Real leadership is not just about obtaining a specific position or job title. Obtaining a leadership position represents only the first of five levels that every effective leader goes through, as John C Maxwell explains in his book “The Five Levels of Leadership” published in 2011.
Maxwell explains how leaders can be more than just managers who are ordered by employees; Because they have to, noting the importance of leaders being able to invest in and inspiring employees, and stressing that in order for leaders to succeed in their positions, they need to develop their skills to be effective and real leaders.
Maxwell explains that leaders go through five levels, and explains through examples how leaders can succeed at each level, reach the next, and how they can become more effective and influential leaders.
The Five Levels of Leadership
1- position
Taking a leadership position is the first of the five levels of leadership, and most people usually get this position thanks to someone else being appointed to a higher position.
– When a person reaches a leadership position, he is supposed to work on developing his skills and experiences, and the problem often lies in the fact that some people think that he does not need to develop his skills just because he has reached this position, and this does not harm the leader alone, but the entire organization.
2- Acceptance
Leadership is the art of influencing others. When employees feel loved and appreciated, they will be keen to cooperate with the leader and with their colleagues to achieve the best results, and the way employees are treated in this way can change the entire work environment.
While leaders who are interested in their position focus only on themselves, leaders who have moved to the next level focus on others, this way of leadership employees will not have to do things just because the manager asks them to, but will want to do the work because they like to do it, and then Work will become more interesting.
If a leader wants to cooperate with him around him, he must make them feel important, and be humble. A good leader is the one who makes sure that each member of the team is valued.
– When the leader has integrity, he gains the trust of those around him, and the more employees trust the leader, the stronger and better their relationship with him becomes, and then the leader becomes more influential and effective.
3- Production
Production is what distinguishes real leaders from people who are only in leadership positions. Good leaders are those who always strive to achieve desired results, and motivate those around them to work and succeed.
Leaders at this level help their employees each day move closer to achieving the bottom line. Productive leaders attract the best talent. The best employees always want to join successful teams.
4- People development
Good leaders at the fourth level of leadership invest their money, time, and energy in developing the people around them. They evaluate the capabilities of each person on the team, measure their ability to grow and lead, and motivate people to develop, creating a positive work environment in which everyone is motivated to succeed. .
One of the advantages of people development is that all the success of the organization does not depend on the manager or the leader.
5- The summit
Most of the time, the greatest achievement that leaders reach is the fourth level of leadership, and leaders rarely reach the fifth level, which is the top, which requires a great degree of skill and a natural talent for leadership.
Leaders at this level raise the bar for the entire company and create a work environment that benefits everyone. Leaders at this level usually have an impact that extends beyond the organization and industry in which they work.
