What makes our ego our greatest asset (or most expensive liability)?
In one of his signature keynotes, Steven Smith (Co-Author Egonomics) sets out to answer this question and unpacks 5 levels of leadership. He describes humility as being a key leadership trait that separates great leaders from everyone else, and one of the ultimate competitive advantages in organisations today.
Steven also references Jim Collins’ landmark Good to Great research: for the 11 of 1,425 companies that made the leap from good performance to great, Collins discovered two unique traits of leaders throughout their cultures:
- intense professional will and
- extreme personal humility
Here are the 5 levels of Leadership explored in the Pure Confidence Workshop:
G1 First Gear
Leaders and teams (and we use the word “team” loosely) in first gear subversively undermine change, and don’t like each other, much less other teams or the organization for whom they work.
People take challenges personally and don’t listen. Mistakes aren’t discussed, even though people know they happen(ed).
G2 Second Gear
Leaders and teams in second gear don’t care much about the work they do and are change resistant.
G2 players are “job-holders;” people who just “do their jobs,” and nothing more.
There is minimal cooperation when necessary and passive collaboration on key decisions and projects.
People are flexible about changes everywhere else, but rigid about changes in their area of influence or responsibility.
G3 Third Gear
Leaders and teams in third gear are characterized by individual recognition and team member vs. team member competition.
Diversity may be present, but is usually undervalued and poorly utilized because individual, me-first focus pre-empts collaboration and diversity.
Discussions are competitive and occasionally combative. Working philosophy is my idea wins vs. the best idea wins. Agreeing to disagree is frequently the “easy out” to seeing things differently. Success is moderate, inconsistent and difficult to sustain.
G4 Fourth Gear
Leaders and teams get pre-occupied attempting to best outside competitors.
Work together effectively but get distracted by internal competition with other teams, i.e., Marketing vs. Sales, Products. vs. Services. As a result of their “enemy-centred” approach, they aren’t as collaborative with other teams as they could be, and as a result get value-added product replication or light modification rather than original innovation.
Short-term success often comes at the expense of long-term ability to produce results.
G5 Fifth Gear
Leaders and teams think company first, team second and me third.
Ambition is driven by “what can we do uniquely to have an impact in the market,” not “what can we do better than Company X?” or ““What is team Y up to?”
Debates about ideas are motivated by the best idea winning, not whose idea wins. Great performance is consistently delivered, even in difficult circumstances or tough market conditions.
You can access the “Pure Confidence Workshop Recording” and all G5 events, team assessment tools and on-demand recordings at 3 WIN Consulting or join the next live keynote by clicking the red button above.
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By Jason Durham | The Workplace Motivator
Copyright © 2010 3 WIN Consulting. All rights reserved.
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Jason Durham, Founder of 3 WIN Consulting is a Workplace Motivator and Behavioural expert, specialising in helping medium to large organisations tackle the 3 biggest reasons why people leave and underperform while still there. To receive your FREE Special Report, Team Dynamics and Leadership Training Tools visit www.jasondurham.com.au.
