[As any follower of this column knows, we are fans of researcher and author Jim Collins (Built to Last and Good to Great) in that the qualities that “make up great companies” and “make companies great” are also qualities possessed by true Challenger Brands. In his book Good to Great, Collins suggests a hierarchy of leadership with level 5 being the epitome of a great leader – a relatively rare achievement.
We have found that most Challenger Brands are already blessed with level 4 leadership, which is comprised of some very admirable leadership qualities. According to Collins, level 5 leaders possess a combination of personal and professional attributes. The professional side of the attribute ledger includes the will to:
- Create superb results – good is not good enough, great is not great enough, there is always room for improvement
- Do whatever must be done to achieve the best long-term results, no matter the degree of difficulty
- Set the standard for an enduring great company, settling for nothing less
- Look in the mirror when assessing any lack of achievement and not seek to assign blame elsewhere. Assume lack of achievement is a leadership failure
Check in with us next time when we’ll recount the personal attributes of level 5 leadership. Meanwhile, are you a Challenger Brand?
