Recently, while navigating a strategic forecast with a client, the significance of the ‘5 Levels of Leadership’ came to the forefront. These five stages became crucial during our change management process, preparing their business for scalable growth.
The renowned leadership guru, John C. Maxwell, formulated these 5 levels in the early 2000s. His work on leadership, including the iconic “21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership,” makes him an undeniable authority in this field. What resonvates with me is that Maxwell’s principles aren’t just confined to corporate conventions, but also extend to ethical and moral dimensions empowering entrepreneurs and future leaders to cultivate a strong team.
Maxwell’s leadership model commences with ‘Rights,’ proceeding to ‘Relationships,’ ‘Results,’ ‘Reproduction,’ and finally, ‘Respect.’ Each stage evolves from the previous one, originating from a clear understanding of roles. Respect, being the apex of this hierarchy, importantly is the only level that can’t be claimed but must be earned from your team.
The vitality of this model surfaced yet again when devising a 5-year plan for a low-touch business model. Like many founders, our client aspired to create a scalable, low-touch operation but faced continuous obstacles as their team struggled to unify, and achieve the level of success that they were targeting.
The initial two stages – ‘Rights’ and ‘Relationships’ – ensure that the leader’s authority is apparent to the team and that the team genuinely appreciates the leader. These stages often reveal a manager but not necessarily a leader. As founders, so often the real challenge surfaces at the ‘Results’ level, where, as the founder and expert, we naturally assumed the role of the group’s guide.
Maxwell’s fourth level, ‘Reproduction,’ is about inspiring followership based on your contributions to the team and facilitating their growth. This is the level to aim for if you’re building a scalable operation. Here, approximately 80% of your time and effort should be invested in your team, with just 20% dedicated to your personal productivity.
Why follow this approach?
By investing in your team, conducting A/B testing, and addressing root causes of production or service delivery hiccups, you can substantially increase the chances of achieving sustainable growth.
More importantly, as you ascend to the ‘Reproduction’ stage, your impact on your organisation intensifies. When you attain the ‘Rights’ level, your influence is limited to your direct team. But, by coaching and developing your team, establishing processes, and entrusting them to deliver results, there is truly no limit to what you can achieve.
So, it’s time to self-reflect – where do you stand in these stages of leadership? Your answer could be the key to your business’s future growth.
