Level 5 Leadership--Rudy Giuliani
The concept of Level 5 Leadership, created by business consultant Jim Collins, was developed when he began researching what makes a great company. Out of 1,435 Fortune 500 companies, he recognized that only 11 of them were truly great. He asserts that these 11 were headed by Level 5 Leaders. He concludes that what sets these leaders apart from others is that they "blend extreme personal humility with intense professional will."
I suspect every leader ponders how they can move to the next level of leadership and ultimately reach Level 5 Leadership; going from good to great. I believe Rudy Giuliani figured out exactly how to achieve this and was extremely successful. He displayed exemplary hands-on management that marked his administration, including his willingness to respond swiftly and in person to crisis to prove that he could be relied on when New York City needed him most. Allow me to elaborate on why I believe Giuliani reached and measured up to a Level 5 leader and detail some of the most prominent attributes needed to reach such a level.
Giuliani believes leadership does not simply happen, that it can be taught, learned, and developed. Prior to being elected Mayor of NYC, he worked for the U.S. Attorney's office, spent time with a private firm practicing law, then was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York; all the while honing his leadership skills. He knew the importance of learning leadership skills from others but also realized that much of a leader's approach must be formed from the raw material of his or her life. He inherited a city in extreme disrepair and saw to it that crime and murders were decreased by drastic and never before witnessed percentages; enough to eventually make NYC the safest large city in America. He brought the young family back to New York to raise their family and increased small businesses and tourism. NYC soon bustled with economic activity. Just how did he accomplish such feats? It was not by shear
I suspect every leader ponders how they can move to the next level of leadership and ultimately reach Level 5 Leadership; going from good to great. I believe Rudy Giuliani figured out exactly how to achieve this and was extremely successful. He displayed exemplary hands-on management that marked his administration, including his willingness to respond swiftly and in person to crisis to prove that he could be relied on when New York City needed him most. Allow me to elaborate on why I believe Giuliani reached and measured up to a Level 5 leader and detail some of the most prominent attributes needed to reach such a level.
Giuliani believes leadership does not simply happen, that it can be taught, learned, and developed. Prior to being elected Mayor of NYC, he worked for the U.S. Attorney's office, spent time with a private firm practicing law, then was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York; all the while honing his leadership skills. He knew the importance of learning leadership skills from others but also realized that much of a leader's approach must be formed from the raw material of his or her life. He inherited a city in extreme disrepair and saw to it that crime and murders were decreased by drastic and never before witnessed percentages; enough to eventually make NYC the safest large city in America. He brought the young family back to New York to raise their family and increased small businesses and tourism. NYC soon bustled with economic activity. Just how did he accomplish such feats? It was not by shear