Over five years, national bestselling author Jim Collins and his team analyzed and studied eleven companies to discover the key factors that affected the outcome of each company’s growth and survival. Specifically, Collins and his team looked to see what made some companies ‘good’, and what made others ‘great’. What was the force of will that created some company’s success but not others? It starts in the beginning with Level 5 leaders, who are naturally driven to what Collins describes as The Flywheel Model. These leaders are not as interested in self-promotion, that make it look like they are leading, as they are the deliberate process of pushing the flywheel to produce results for the company. To them, it’s all about results. When you’re driving, you already have an idea of who you want in your passenger seat, who gets the back passenger seat, and who is in the back drivers seat. For example, you don’t put the three year old behind the driver; you put him or her in the middle so he doesn’t continuously kick the seat. For Level 5 leaders, getting the right people in the car, the wrong people out of the car, and the right people in the right seats are all crucial steps in the early stages of the Good to Great findings. Equally important is to remember great companies realize they are not going to hit breakthrough by a certain date in the near future, however they know that if they keep pushing in the right direction, they will eventually hit breakthrough in time. This process of confronting the brutal facts helps you see the obvious, although difficult, these steps that must be taken to move towards the flywheel. Next, when you achieve a good perceptive understanding about the Hedgehog Concept and three circles relating to it, t... ... middle of paper ... ...mpany’s foundation and at its original roots, such as the people working for it. Once a group of self-motivated and hard working individuals are chosen, then a clear vision and direction as to where the company will move towards can be established. In addition, knowing where you are in your life is an important, yet challenging venture. A leader must be able to undoubtedly identify what is happening around you, the reality of what is truly going on around you and the reality of your circumstance, are crucial for any business or real life situation. You must be able to reflect, think, and once again observe surroundings to discover important insights to your company. If leaders can do this, then Jim Collins’ Good to Great concepts can be possible. The most important point I will take away from this book is that “greatness results in good decisions over-and-over.”
The chapter “Clarify What’s Important to you” introduces several successful leaders and many praiseworthy values to me. Although each leader comes from different environments and possesses different characters, all of them keep their precious values in mind and persist in chasing their ideal lives. Even if each value can be interpreted by different meanings, they all lead encourage individuals to become better.
The most valuable lesson I have learned so far from Ben Horowitz’s book is that there is always a solution. Really, I am amazed by how much resilience Ben had when his personal and professional life were shitty. Twenty-five years ago, my father left 3M to create his own company, he left a really good position in a global company to follow his dream and also because he couldn’t stand having a boss breathing over his neck anymore. I was less than one-year-old and he “gambled” everything over an idea. That is one of the thing I admire the most about him. My dad’s story and Ben’s book made me realize even more that to be successful the hardest part is to actually start. Having a lot of ambition but never taking to risk to fulfill it or loose some price is the worst that can happened to me.
As a whole, Warren Bennis defined the values and achievement plan for becoming the most successful leader one can be. He highlighted the link between self knowledge and business. A leader is not just “doing a job” or “running a company,” but it’s finding one’s personal vision. Bennis tries to do as much as he possibly he can to shatter this myth. Today, more people are starting to learn what leadership exactly means and what is expected of a leader. It might be evident that in the future competition will be harder
There are many interesting quotes and advice given in this book; five statements stood out that I felt are worthwhile.
In Mr. Collin’s speech on Thursday, April 3, 2014, he highlighted a few of the most imperative principles of the thirty-five principles outlined in his “Creative Followership”. Collins suggested that through application of these principles, any individual has the potential to be passionately committed and deeply involved in their organization or project - and even in their personal life. All of this without having fashion his or her self into the next Andrew Carnegie. His or her contribution does not have to be as leader to be immeasurabl...
Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge is an organizational management book written by Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus for those who aim to become better leaders. The authors emphasize that having executive positions or being a manager does not automatically make one a leader. A leader is one who inspires his staff, help them find purpose in their work, and effectively implement their plans. They separate the book not quite into chapters on different topics, but rather by four strategies that they have determined are vital for any leader to take on. The strategies are effectively concluded as attention through vision, meaning through communication, trust through positioning, and the deployment of self. A prominent feature of Leaders is the various
...sion, and dedication are the essential ingredients to a fruitful life. Reading the book, “It’s Easier to Succeed than to Fail,” touched my heart. The book was written very simple and from the heart. It contained valuable lessons and inspirational challenges that will inspire young and old people to strive for the very best. I love the book. It is truly a must read book. I highly recommend the book. It will make you glad to be in a world with people like Truett Cathy.
