John C Maxwell 5 Levels of Leadership

There are many things you can be when you evolve into a leader. You lead by example and advice, through understanding and strategizing, understanding that the only path to choose is the one that takes you ahead. But the best leaders often feel stuck in a stagnant pool where they cannot fully realize their potential. It is times like these that one realizes that there needs to be more to leadership.

Developing the Leader Within You and The 5 Levels of Leadership are two books that address this concern and also provide much needed solutions. These books by John C. Maxwell talk about embracing your leadership quality while realizing how much further you can improve your skills. They will also increase your effectiveness as a leader. Here are the details:

The Five Levels of Leadership

Level One: Position

While some are born leaders, others often have to rise up to the occasion when the situation demands it. Being recruited to a leadership position is one of those demanding situations. Maxwell rightly says that while there is nothing wrong in getting an authoritative job position but there is something very wrong in the expectation of ‘relying only on that position to get people to follow.’

Authority does not command respect. You might have followers, but only because they are motivated by their payday. To have people willingly volunteer to help, you will have to work towards inspiring and motivating them through your leadership approach. You can use your position to find out the most effective method of being a true leader and explore your potential.

Level Two: Permission

Continuing from the points described in the previous level, this one is focused on how well your leadership approach is working. If you have developed a strong relationship with your subordinates, they will subconsciously look up to you and will give you their consent or permission to be their leader.

Understanding everyone’s demeanor and perspective is a significant first step towards building trust. Developing interpersonal relationships makes your leadership more impactful and respected. It will also make the general atmosphere of the workspace more cheerful and optimistic.

Level Three: Production

Once you have got their permission, it is time to jump to the next step, i.e., productivity. You can build relationships, but that will be incomplete as long as you do not fulfill all the expectations demanded from you. The leader directly impacts the productivity of their subordinates.

You will have to boost the morale of the team, keep them motivated throughout and lead them to success. It is good to be prepared for mishaps so that you can handle them with precision. High productivity will yield good results, and it will also encourage everyone to work together in the future.

Level Four: People Development

You are not a leader if you are not inspiring others to rise up and follow your lead into becoming a leader themselves. People development mainly consists of building upon the resources that you have, i.e., people. You have the position to help people unlock their potential and move ahead.

If you encourage a person’s capabilities as a professional, you are putting them in a responsible position that will motivate them to work harder and exceed expectations. It will give rise to productivity while also motivating others to give you permission to lead. Maxwell’s advice is to be conscious enough to make ‘intentional’ decisions every day to encourage growth and stimulate growth.

Level Five: Pinnacle

The final level is the most demanding one. It demands that you build upon what has already been mentioned in the previous levels. You cannot lead half-heartedly and expect to reach this level. Being an authentic leader would mean being invested in productivity, gaining respect, and being invested in the people who look up to you.

Pinnacle is not a level you will immediately find yourself at. You will have to continuously keep working towards it. Simply put, continual focus on ‘both growing yourself at every level and developing leaders’ by investing in their potential is crucial to achieving the final level would be incredibly easy.

The Takeaway

Before you go, one major thing to understand is that these levels do not work in isolation from one another. Instead, they ‘build upon each other.’ Have them work in tandem with each other for the best results. Always remember that striving for success and committing to growth is the only way to fully flourish as a leader.

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