The 5 Levels of Leadership

I was told this story recently. A leader took the book the Five Levels of Leadership and shared it with the team as a way to share leadership wisdom. And as the team read the book, they collectively realized that their leader was only a level one, certainly not the intended outcome, and at the same time a valuable realization for the team. True leadership isn't a matter of having a certain job or title. In fact, being chosen for a position is only the first of the five levels every effective leader achieves. To become more than the boss, people follow only because they're required to. You have to master the ability to invest in people and inspire them. This is the starting point of John Maxwell's book the Five Levels of Leadership, one of those must read business books that has sold more than 24 million copies in 50 languages. The five levels he defines are level one position people follow because they have to. You have the right to be the boss. It's the only level that requires really no ability or effort to achieve. Level 2 permission. People follow because they want to, because you listen, observe, learn and build solid, lasting relationships. Level 3 production people follow because of what you've done for the organization, the results you have delivered. Now leading and influencing others becomes fun because when everyone is moving forward together, the team rises to another level of effectiveness. Level 4 people Development people follow because of what you have done for them personally. Your goal at this level is to identify and develop as many leaders as you can by investing in them and helping them grow. And level five is the pinnacle people follow because of who you are and what you represent. This highest level of leadership is of course, also the most challenging to attain. It requires longevity as well as intention. You simply can't reach level 5 unless you're willing to invest your life into the lives of others for the long the five levels describe a journey, a growth process that begs the question of what one can do to achieve those five levels of leadership. Here are some tips. Ask for constructive feedback. Be specific in your question, allowing you to pinpoint areas of improvement. Also, allow for anonymous feedback to encourage honesty and then show that you took it to heart and made changes. Number two Identify your leadership style. The more you understand your style, the more deliberate you can be, either enhancing and emphasizing certain elements or or trying to change them. Number three Accept leadership responsibilities with or without a thought. Look for and ask for opportunities to practice and develop your style. Number four Find a mentor, an experienced individual who can help you with all matters of leadership by offering guidance and advice. Number five Learn to follow. Yield control on purpose and don't feel threatened by it. Keep an open mind. Accept a differing opinion. Just follow a novel path. Empower. Because empowerment allows a team of people to achieve defined goals without explicit leadership intervention, each individual operates autonomously within their set of skills. And lastly, number seven, Learn. The best path to becoming a good leader is always to keep learning new things. It keeps your mind sharp and your skills fresh. It primes you for new challenges. And to learn more, simply pick up a copy and read John Maxwell's the Five Levels of Leadership.