The journey in leadership is not straightforward. It requires constant personal development in soft and hard skills. One very popular models that explain this long journey is by John C. Maxwell in his book, “The Five Levels of Leadership.” This model helps us to understand where we stand in our journey of leadership and how we can grow further to develop stronger personalities.

In this article, we will analyze the five levels of leadership model, and provide the main values as the fundamentals of leadership. At the end, we will provide the must-read books for developing further your leadership. Our goal is to provide you with a model for leadership and orient you within your leadership journey.

1. Position – The Starting Stage of Leadership

The first level of leadership is position as role and authority. In other words, at this level, people lead only because they have a title or position of power. This is where most leaders start the journey. Sadly, leadership at this level tends to be somewhat ineffective and superficial. People follow because they have to, not because they want to. Leaders who lead at the Position stage must appreciate that beyond this elementary level of human needs, authority alone will not evoke motivation that will sustain commitment and high performance over time. Beyond this base level, the leader needs to build relationships and trust.

2. Permission – Building Relationships and Trust

The second level is permission where connection with the followers is required. Here, leadership has nothing to do with the title, but it has to do with relations. Leaders earn the trust and respect of followers in a way that they start following because they want to, not because they have to. This level goes straight into the areas of communication, empathy, and interpersonal skills. In the permission phase, leadership sets up an appreciative work setting in which individuals will feel valued and heard. This is another highly essential stage of team-building. At this stage, the members learn how to cooperate and follow the leader towards common goals.

3. Production – Doing the Work Together

At the third level, of Production, a leader begins to achieve significant results through his team. A leadership level here is characterized by the performance drive and meeting of organizational objectives. The track record of the leader in producing output and supplying concrete outputs inspires followers. Leaders at the Production level are seen as leading by example, catalyzing action, and keeping attention on results. This can be a level where leaders truly start to differentiate themselves and make a significant contribution to an organization.

4. People Development – Empowering Others to Lead

The fourth level is people development, as developing the team. Leaders at this stage invest in others by developing them to become leaders. Mentorship, coaching, and total commitment to the growth of others are very distinct at this level. People who develop others know that their success lies in the success of others. It will help build a culture of continuous improvement and empowerment. In that environment, people are motivated enough to take up new challenges and responsibilities.

5. Pinnacle – The Highest Level of Leadership

The fifth and last level is the pinnacle. Very few make it this far, but the ones who do are largely looked up to and followed with a deep sense of respect. Pinnacle leaders have not only achieved greatness themselves but have developed other leaders who, in turn, develop more leaders. At the Pinnacle level, leadership is about legacy. These leaders impact organizations and more; they set the tone for generations of upcoming leaders. Their leadership goes beyond the organizational level to inspire others outside of these fields and respective communities.

Values are of fundamental importance in the leadership journey. They are the guiding principles of a leader in making decisions, undertaking various actions, and performing all other activities in the course of their work. If leaders operate based on a set of values, they are likely to gain the respect and admiration of their followers. This will help them move up through the five levels of leadership.

Integrity

The foundation of leadership is integrity. Integrity-based leaders are truthful and transparent in their endeavors. This is needed to cultivate trust. It helps move from the Position level of leadership, up to Permission.

Responsibility

Effective leaders are responsible to themselves and others. In other words, leaders take ownership of an event or make it one’s own whether the results are good or not so good. This is most applicable to the Production level of leadership, as bringing results needs ownership.

Empathy

Empathy helps leaders connect with their followers on a personal level. It is one of the very important values for leaders to function at the Permission and People-Development levels. It helps build strong bonds and an environment that enables cooperation.

Vision

A clear vision is crucial to guide teams toward common goals. The vision gives direction and is important at the Production and Pinnacle levels. Vision is needed to inspire the followers.

Courage

Courage is all about taking risks, making hard calls, and standing for what is right. It’s a value at all levels of leadership, but it is placed upon the pinnacle level. At the Pinnacle level, most often, leaders should challenge the status quo and set the path for new roads.

The leadership journey is long and needs to have a combination of practical experience and theoretical knowledge. Hereafter we provide some of the best books for leadership that can complement the book from John C. Maxwell’s five levels of leadership:

“The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John C. Maxwell.  

This is a must-read for leaders to improve their leadership skills. There are 21 key laws every leader should know. It is a guide for authentic principles that will foster five levels of leadership.

“Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek

Sinek also argues about servant leadership that closely resonates with the people development observed across the five levels. He suggests that great leaders make their people feel safe and appreciated. By breeding psychological security and trust that generates cooperation.

“The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni.

In this book, Lencioni analyzed the mechanics of team leadership, with a special focus on the Production and People Development levels. As such, it makes for an insightful read for any leader to understand common struggles that teams go through and how to overcome such dysfunctions.

“Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown.

The kind of leadership that Brown describes in her book and openness, vulnerability, and courage. These are especially important for leaders at the Permission and Pinnacle levels. She analyzed that the authentic and emotionally intelligent leader is a trustworthy and inspiring one.

“Good to Great” by Jim Collins.

This must-read book discusses what makes some companies make the step to become great, while other companies stay good enough. Through research, it came to light that a Level 5 leader is mandated for an organization to move from Good to Great. This is quite like the Pinnacle stage in Maxwell’s model.

This journey through the five levels of leadership remains an ongoing process. Such a process requires continuous improvement and personal growth. With this insight, of where you are on that journey, and a commitment to develop the values and skills required at each level, you can become an effective and inspirational leader. You can, by reading others’ experiences, accelerate your progress and have a major impact on your personal development.