Destiny, brought the book True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership into my life and I want to bring it into the lives of others. More specifically those who may believe they weren’t born with the characteristics or traits to become a leader or those who have not found their passion or purpose in life; their “True North.” The book, written by Bill George and co-author Peter Sims, compiles a series of interviews with 125 managers from Howard Schultz of Starbuck’s to Dan Vasella of Novartis. The interviewees guide readers through their journey to become the leaders they are today; discussing their failures, successes, obstacles, personal tragedies and triumphs. The stories of each manager prove the True North’s thesis, which is no one person is born a leader and there isn’t one path to becoming a leader. The book is separated into three sections: 1) Leadership is a Journey 2) Discover Your Authentic Leadership 3) Empowering People to Lead. Before giving overviews of each section, it is important to define an authentic leader.
The author called out for servant leadership for long-term success for all stakeholders. Similar to other professions leader needs to hone their abilities to be effective in their leadership role. To find a purpose in what you achieve besides money, power, and fame resonates with the True North. A leader should act in the best interests of the organization that would lead to a greater good. To have a balance between IQ and EQ will lead to leadership with the True North. Passion, compassion, empathy, and courage matters the heart decisions are important components of the True North. To develop as a worthy human being, a leader must become self aware, integrated human being, and comfortable being his/herself. In addition a leader with the True North moves from I to we, is humble, serve customers, empower people, and align personal values with organization’s mission. A leader with True North demonstrates a high degree of integrity and walks his/her talk. A leader with a True North is an integrated leader with fine balance between personal, family, work, and community life. On a similar note, a leader with True North aligns and nourishes their mind, body, and soul.
Maxwell explains to us the three ways to bring value and influence to any organization or position we may find ourselves in. The first of these is something Maxwell calls “leading up”. Leading up is the process of influencing those who are in leadership above us. This process includes lightening the load for those above us through being willing to do what others won’t, while knowing when to push forward and when to back off. The second of the three ways to bring value and influence is called “leading across”. Those who are in the middle of an organization are leaders of leaders. These leaders help peers achieve great results, let the best idea win, and garner mutual respect. These leaders must develop and maintain credibility, and continually exert influence. The third way we can bring value and influence to our organization is through “leading down”. Leaders at the top who lead down help people realize their potential, become a strong role model, and encourage others to become part of a higher purpose. This involves walking through the organization, casting the vision, and rewarding others for their
Pinnacle leaders stand out from everyone else. Leadership at this high level lifts the entire organization and creates an environment that benefits everyone in it, contributing to their success. Level 5 leaders often possess an influence that transcends the organization and the industry the leader works in. For example, Steve jobs was a productive leader because he made sure the people around him were productive, and they respected and followed him because of his legacy.
Leaders can have a powerful impact on the futures of many, and the way in which one approaches leadership is paramount to the type of impact one will have. Continual growth in the areas of knowledge I have and seek to acquire, as well as recognizing my leadership style and utilizing my personal strengths to the fullest, is vital to the successful implementation of my personal philosophy of leadership.
Langdon, K. (2001). Smart things to know about decision making. Retrieved December 9, 2007, from eResourse.
Leaders of the future will be faced with many challenges. As the world changes, we must adapt the ways in which we face these challenges, and in turn grow as leaders. A leader is not merely someone which commands a group or organization. A good leader exhibits the ability to take an average team of individuals and achieve greatness. Leadership is not supervision or leading. It is the ability to inspire or influence others towards the end goal. As Barendsen and Gardner stated (2006), “the best leaders are individuals who, in their work, exhibit three distinct meanings of good: (1) an excellent technical and professional quality and competence, (2) an ethical orientation, and (3) a completely engaged sense of fulfillment and meaningfulness” (p. 266). Good leaders must utilize all of these traits in order to meet the challenges of the future. A few emerging challenges that future
Theiman, LeAnn. How to Overcome the 10 Biggest Mistakes in Decision Making. n.d. Web. 19 Feb 2014.