The Business of Leadership
5 Levels Of
Leadership
By: Bonnie Benkula, BSHCA, MBA Certified Coach, Speaker, Trainer The John Maxwell
TEAM The Leaven Exchange Bonnie @ Benkula. com
In John Maxwell’ s book, The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential, John provides a great paradigm for understanding leadership and some great tools for understanding where you fit on the 5 Levels of Leadership.
This book is an excellent source for understanding leadership growth and how to progress in your leadership abilities and ultimately your expanding your influence. Here is a summary for your review:
Level 1: Position
The level of Position is the lowest level of leadership— the entry level and a great place to start for an aspiring leader.
• Level 1 leaders are the“ Boss” but they are never leaders
• People follow because they have to based on title. P
• People do only what is required of them
• Anyone can be appointed a leader at this level – no ability or effort required to achieve
• Organization Charts, rules and regulations control their people Level 2 – Permission
Making the shift from Position to Permission brings a person’ s first real step into leadership. Leadership is influence, and when a leader learns to function on the Permission level, everything changes.
• People follow because they want to follow
• The leader influences people with relationship not just position.
• People feel liked, included, valued, and trusted
• They begin to work together with their leader
• People begin to work better with each other
The leader who masters this level of Permission leadership can change the entire working environment to a more positive environment.
Level 3: Production
Production qualifies and separates true leaders from people who merely occupy leadership positions. Many leaders never get beyond the Production level and spend their entire career at this level. Yet can make a significant impact on an organization.
• Leaders are they productive individually
• Leaders build teams that are able to produce
• No one can fake Level 3. Either you’ re producing for the organization and adding to its bottom line( whatever that may be), or you’ re not.
• Some people never move up from Level 2 Permission to Level 3 Production.
• Leaders are getting results, tackling tough problems
• Leaders are making some tough decisions and making a difference.
21 MOMENTUM / March 2018