Now that I’m using Reading Refresh to keep myself up to date on books I’ve read in the past, I thought I’d share some of them as they came back up. Today is “5 Levels of Leadership” by John Maxwell, which I first read back in 2020. This book is also available as a free flashcard deck on Ripple Recall.
John Maxwell’s “5 Levels of Leadership” is exactly what it sounds like; the five levels you (ideally) progress through as a leader. Maxwell says that:
A true leader isn’t characterized by her formal job description, but rather by her influence on other people. To have the greatest impact as a leader, support your staff, build effective teams and allow people to grow and become leaders themselves.
Let’s dig in to the five levels.
Level 1: Position
Maxwell says that this is “a great place to start, but you wouldn’t want to live there”. This is where leaders start, but they lack influence and need to develop themselves much further. He also shares:
“When people follow a leader because they have to, they will do only what they have to. People don’t give their best to leaders they like least. They give reluctant compliance, not commitment. They may give their hands but certainly not their heads or hearts.”
Level 2: Permission
He says that “you can’t lead people until you like people”. This level is about building relationships and gaining trust.
“When you like people and treat them like individuals who have value, you begin to develop influence with them. You develop trust.”
Level 3: Production
This is where you start making things happen, and he shared a variety of great quotes in this section, including these two:
From legendary basketball coach John Wooden:
“Everyone who scores a basket has ten hands.”
Or from Peter Drucker:
“There are two types of people in the business community: those who produce results and those who give you reasons why they didn’t.”
Level 4: People Development
This level emphasizes developing others into leaders. Maxwell says:
“Helping individual leaders grow extends your influences and impact.”
Level 5: The Pinnacle
You’ve reached level 5 when you’ve been able to help others reach level 4. You’re able to serve as an example to others for how high they can reach.
The book spends a great deal of time on each level, and it makes it clear to understand where you currently are and what you need to do to keep moving forward.
I encourage you to grab a copy of the book if you haven’t read it yet, check out the flashcards for the book on Ripple Recall, or watch this short overview video for a bit more.
