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 luck. Giuliani had an organized plan developing from day one of his mayorialship, which exemplifies his Level 5 leadership abilities. Level 5 leaders depend on the people around them. They spend time finding the right people and helping them develop into reaching their full potential.

Giuliani had evolved a plan to identify top talent before he was even sworn into office.Identifying the right people to lead and getting the wrong people out of those positions was an important first step. His staff evaluated incumbent city commissioners and looked for additional potential candidates to fill the positions. Giuliani wanted at least three recommendations for each position. Through this process, he was able construct a team he trusted and respected and hit the ground running when he took office. Giuliani emphasized the importance of creating teams that balance your weaknesses (complement you) with the strengths of other team members- a hallmark of a Level 5 leader.

He surrounded himself with great people but most importantly, he wanted and expected his staff to feel like they were a part of something bigger than themselves. As mayor, Giuliani began each day with a morning meeting in which his top staff convened around a table to discuss the events the day before and plan for the one ahead. He concocted a method in which on day one, a plan could be developed and on day two, implementation could be questioned. By the third day, questions on actions and results could be answered. Giuliani ensured that progress could occur quickly because of the condensed time frame between idea and action.

These meetings served many purposes, but one critical aspect was that they gave city workers a sense that they could make things better. Giuliani believed in preparing relentlessly and "not assuming a damn thing". He created a sort of academic program in his early days of becoming Mayor that explored new ideas and taught the basics of city government through seminars designed to explore and develop ideas to re-invent NYC. He wanted to learn things so thoroughly that it became a part of his history, ingrained within himself.

He knew that a leader must always be prepared for the worst.Giuliani believed in channeling fears into practicing presentation, testing products, and planning for events. By mentally practicing for the worst possible situation, he was able to figure out the best way to handle things. He saw problems as intellectual challenges and was driven to come up with solutions.

It was the emergency plans he had already in place for NYC- for blackouts, hurricanes, suicide bombers- that helped him handle the unimaginable on September 11th. Giuliani also credited optimism for driving his quick decision making on that fateful day.Also, an important lesion he learned from his father was put to the test that day. His father taught him early in life to always remain calm in situations of panic, even if he didn't feel calm.

He believed people need to see someone who is stronger than they are, but human too. Giuliani always displayed a strong, clear vision. He would develop and set strategies, motivate and energize people, and then keep them focused. He believed in having direction and in setting goals and sticking to them, whether they were popular or unpopular, and in having confidence in his own judgment and the unwavering resolve to stick with unpopular opinions.He believes in "Being Your Own Man" and in being a genuine person at all times.

He set an example, a sort of standard of behavior, early in his administration by working harder than he asked of anyone else. During the first year as mayor, he worked every single weekend. During his two terms he only missed one day of work to illness and took zero weeks off. He believes that it's powerful motivation for others when a leader sets a proper example. He even battled through prostate cancer and still thrived as Mayor.

The systems Giuliani established for accountability were the heart and soul of his turnaround efforts in NYC.Giuliani’s teams became one with the system and spread it across all sectors of city government. City workers were held accountable through review of statistics, data collection, performance indicators, and reports presented at "CompStat" meetings. Using hard data generated through these new systems, Giuliani and his team were able to map and track hundreds of parameters from each division of government. His idea was for each of his departments to take responsibility and feel invested in the process.

By creating such a culture among employees, it lead to momentous change.Level 5 leaders are self-confident enough develop and groom successors. Every decision Giuliani made was for the benefit of the "enterprise"- the city of New York. He was sure to hire only the most competent candidates and then delegate responsibilities.

He was also sure to give credit to his team for successes. Giuliani wanted to leave the city in strong hands so he researched and fully endorsed his replacement, Mike Bloomberg. I consider him a humble and modest leader, qualities that typify a Level 5 Leader, and still strong in his resolve to stand up to bullying.I believe Rudy Giuliani will be remembered as a prominent leader of American history for his leadership in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

One of his greatest attributes as a leader was his ability to transform even the most horrible tragedy into an opportunity to become stronger. He ensured that New York City was operating again within days of the terrorist attacks and helped encourage the outpouring of patriotism and national reconciliation that united Americans in the attack aftermath. For all the reasons previously mentioned, I conclude that Rudy Giuliani has measured up to be one of few Level 5 Leaders.