PDF Summary:The 5 Levels of Leadership, by John C. Maxwell

What makes a good leader? Some say you’ll know one when you see one; others confuse being a leader with simply having a title. In The 5 Levels of Leadership, John C. Maxwell gives a shape and form to something seemingly indefinable and provides a roadmap to help you reach your full leadership potential.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to go from being a boss to a real leader, how to get people to follow you without using your rank, and how to use your leadership to build a legacy that stands the test of time. We’ll also explore Maxwell’s definition of leadership, expand his tips for maximizing each level, and compare his model to Good to Great author Jim Collins’s version of the five levels.

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Your Opportunity

You can serve as a role model, using your actions to give your team members a clearer idea of what they’re supposed to do and setting a standard for others to follow. When team members see you working hard and getting results, they’ll be inspired to do the same. This productivity can build momentum—making it easier to get over obstacles and accomplish more—and attract good people to you, which can help you build a talented team that puts you in a better position to succeed. (Shortform note: A winning team can attract all sorts of people, not just the talented ones, so screening is essential. Go beyond the resume and a standard job interview. Watch their behavior away from the desk, ask them unusual questions, and give them an assignment so you can better gauge the quality of their work.)

Potential Pitfall

In Level 2, the danger is skewing too much toward the soft side of leadership; in Level 3, you might be inclined to focus on the hard side. If you believe that your work in the relationship area is done and direct all your energy toward production, you might damage relationships and end up back in Level 1. (Shortform note: Getting the balance right is called “tough love leadership,” and getting it just right sets you up for success.)

Next Steps for Growth

• Align yourself and your team with the organization’s vision. Ask yourself: How can I continuously develop my strengths and use them to help the organization achieve its vision? You should also communicate the organization’s vision clearly, frequently, and creatively to your team so that they have a clear picture of what success looks like. (Shortform note: According to Traction, the components of a clear vision are: your defining values, your company’s main focus, your 10-year goal, your marketing strategy, your three-year goal, your one-year goal, your quarterly priorities, and your issues.)
• Develop your team. Make your team more productive by making sure they complement each other’s strengths, giving them feedback, and fostering an environment for growth. (Shortform note: Manage a successful team by coming up with a clear plan and measurable goals, sticking to your values, being a role model for respect, being accountable, and not being afraid of having tough conversations.)
• Learn to prioritize. Use the Pareto Principle (a.k.a. The 80/20 rule): Focus on the top 20 percent of your to-do list that yields an 80-percent return. (Shortform note: In The 4-Hour Workweek, Tim Ferris writes you can use the 80/20 rule to gain more time and decrease your problems. List the top 20 percent of the things that deliver results or make you happy, and the top 20 percent that waste your time. From there, you can recalibrate the attention you give to different areas of your life.)
• Tap into your team members to build momentum. Leverage those who create their own and minimize the negative influence of those who bog the team down. But don’t just rely on momentum. Keep pushing forward and producing while never disregarding the relationships you’ve built. (Shortform note: Letting go of a momentum-breaker is not easy. Make it a straightforward yet caring process by doing it as soon as possible, getting a neutral third party to weigh in on your decision, and finding ways to make it easier for the person. Read our guide to Radical Candor for more detailed tips.)
• Stay focused. Don’t let your momentum do the work for you—be a momentum maker instead of a taker and keep your attention on getting results. One way you can do this is by initiating change—list five changes you want to make, get your team on board, and be accountable if things go as planned. (Shortform note: Make sure you clearly communicate any changes you plan to make to your team members. They need to understand why you’re making changes and how the changes will affect them. You should also be ready to address their concerns.)

Level 4: Empowerment-Based Leadership

Description

Maxwell states that at this level, People Development, people follow you because of what you’ve done for them. You shift gears from being a producer to a developer of people—an organization’s greatest asset. (Shortform note: Collins finally calls those at Level 4 “leaders'' and shares a similar view that those on this level inspire subordinates to perform better. But to him, this is all in pursuit of a company vision—there is no mention of personal fulfillment.)

Your Opportunity

In Level 4, you have the chance to develop skilled, dedicated employees, which increases your organization’s potential and puts it ahead of the competition. Developing others and entrusting them with more responsibilities also frees up some of your time, which you can then use to refine the vision, improve your strategies and find more ways to grow your organization. (Shortform note: Developing other people also fulfills one of your four fundamental needs—spiritual, or finding meaning in helping others. Read our guide to First Things First to learn about your other needs.)

Potential Pitfall

You might be bogged down by insecurity. Being a Level 4 leader means you have to give up self-centeredness, keep your ego in check, and cede some control to help others get ahead. (Shortform note: Manage your ego by staying open to learning and learning to delegate instead of micromanaging. Read more tips in our guide to Ego Is the Enemy.)

