In a posting earlier this year, we mentioned John Maxwell who is a prolific writer and speaker, often on subjects related to leadership. In that posting, we talked about what Maxwell calls “positional leadership” which is the bottom level of his “5 Levels of Leadership.” However, there’s an important leadership lesson to be learned when you understand that leadership is not an event, but an evolution. So, if you continue reading below, we’ll walk through his “5 Levels of Leadership” and then reveal the important leadership lesson that collectively they teach.
Are you a leader, or just holding down a leadership position?
In his hierarchy of leadership levels, Maxwell calls the bottom level “positional leadership.” At this level, you are a leader in name only. You are a leader because you have a title on the company’s org chart, and if people want to continue working there and collecting a paycheck, they need to do as you say. In other words, they follow you because they have to, not because they want to. This is not the level where you want to pitch your tent, because here, your people will give you the minimum effort, energy, and commitment they can and still keep their jobs. So clearly, you want to elevate your leadership game and move up a level.
At the second level, the “permission level,” you’re starting to build relationships. You’re getting to know your people and they’re getting to know you. If the relationships are nurtured well, you will begin to like, trust, and respect one another. And when that happens, your people will turn “positional leadership” on its head and begin following you because they want to, not because they have to. In effect, you will have earned their permission to lead them.
The third level is the “production level.” Here you demonstrate your effectiveness as a leader by achieving goals and getting results. You act as a role model to show your people what effectiveness and productivity look like. As people begin to emulate your behavior, the whole team becomes more productive.
The fourth level is the “people development level.” This is where the leadership rubber meets the road. This is where you help people to reach their potential . . . hopefully to become the next generation of leaders. According to Maxwell, there are three keys to developing people:
- To use Jim Collins’ terminology, you’ve got to get the right people on the bus. If you recruit well, odds are, you’ll do well developing them.
- To use Collins’ terminology again, once you’ve got the right people on the bus, make sure you put them in the right seats . . . put them where their talents and interests will have the most impact.
- Give them the tools (skills, behaviors) they need to be successful by:
- Demonstrating your own command of the tools
- Allowing them to “shadow” you while you’re using the tools, letting them observe, ask questions, etc.
- Switching roles. You “shadow” them, observing, coaching, critiquing while they attempt to master the tools.
- Kicking them out of the nest. They do it on their own. They’ve “graduated” and don’t need you shadowing them anymore.
- Completing the circle. They step into the coach/mentor role and help “equip” someone else.
Not surprisingly, the fifth level is the “pinnacle level” (it is at the top, right?). It’s the level all of us aspire to, but in most cases, it’s a work in progress . . . we’re not quite there yet. People at this level are recognized and respected as great leaders. Others not only willingly follow them, they seek them out. Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden never had to worry about recruiting . . . the best high school players in the country were beating down his door for an opportunity to play for him. That’s a level five leader.
At the top of this post, I promised an important leadership lesson once we understand the evolutionary nature of leadership. And you are probably trying to figure out where in Maxwell’s hierarchy you belong. Are you at level one? Level three? Where are you? And as you think about that and the people you want to lead, it’s probably dawning on you that you’re not at any one level . . . with some people you’re at one level, with others you’re at another level.
Here’s the lesson. You can only lead at the level your people are, not at the level you would like them to be. With some people, you may be able to move through the levels fairly quickly, but with others, you may have to move more slowly. For instance, you may have some people who are open to forming positive relationships and are anxious to move with you from level one (positional leadership) to level two. However, there may be others who are more cautious and circumspect and need a little more time. So you continue working with them at level one while you’re simultaneously working with others at level two.
Or what happens when you have someone who is new to the company and new to your team? By default, since they haven’t formed any relationships yet, they are going to be at level one and will regard you as a “positional” leader until you are able to demonstrate otherwise.
So we see that leadership is not just about you. It’s about the relationships you are able to build with each individual you are trying to lead. And with each individual, you will only be at the level that your relationship with that individual will support. Therefore, at any point in time, you may be working with relative newcomers at level one, older hands at level two, and your most tenured people at levels three or four. Your job, as leader, is to build relationships and develop strategies to move each of your people from whatever level they’re on with you, to the next level up.
If you’re interested in learning the nitty gritty details of Maxwell’s “5 Levels of Leadership,” he has published a book by that name or you can see him discuss it on a YouTube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPwXeg8ThWI.
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andy@rocksolidbizdevelopment.com
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