MIA CARMEL

I learned a lot of things from Mr. Ferdinand Joseph Escobal about the True North Strategy. He discussed about the famous book of Jim Collins entitled "Good to Great". It taught me how to become the best and to exceed expectations - therefore, being great.

There were 5 ideas that he shared which can be found in the book. These are the:

1. Level 5 Leadership
2. First Who, Then What
3. Confront the Brutal Facts
4. Hedgehog Concept
5. Building your Company's vision

In the Level 5 Leadership, the term Level 5 refers to the highest level in a hierarchy of executive capabilities wherein an executive builds an enduring greatness through a blend of professional will and personal humility.

When we say professional will, an executive must:

1. Create superb results
2. Demonstrate a solution to do whatever must be done to produce the best long-term results.
3. Set the standard of building an enduring great company.
4. Never blame other people for his poor results or even failures.

When we say professional humility, an executive must:

1. Demonstrate modesty, avoid public adoration - therefore, he is never boastful.
2. Acts quietly with calm determination, and relies on standards to motivate his people.
3. Thinks for the success of the company, shares what he knows to the successors for a greater success in the next generation.
4. Shares out credit for the success of the company.

Level 5 leaders are modest and willful, humble and fearless. The key trait of the Level 5 leaders is that their ambition is first and foremost for the company, and concern for its success rather than for one's own riches and personal reputation.

In the "First Who, Then What" idea, it must have a Level 5 Management Team to be able to come up with a great company. A Level 5 Leader must figure out first "who" the right people are - the right people are also the other Level 5 Leaders in the group that can be a part of a superior executive team. Once you know who the Level 5 Management Team is, then figure out the best path that will lead to greatness. The right people will need not to be tightly managed because they will be self-motivated by the inner drive to produce the best results and to be part of creating something great.

This idea was compared to a bus wherein the CEO, also a Level 5, is the driver and he has the level 5 leaders riding on his bus. But before they went on a journey, the CEO let the other passengers get off the bus because he knew that the bus was crowded with men that he does not need in his voyage and they must get off the bus. Thus, providing the passengers of the bus the comfort of their ride and all of them knows where they are headed to. All of them are aiming for one direction, in line with the vision of the CEO.

As for the "Confront the Brutal Facts" idea, it teaches me to face the hard truths that I encounter along the way in life. That I should never give up and never surrender. Solutions to problems might take a long time, but I can always find a way to prevail. And that, I should always keep the faith that I will prevail in the end no matter what difficulties I may encounter, and at the same time, I would never be afraid to deal with the most brutal facts of my reality.

The Hedgehog Concept teaches me to attain a sharp clarity about how to produce the best long-term results, and then exercising the persistent discipline to turn down opportunities that can fail the concept. The 3 key dimensions of this concept are:

1. What you can be the best in the world at
2. What drives your economic engine.
3. What you are deeply passionate about.

To fully develop the concept, I need the 3 dimensions to become the best at something, be passionate for all I want and for me to have fun to what I'm doing, and then I produce great results. Therefore, greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness is a matter of conscious choice, and self-discipline.

For the "Building your Company's Vision" idea, the essential component is to know the core ideology from the stimulating progress. The core ideology is the thing that can never be changed such as the core values and core purpose.  The stimulating progress are the changes happening such as the cultural and operating practices, the specific goals and strategies that are changing constantly in response to the changing world.

Therefore, for a good company to become great, they must focus on getting and hanging on to the right people. Those who are always productive, self-motivated and self-disciplined, those who wake up every day and are spontaneously driven to do the best they can because it is simply part of their DNA. Then a company can transform from GOOD... TO GREAT!