Good For Great, By Jim Collins

Leaders are perhaps uncovered at many different levels and situations (Simmons, 2011). However, leaders in many organizations lead when forced into the spotlight and find out they are not equipped to function effectively. Becoming a leader can be as simple as leading a small team, a group or a community organization (Jennings, 2012). The truth of the matter

There is a great importance put on business leadership, this is directly due to how a business not only functions but in how fruitful the company can become. A great leader essentially can take a business plan that is weak yet turn it into a success, whereas a poor leader stands a higher chance of ruining the best of business plans. That is why it is essential to develop effective leadership throughout a companies entire management program at all levels. How does one develop or retain strong leadership? Companies must be focused on hiring strategies that encompass very specific parameters, building from within whilst creating a strong foundation for employee development and succession planning. Leadership is essential in any organization. The style and theory embraced determines whether the company will or will not achieve their goals. in all cases theory must be embraced, as a companies theory, style, and strategy is greatly dependent on the industry the company is in (Sadler, 2014). “The behavioral theory is one of the widely used theories of management. It suggests that leaders are made and not born. It gives room for training to install leadership traits in leaders at the expense of denying them a chance. There are various leadership styles embraced by companies (Cyert, & March, 2005).”  This paper takes a look at the management styles of two specific

Leadership can be defined as the process of identifying a goal, motivating others, and make them to achieve the mutually goals (Giltinane, 2013). According to Humphreys (2002), successful leaders do this by applying their leadership knowledge and skills. A good leadership is not only good at management, but also use different leadership styles in different situations. A successful corporation must has a good leader who have the flexible ability which can provide a suitable leadership to make the company successful. Furthermore, there have no perfect leadership styles in the world. Different leader have different leadership styles which also have the different strengths and weaknesses (Ali & Waqar, 2013). Leaders need to consider

For centuries leaders have been analyzed in order to determine what the traits and characteristics of a successful leader are. Leadership, as defined by Koontz and Weihrich (2008) is “the art or a process of influencing people so that they will strive willingly and enthusiastically toward the achievement of group goals” (p. 311). Leadership plays an important role in employee’s participation, creativity, recruitment to an organization, their commitment to the organization, and productivity levels. Over the years, there have been a number of theories surrounding leadership such as the “Great Man” theory, which, according to Riaz and Haider (2010), “assumes that leaders are born and have innate qualities, therefore, leaders

Leadership is the elaboration of group inspiration. One person entrusted as leader can implore the aid, and support of supporters in the accomplishment of a common mission. According to Gurdjian, Halbeisen, and Lane “Becoming a more effective leader often requires changing behavior. But although most companies recognize that this also means adjusting underlying mind-sets, too often these organizations are reluctant to address the root causes of why leaders act the way they do” (Gurdjian, Halbeisen, and Lane, 2014) However, today abundant businesses engross importance on the improvement of leaders. Some of the ultimate leaders were formerly followers, such as in instructive businesses. One aspect as leaders many have to contemplate in striving

In addition, leadership itself can be described in various forms and through the highlight of different skill sets, but the one thing that all definitions have in common is that “leadership involves influencing the attitudes, beliefs, behaviours and feelings of other people” Spector’s work (as cited in Curtis, de Vries, & Sheerin, 2011, p.306). When the skill set of a leader is compared to that of a manager, true differences are noted. Some of these key differences are apparent even in the approach utilized to reach the desired goals. While a manager directs, a leader transforms, a manager sustains and a leader improves, a manager controls, a leader motivates, a manager’s focus is on short-term goals and a leader’s is long-term based, managers ask how and when, while

Collins (2005) defines Level 5 hierarchy leadership as the manager in whom honest individual modesty mixes with strong expert willpower. Mr. Gates displays this type of leadership much in his individual life than in his career events. Bill Gates represents a critical segment not only in his earnings but of his net worth to philanthropic causes but as well motivates similar leaders to follow his path. Gates’ duty as a trailblazer of leaders is a thing that uplifts his reputation about leadership globally.

