller home.

At this stage, Jill has learned to value her own thought processes and alone time enough that she deliberately spends one week twice a year at a cabin in a nearby state park with her journal. Mathew has come to appreciate this time to hike and read. During this time, she evaluates what she is doing with her life and what needs to change, if anything. She thinks about her different strengths and contemplates if she is overusing any like she did when she was younger. She appreciates the many opportunities afforded to her as a CFO to be logical, analytical, creative, strategic, and tactical.

Jill continues to meditate and is specifically focused on bringing about a legacy for her life. As she has no children, her legacy will be something she’s created through her work and volunteer activities.

Characteristics of Strategist:

* Cognitive style — Perceives systematic patterns and long term trends; personal commitment and responsibility to create own meaning (make sense of what they see rather than believing what they are told)
* Focus — Development, self actualization, self-fulfillment, authenticity and process; lives their personal convictions according to internal standards
* Interpersonal style – Tolerant, spontaneous, humble, accepting; mutual interdependence with others is inevitable and experienced with awe and an awareness of one’s responsibility toward them
* Problem solving — Sees many sides of an argument or situation; does not like to act for action’s sake but rather would consider the system before solving a symptom; recognizes the importance of ethical principles and mindful judgment for making valid decisions; tends to choose what is ethical and just for many people in the long run rather than going for short term gain; creative in conflict resolution
* Defenses — Suppression, altruism, humor, anticipation
* Coaching style — Helps grow others; flexible about how tasks should be performed, trusts others to find their own solutions, offers help if needed; appreciates and engages with complexities of individuals; believes development should be fostered at any cost and is very willing to support others; if others are unwilling to grow and become more, they become frustrated
* Language signs — Uses complex, flexible syntax, with a wide array of topics and concerns; tries to present a coherent picture of themselves and their thinking; identity, growth, self fulfillment are favorite terms and topics.

Questions for Reflection: