Definition of a Level 5 Leader: People follow you because of who you are and what you represent

Leadership at Level 5 lifts the entire organization and creates an environment that benefits everyone in it, contributing to their success.

–          John Maxwell, The 5 Levels of Leadership

Today’s post is the final in a series of five that takes a closer look at John Maxwell’s latest book, The 5 Levels of Leadership. As indicated in the introduction to this series, “5 Levels” has been five years in the making. I’ve been in leadership development in ChurchWorld for over 30 years – and I’ve been looking for a resource like this.

To whet your appetite and convince you to drop everything and get your own copy today, over this series I’m going to quote Maxwell’s top 3 points in each of five sections for each of the 5 Levels. In math shorthand, that’s 3 x 5 x 5. The product of that equation is a leadership development gold mine for you!

 Level 5– The Pinnacle

The Upside of the Pinnacle

1. Pinnacle leadership creates a Level 5 organization
2. Pinnacle leadership creates a legacy within the organization
3. Pinnacle leadership provides an extended platform for leading

The Downside of the Pinnacle

1. Being on the pinnacle can make you think you’ve arrived
2. Being on the pinnacle can lead you to believe your own press
3. Being on the pinnacle can make you lose focus

Best Behaviors on Level 5

1. Make room for others at the top
2. Continually mentor potential Level 5 leaders
3. Create an inner circle that will keep you grounded

Help Others Move Up to Levels 4 and 5

1. Identify and create the crucial leadership lessons they must learn
2. Look for unexpected crucible moments they can learn from
3. Use your own crucible moments as guidelines to teach others

Guide to Being Your Best at Level 5

1. Remain and humble and teachable
2. Maintain your core focus
3. Create the right inner circle to keep you grounded

Developing leaders to the point where they are able and willing to develop other leaders is the most difficult leadership task of all. But here are the payoffs: Level 5 leaders develop Level 5 organizations. They create opportunities that other leaders don’t. They create legacy in what they do. People follow them because of who they are and what they represent. In other words, their leadership gains a positive reputation. As a result, Level 5 leaders often transcend their position, their organization, and sometimes their field.

If you are a leader in ChurchWorld asking “How can I develop leaders?”, then John Maxwell’s book The 5 Levels of Leadership will certainly provide you with proven steps to answer that question.