There are five levels to James Collins’ book, “Good to Great” (Curtis & Manning, 2015). Level 5 leaders have personal humility and professional will. I do not know many Level 5 leaders personally, but one I could classify as one would be my lead at Ryder Logistics. Even though he was not a supervisor or a logistics manager, he does have the characteristics of a Level 5 manager.

Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great is the companion piece of Good to Great. It uses the idea that leadership is foundational piece to build greatness upon. Jim Collins and his team of researchers have authored six books books about business leadership and what makes great companies successful. He lays out four stages of discipline with each having its guiding principles as the framework of ideas for the book. Many people who read Good to Great have asked how to apply the key principles to social sector organizations. So Collins authored the companion piece, Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great. In it, he outlines the use of the culture of discipline in social sectors and that it is “not a principle of business; it is a principle of greatness.” Because the principles outlined in the original book are not directed to those with business acumen they can be applied widely to all endeavors. Good to Great and the Social Sector shows the principles in Good to Great do apply to the social sector and to answer questions about perceived difference between business and social sectors.

The topic of leadership is historically one of the most widely researched when it comes to explorations of organizational behavior. The success of any institution or organization is pegged on the quality of its leadership because it is the determining factor on the pattern and speed at which it achieves its growth goals. Leaders are responsible for steering an organization toward its goal by mobilizing resources (both human and material) and maximizing their efficiency. The key deliverables for many leaders include employee well-being, teamwork, adherence to organizational processes and procedures, innovation, crisis

The companies who were able to succeed in the unstable environments described became known as 10Xers, a moniker used throughout the rest of the book. To become a 10Xer, companies needed to beat their industry average by a minimum of 10 times. These 10X companies were then companies in a control group who failed to become great in the same extreme environments that the 10xers thrived in. Why did one company become such a success while others failed? This is the basis of the entire book and the answers to the reasons for their success are detailed by Jim Collins.

Rather they demonstrated personal humility and professional will revealing an aggressive resolve to do what was best for the company, he or she plays an important role in the success of their organization through talent, knowledge, skills, and good work habits. The lower levels included effective leader, competent manager, contributing team member, and highly capable individual. The traits of Level 5 leaders include, building “enduring greatness” into their organizations, setting their successors up for success, talking about the company and others, but declining to discuss themselves, ordinary people producing extraordinary results, most likely to come from within the company, not outside of it, quick to give credit outside themselves when there was success, while at the same time taking personal responsibility when things went badly and distinctive in their approach to the people they wanted in the company. Most companies would think the first step in becoming a great would be to create a vision and a strategy, but this has not been proven true. The first step a company should take is determining who the right employees are, and which position in the company is right for them. In chapter three is states” If executives get the right people on the bus, the right people in the right seats and the wrong people off the bus, then we’ll figure out how to take it someplace great.” Level 5 leaders wanted top players as well top effort.

Leadership is a very broad topic; I never knew just how many different traits and skills that it takes to become an effective leader. Some of which I was familiar with, and others that I was not aware of, but now from taking this course, they all seem to be necessary for the role of leadership. The attached paper, will explain of some of the important theories and concepts that I thought were most important to be able to become and effective leader.

In corporate America the term used to describe a person in a position of power is “Manager”. A leader can be a manager, but a manager is not necessarily a leader. Leaders motivate, challenge, and influence others to achieve goals. Great leaders have the necessary skills and attributes which allow them to connect with the team and organization. Being a leader is not the same as managing an organization. Leader’s posses the interpersonal skills needed to influence others to achieve a goal willingly. Leading is a major part of a manager’s job. Leaders do not need to be a manager to lead people, but managers must know how to lead as well as manage.

"Good is the enemy of great” is the first sentence in Jim Collins book; Good to Great, Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Other Don’t. Jim Collins says, because good is the enemy of great, is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great. This book is packed with leading edge thinking, understandable examples, and data to support the conclusions. It is a challenge for CEOs, entrepreneurs and leaders to show evidence of the discipline required to shift their companies from Good to Great.