Next Steps for Growth

• Recruit the best people and train them well. You can’t create a winning organization if you don’t have strong players who are willing to grow and who are a good fit for the organization. Once you have them, position them strategically, and give them the tools to do their jobs well. This might include helping them develop life skills so that they’ll achieve success in all areas of their life. (Shortform note: In 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, Yuval Noah Harari writes that this may be especially crucial for the younger workforce, as today’s schools overemphasize teaching technical skills and neglect other areas.)
• Prioritize people with potential. Make the decision to commit to people development, gauge where your team members are on their leadership journey, then focus at least 50 percent of your time on the top 20 percent of your team—they are the key to growth. (Shortform note: In First, Break All the Rules, the author argues that fairness isn’t about giving everyone the same amount of attention, but giving attention proportionate to a person’s output and success.)
• Make mentorship a clear-cut process. Mentorship should be tailored to each person’s skills and personalities, but you should also have clear guidelines applicable to everyone. (Shortform note: While your approach to mentorship may vary from person to person, some mentorship practices are universal. The following tips apply to everyone: Be present and stay actively engaged, give honest feedback, motivate them to go outside their comfort zone, and treat them with respect.)
• Be open, humble, and transparent. When your people feel like they can approach you, they’ll be more open to learning and taking risks. (Shortform note: Organizations benefit most from humble leaders who listen, mentor, and respect each employee’s contributions.)

Level 5: Legacy-Based Leadership

Description

At this level, which Maxwell calls Pinnacle, people follow you because you have a reputation for developing strong leaders and strong organizations. Maxwell writes that pinnacle leadership is about legacy—developing Level 4 leaders so that your organization continues to thrive even after you’re gone. (Shortform note: Collins likewise believes that Level 5 leaders are all about building an enduring organization that will thrive long after they’re gone. His research reveals that Level 5 leaders have a combination of personal humility and professional drive, which enables them to focus on the organization rather than their own personal advancement.)

Your Opportunity

You have the chance to leave behind a lasting legacy—an enduring organization that doesn’t falter when you leave because you’ve trained other worthy leaders to take over. (Shortform note: You may be surprised how far in advance leaders of enduring companies think about succession. Preparing future leaders years ahead of time ensures that there are no major disruptions at the company when a CEO leaves. You can find some examples of meticulous succession planning in our guide to Built to Last.)

Potential Pitfall

You might become too full of yourself, believing that you have nothing left to learn and that you can do no wrong. This overconfidence can lead to bad decisions. You might also lose sight of what’s important, being distracted by other opportunities that open up to you and neglecting to focus on the vision and the work. (Shortform note: With so many things vying for your attention, you might have a hard time prioritizing. According to McKinsey & Company, CEOs should focus on six important elements: corporate strategy, organizational alignment, team and processes, board engagement, external stakeholders, and personal working norms.)

Next Steps for Growth

• Help others move up. Tap resources, like speakers and organizations, to help your potential leaders grow. As a Level 5 leader, you want to develop leaders, not just gain followers. That means that you should genuinely want other people to succeed, help them work on their strengths, empower them to lead, see their potential and help them get there, and set aside enough time to mentor them. Make room at the top for them. (Shortform note: In Good to Great, Collins writes that Level 5 leaders have a “company-first” mentality—they prioritize the success of the organization over personal gain, even if it means handing the reins over to someone who can keep the momentum going.)
• Create an environment that breeds leaders. Find ways to make your organization an incubator for leadership. (Shortform note: Collins writes that exceptional leaders are often promoted from within, rather than hired from outside. Read about how homegrown talent contributes to enduring success in our guide to Built to Last.)
• Think of the possibilities for your organization and then make them happen. As a Level 5 leader, you’re in a unique position to effect great change. Think about products, services, values, and other improvements you can introduce. (Shortform note: According to Collins, Level 5 leaders never credit their personal genius for a company’s success and instead credit it to others or even to luck.)
• Have an inner circle to keep you in check. Surround yourself with a trusted group of fellow leaders. Work with them, help each other, and keep each other grounded. (Shortform note: A Harvard Business Review article suggests having an inner circle of about half a dozen people with the same values and beliefs.)
• Make a positive impact that lasts. What do you want your legacy to be? What can you start doing now so that you can leave this legacy behind? (Shortform note: Collins doesn’t offer concrete steps to help readers become Level 5 leaders. His best advice is to do what Level 5 leaders did, as described in Good to Great, to propel a company to greatness and get you more focused on the success of the organization rather than yourself.)