{"id":45433,"date":"2021-08-08T10:12:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-08T14:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=45433"},"modified":"2021-08-16T10:27:39","modified_gmt":"2021-08-16T14:27:39","slug":"level-five-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/level-five-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"Level Five Leadership: Legacy-Based Leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is Level five leadership? What do you think a leader should do once they’ve reached the pinnacle of the leadership ladder? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In John Maxwell’s hierarchy, level five leadership is called the pinnacle leadership<\/a> or the legacy-based leadership. At this level, people follow you because you have a reputation for developing strong leaders and strong organizations. Pinnacle leadership is about legacy\u2014developing Level 4 leaders so that your organization continues to thrive even after you\u2019re gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we’ll discuss Maxwell’s level five leadership, its upsides and downsides, and what to do to thrive at this level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Level Five Leadership<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Level five leadership, which Maxwell refers to as Pinnacle, combines everything you\u2019ve learned, the skills you\u2019ve honed, and your natural leadership ability to bring growth and success to an organization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Collins likewise believes that Level 5 leaders are all about building an enduring organization that will thrive long after they\u2019re gone<\/a>. After analyzing what made companies go from good to highly successful, he found that one of the distinguishing factors was the leaders. They were quiet and self-effacing but relentless when it came to getting results\u2014their ambition was funneled towards organizational, rather than personal, success. This \u201ccompany first\u201d mentality meant that they groomed the next generation of leaders, ensuring that the company would be left in good hands.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros of Pinnacle Leadership<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to Maxwell, the upsides of Level 5 are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. It puts your organization ahead of the pack and creates a lasting impact. <\/strong>Organizations that have found lasting success rely on leadership to keep them going. They don\u2019t falter when a superstar leader moves on or retires because there are other worthy leaders who\u2019ve been trained to take over and keep things running smoothly. Developing the next generation of leaders who will then develop the next generation of leaders creates a legacy that can last well after you\u2019ve left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Succession Planning Makes Successful Companies<\/strong>
You may be surprised how far in advance leaders of enduring companies think about succession. Preparing future leaders years ahead of time ensures there are no major disruptions at the company when a CEO leaves. You can find some examples of meticulous succession planning in Built to Last<\/em><\/a>:
Motorola. <\/strong>Founder Paul Galvin began preparing his son Bob for the leadership role while Bob was still in high school. When Bob finally took over, he immediately started planning for succession, even though he didn\u2019t leave until 25 years later.General Electric. <\/strong>CEO Reginald Jones started searching for a replacement seven years prior to his departure. He had an initial list of 96 candidates, and after many challenges, interviews, and evaluations, Jones chose Jack Welch<\/a>.Procter & Gamble. <\/strong>Richard Deupree trained under two CEOs at P&G before taking over the role. He then trained the next four people to hold the position after him.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. It amplifies your influence. <\/strong>Level 5 leaders are so highly respected that their influence extends beyond their organization and sometimes even beyond their industry. Maxwell says that this influence also means a responsibility to serve others. After going through the process of learning and then reaping rewards and recognition, pinnacle leaders now have to focus on giving back, using their influence to raise up other leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: While Collins<\/a> likewise asserts that Level 5 leaders put a lot of effort into grooming their successors, he doesn\u2019t mention influence or a duty to serve others. Instead, he writes that Level 5 leaders see the training of future leaders as integral to preserving a company\u2019s greatness.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cons of Pinnacle Leadership<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here are the downsides of Level 5, according to Maxwell:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. You might think you\u2019ve reached the end of your journey. <\/strong>Maxwell writes that as a leader at a high level, you have great influence and so the impact of your decisions affects not just you but also your organization. If you think that you can rest because you\u2019ve finally achieved success and have nothing left to learn, it can cause your organization to lose steam. To be a Level 5 leader, you should never rest on your laurels, but keep trying to improve yourself and your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Executives may find it challenging to fit learning into their busy schedules. One CEO writes that you can fuel your professional growth<\/a> by signing up for online courses that let you learn at your convenience, reading venture capital<\/a> blogs that give trend reports and advice, and meeting with peers and mentors.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. You might become too full of yourself. <\/strong>Because so many people look up to you, you might become overconfident, which can lead to bad decisions. Be confident but stay grounded\u2014success is never a one-person show, and there were surely a lot of people who helped you get to where you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n