The 5 levels of leadership as seen through the lens of the 21 leadership laws.
The laws of leadership, as developed by John C. Maxwell in his book “21 Irrefutable laws of Leadership”, are a set of principles for understanding and practicing effective leadership. These laws cover a wide range of topics, including leadership, building trust, empowering others, creating vision, and achieving success in the leadership space. The levels of leadership in John C. Maxwell’s book “The 5 levels of leadership”, describe the different stages of leadership development, with Pinnacle being the highest level. By examining the relevance of each law at each level, we can gain a deeper understanding of the leadership journey and identify areas for leadership growth and how a leader can advance to higher levels of leadership.
To put this into perspective, my journey started off with a small team who I thought I could lead because I was an expatriate in the field. I received respect from the team but did not understand that this was due to the position level where people were following me because of the position I held. As time went on, motivating the team and getting buy in from the people became harder because I was not aware of the different levels and laws that I needed to cultivate. I am now leading a bigger team and understanding how the different levels and laws interact and affect the leadership journey has provided a guideline for me to understand the journey and identify areas for development.
In this synopsis, let us examine how the different laws of leadership are reflected in the 5 levels of leadership and which laws may be prominently displayed at each level.
The levels of leadership, as defined in the book “The 5 levels of leadership by John C. Maxwell” are: Position, Permission, Production, People development, and Pinnacle. Let us dive deeper.
Position
At this level, a leader’s authority is based on their title or role within an organisation. The Law of the Lid talks about a person’s level of effectiveness being determined by their own leadership ability or personal development. The lower the lid, the lower the leadership ability. Here, the leader is in a position of authority due to their title or role, but they have not yet developed their leadership skills or gained the respect and trust of their team making it slightly harder to lead.
The Law of Influence is also projected, as the leader may have some level of influence due to their formal authority. However, this influence is limited, as it is based on the role rather than on their ability to inspire others.
These laws may prominently be displayed at this level, as a leader’s personal development and the respect they command based on their title or role can impact their effectiveness. Overall, the Position level of leadership is characterised by formal authority and limited influence, with usually little to no focus on personal and leadership development.
Permission
At this level, a leader’s ability to build relationships and earn the trust and respect of their team members is key. The Law of Influence, a leader’s ability to influence others is the key to their success as a leader has built relationships and earned the trust and respect of their team to effectively lead them. Influence at this stage is based on personal credibility and ability to motivate others.
The Law of Process (leadership develops daily, not in a day) is displayed as the leader continues to invest time and effort into their personal and leadership development.
The Law of Empowerment (only secure leaders give power to others) is also displayed as leaders give their team members the freedom to succeed. Leaders at this level empower their team and create a positive and supportive work environment which in turn produces respect and permission for the others to follow.
Production
Here, the leader begins to produce results through the efforts of the team. At this level, leaders have gained influence and credibility, are able to achieve results, deliver on their promises, and people begin to follow them because of what they have done.
The Law of Navigation (anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course) is displayed, as leaders are able to set a clear direction, navigate through challenges, and guide their team towards their goals.
The Law of Influence and the law of Buy-In are displayed, as the leader can inspire, achieve results, and steer the team forward. In turn, team members are more likely to buy into the leader and their vision.
The Law of Priorities (leaders understand that activity is not necessarily accomplishment) is displayed here, as leaders at this level must be able to prioritise and effectively manage their time and resources to achieve results.
Overall, the Production level is characterised by a focus on achieving results through effective guidance and navigation, strong influence, and team motivation.
People Development
Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. At this level, leaders must be able to help their team members grow and develop while also being dependable and consistent in their leadership.
The Law of Addition which states that leaders add value by serving others is dominant at this stage. Leaders at this stage use their position, relationships, and productivity to invest in their team till those followers become leaders in their own right.
The Law of Solid Ground (trust is the foundation of leadership) is also displayed at this level as well, as leaders must focus on helping their members grow and improve while also being dependable and consistent in their leadership.
The Law of Buy-In (people buy into the leader, then the vision) is displayed here as a leader’s ability to get commitment from their team is crucial for success. Leaders at this level strive to create a sense of ownership and commitment.
Pinnacle
At the pinnacle level of leadership, the laws of leadership that are prominently displayed include:
The Law of Influence: Pinnacle leaders can inspire and motivate others to act towards a common goal. They possess strong communication skills and can build trust and credibility with their followers.
The Law of Navigation: Pinnacle leaders have a clear vision of where they want to take their organisation and can navigate through any challenges that arise. They can create a strategic plan and execute it effectively.
The Law of Addition: Pinnacle leaders understand that the success of their organisation is directly tied to the success of their team. They can attract, develop, and retain top talent to achieve the goals of the organisation.
The Law of Solid Ground: Pinnacle leaders can create a stable foundation for their organisation by building strong systems and processes. They can create a culture of accountability and performance, which enables their organisation to operate efficiently and effectively.
The Law of Respect: Pinnacle leaders can earn the respect of their followers by their actions, integrity, and consistency. They can create a culture of respect within their organisation, which leads to a high level of engagement and commitment from their employees.
You might be wondering, what you need to do to improve your leadership muscle. Below, are a few brief points I believe can guide you on this journey.
Point 1
Seek to raise your leadership lid through close examination of your leadership ability. Closely analyse your delivery goals this year and intentionally seek to build or train your team members to successfully deliver.
Point 2
Strive to build a positive connection with your team. This cultivates a sense of trust and improves on the influence rating within the team. Remember, leaders cause change while managers maintain direction. Cultivate credibility with my team by developing a good relationship with them.
Point 3
Observe and take note of your team’s strengths and envision how the people could leverage those strengths to achieve significant things. Build your people up professionally but also try to make work fun during the process. A happy work colleague is way more productive than a grumpy one.
Point 4
Set aside a time to reflect on what went well, what did not go well and what you could do better every week. Reflection gives the brain an opportunity to pause amidst the chaos, untangle and sort through observations and experiences, consider multiple possible interpretations, and create meaning.
Point 5
Trust your intuition and experience rather than waiting to have all the facts before making a decision. To grow this muscle, start by making smaller decisions and then build onwards as you gain experience on this perspective.
Bonus point
Be intentional about holding conversations with experts and team members before the start of a project and not only when you hit a bottleneck along the way. This allows you to gather enough input early enough and plan better leading to better execution.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership as outlined by John C. Maxwell provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the principles of effective leadership and how they can be applied at different levels. At the Pinnacle level of leadership, the laws of influence, navigation, addition, solid ground, and respect are prominently displayed. At the lower levels of leadership, other laws such as the Law of Empowerment, the Law of Priorities, the Law of Buy-in, and the Law of Victory may also come into play.
Each law plays a crucial role in the leader’s ability to operate successfully in their role and understanding and applying these laws can help leaders at all levels to become more effective in their leadership.
For more information, you can read the books “21 Irrefutable laws of leadership by John C. Maxwell” and the “5 levels of leadership by John C. Maxwell”
Author:
Kalema Edgar, eked290@gmail.com
Solutions Architect, Senior Software Engineer, AWS Cloud Certified, Scaled Agile Certified
Twitter handle: @KalemaEdgar
