The Number Five (In A Leadership Sense)

I remember a while ago talking to a colleague about how awesome our work environment was at our employer at the time. 

We talked (or complained depending on you you look at it) of the lack of leadership and I threw out the term "Level 5 Leadership." 

It was at the point that I received a quizzical look from him and he was smart enough to ask me what that meant. 

If you've read Good to Great, Jim Collins describes Level 5 as:

"Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will."

In John Maxwell's The Five Levels of Leadership, he desribes Level 5 as the Pinnacle: 

 "People follow because of who you are and what you represent."

The book Tribal Leadership by Logan, King, and Fischer-Wright describe an organization in Stage 5 as: 

"... pure leadership, vision, and inspiration... Their language revolves around infinite potential and how the group is going to make history-- not to beat a competitor, but because doing so will make a global impact. The group's mood is 'innocent wonderment,' with people in competition with what's possible, not with another tribe."

How many of us can say that we've experienced level 5 leaders or been in an organization or tribe that is in stage 5. (It can't be many of us because the book says that only 2% of workplace cultures have experienced stage 5.)

Take a look around. Look at the leaders in your organization. Look at yourself. 

Decide what level of stage of leadership you want to be a part of and immediately take a step on that journey. 

You and your organization will be better because of it.