Jesse Steele

In “Good to Great” by Jim Collins, we learn the value of what he calls “first-who-then-what” in terms of vision for an organization. In his study of companies that broke through the glass ceiling of “averageness” to “greatness”, the team was developed first, before they found their final vision and direction.

Collin’s observation, admittedly, departs from conventional wisdom—that vision comes FIRST. So, where does vision fit in? It almost seems to have become an enemy of so-called “leadership” these days. But, it all made sense this evening as I sat at McDonald’s, smothering my double quarter-pounder with cheese in ketchup—another opus of American research that has defiled all street advice.

So, what brilliant discovery popped into my mind as the [metaphoric] tomato hit me on the head? Collin’s “first-who-the-what” observation came paired with another observation he made—the “Level Five Leader”. (He didn’t think of anything better to call it, if you couldn’t tell.)  · · · →