Have you ever found yourself thinking, “I can’t be a leader if I’m not at the top”? Or maybe “I’ll be a leader when I finally get that promotion or title.”

It’s easy to be influenced by big titles and the promise of power. Those things feed our egos. (Money? Not so much when you’re a government employee).

To be a truly great leader, or create great organizational leadership, we have to move beyond the title and position – beyond our egos – to reach our potential. And egos looooove getting in the way.

How can we do that? We have to know where we start. As a Maxwell Leadership Team member you’ll often find me digging into one of John Maxwell’s leadership books or listening to training videos. I share his insights because 1) he’s easy to understand and 2) he’s right.

As you read the 5 Levels of Leadership, ask yourself: Where am I on this leadership scale?

Follow up question: what’s the one thing you need to change to start moving up a level?

1) Position: Rights

“People follow because they have to.”

We’ve all worked for these types of leaders; maybe we’re stuck at this level ourselves. They have little positive influence with their subordinates and as a result there’s high turnover and low morale. No one wants to work for a dictator. My guess is he/she has never or rarely explores leadership skills (or worse, assumes to already exhibit them), may be highly insecure (ego) or is so focused on their own personal agenda (ego) they don’t spend time nurturing and developing the people they lead.

If this is you, ask yourself “Why do I want this position?” Is it for your personal gain? How can you use it to help others and the organization?

2) Permission: Relationships

“People follow because they want to.”

We have a great leader in our lab who has cultivated relationships with just about everyone. She doesn’t have the title or promotion; however, her empathy and experience allows her to reach others beyond her title and unit.

How can we develop “permission” to lead? Focus first on building relationships, which means engaging people about their personal lives. If someone is struggling at home, chances are it will spill over into the work environment.

If you’re people-oriented (my Is and Ss on the DISC scale), this will come more naturally for you. Process-oriented people (my Ds and Cs) will have to focus on this aspect as a task-item until it becomes second nature. Don’t give up! I believe in you. 😉

3) Production: Results

“People follow because of what you’ve done for the organization.”

When my husband gets a new car he likes to show me how fast we can go. Windows down (on a beautiful summer day) and suddenly you feel the acceleration as your body is pushed into the seat. Everyone likes fast car because you know you’re going somewhere.

It’s a similar feeling at this level. The opposite of a bottleneck (who appreciates traffic?), these leaders move the needle and take action to get results. There is a sense of flow within the team because everyone is feeling the Big Mo – momentum!

Do people only work with you because they have to? If you answered yes, then you’re not experiencing the Big Mo. People need to like you and what you’re doing (getting results).

4) People Development: Reproduction

“People follow because of what you’ve don’t for them.”

What unique skills do you possess that you can pass on to others?

I think one of the best people-development coaches, Phil Jackson. Not only a gifted basketball player, he worked on developing his players as people first, then as professional players.

It’s easy to follow a leader who makes the time to develop his or her team, as development transcends technical skills and shows you care about their personal well-being. No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.

5) Personhood: Respect

“People follow because of who you are and what you represent.”

Few make it here and those who do are larger than life. Here we can envision the GOATs: Greatest Of All Times. Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Mother Theresa, Jesus, Mohammed, etc.

When you live your life’s values consistently over decades with a commitment to people, you may find your place here. This level is the only one where the people anoint you and grant this favor; you can’t buy your way to the top.