Sponsored by
Leadership Cattaraugus
and Leadership Allegany
Poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
There are two kinds of people on earth
today, just two kinds of people, no
more, I say. Not the good and the bad,
for, ‘tis well understood that the good
are half-bad and the bad are half-good.
No! Two kinds of people on earth I
mean are the people who lift and the
people who lean.
The 5 Levels of Leadership
adapted by materials from
Dr. John C. Maxwell
Effective Leadership
 Becoming an effective leader is much like
being in the stock market. You don’t make
your fortune in a day; you make it daily, a
little bit at a time. What matters most is
what you do day after day, over the long
haul.
Effective Leadership
 The secret to leadership success is investing
in your leadership development, much like
letting your assets compound. The final
result is ‘Leadership Growth’ over time.
Leaders aren’t born; their made. We can,
over a period of time, increase our
leadership potential if we can understand
and accept the five levels of leadership.
The 5 Levels of Leadership
What makes working with one person a
successful endeavor
AND
Working with another person an
unsuccessful endeavor?
The 5 Levels of Leadership
Influence!
the ability to have an effect on others
The Five Levels of Leadership
Leadership is a choice you
make, not a place you sit.
John C. Maxwell
The 5 Levels
of Leadership
1. Position
Rights
People follow because they have to.
The 5 Levels
of Leadership
2. Permission
Relationships
People follow because they want to
1. Position
Rights
People follow because they have to.
The 5 Levels
of Leadership
3. Production
Results
People follow because of what you have done
for the organization.
2. Permission
Relationships
People follow because they want to
1. Position
Rights
People follow because they have to.
The 5 Levels
of Leadership
4. People Development
Reproduction
People who follow because of what you have
done for them.
3. Production
Results
People follow because of what you have done
for the organization.
2. Permission
Relationships
People follow because they want to
1. Position
Rights
People follow because they have to.
5. Pinnacle
Respect
The 5 Levels
of Leadership
4. People Development
Reproduction
People follow because of
who you are and what
you represent.
People who follow because of what you have
done for them.
3. Production
Results
People follow because of what you have done
for the organization.
2. Permission
Relationships
People follow because they want to
1. Position
Rights
People follow because they have to.
Climbing the Steps of Leadership





The higher you go, the longer it takes.
The higher you go, the higher level of commitment.
The higher you go, the easier it is to lead.
The higher you go, the greater the growth.
You never leave the base-level, or the levels below
where you are.
 As a leader, you won’t be on the same level with all of
your people.
 You must work to carry other leaders with you up the
steps.
How Do We Climb the
Leadership Steps
 Consistently work on developing your
leadership skills.
 Develop confidence in your people skills.
 See every relationship you have as a chance
to develop that person.
 Walk slowly through the crowds.
 Consistently keep a list of potential leaders
you can invest in.
How Do We Climb the
Leadership Steps
 Find systematic ways to train people.
 Select and mentor key leaders.
 Live a model life that others would like to
imitate.
 Recognize that people are the most valued
asset.
The 5 Levels of Leadership
 True leadership isn’t a matter of having a certain job or
title. In fact, being chosen for a position is only the
first of the five levels every effective leader achieves.
 To become more than “the boss” people follow only
because they are required to, you have to master the
ability to invest in people and inspire them.
 To grow further in your role, you must achieve results
and build a team that produces.
Level 1: Position
 People follow because they have to. They follow you
because you are the boss. Influence comes from the
job title. Position
 Leadership is the starting place for every level of
leadership. It is the bottom floor in the foundation in
which leadership must be built. Real influence must
be developed upon that foundation.
Level 1: Position
 There is nothing wrong with having a position of
leadership. When a person receives a position of
leadership, it is usually because someone in authority
saw talent and potential in that person. It is an
invitation to grow as a leader. Celebrate the fact that
someone saw potential in your ability.
Level 1: Position
 People who make it only to Level 1 may be bosses, but
they are never leaders. They have subordinates, not
team members.
 They rely on rules, regulations, policies, and
organization charts to control their people. Their
people will only follow them within the stated
boundaries of their authority.
Level 1: Position
 Position is the only level that does not require ability
and effort to achieve. Anyone can be appointed to a
position.
 This means that position is a fine starting point, but
every leader should aspire to grow beyond Level 1. It’s a
great place to visit, but you would not want to live
there.
 Your security with your company is based on title and
position, not talent.
Level 1: Position
 To be an effective leader at this level:
 Know your job
 Be prepared to accept responsibility
 Exercise authority with caution
 Assess the strengths and short comings of your
people
 Do more than what is expected
 Challenge people with interesting and tough
assignments.
Best Behaviors on Level I
 Stop relying on Position to push people. Get rid of the
positional mind-set.
 Do not tell people what to do. Ask what you can do to
help them. Ask them about the challenges of their
position. Maybe there is a way you can work together
as a team and make things more efficient for both.
 Form a relationship with this person and show interest
in them. Let go of control and start fostering
cooperation. Stop bossing and start encouraging. That
is the secret of being a people oriented leader.
Level I Thinking
 Top down-I’m over you
 Separation-Don’t let people get close to you
 Image-Fake it till you male it
 Strength-Never let them see you sweat
 Selfishness-You are here to help me
 Power-I determine your future
 Intimidation-Do this or else
 Rules-The manual says
Level I Thinking
 Moving up from Level I to Level II requires the greatest
personal change from a leader. It requires a change in
beliefs and attitudes toward other people and
leadership.
 But here is the truth, once you decide to include others
in the leadership journey; you are well on your way to
achieving success at the other levels.
Guide to Growing
 Dedicate yourself to leadership growth. You will not
grow as a leader unless you commit to getting out of
your comfort zone and trying to be a better leader than
you are today
 Define your leadership-Who am I? What are my
values? What leadership practices do I want to put into
place?
 Change focus from position to leadership journey
Guide to Growing
 Know vision and how you can support the





organizational vision.
Shift from rules to relationships
Initiate contact with your folks-make it your goal to get
to know them
No mention of title or position
Learn to say, “I don’t know.” Ask for opinion of team
Find leadership coach-meet once per month
Level II: Permission
 This is where you should be headed from level one,
building leadership based on relationships, with
people following you because they want to. To do that,
you won’t be focused on preserving your position but
on getting to know your people and figuring out how
to get along with them.
Level II: Permission
 Making the shift from Position to Permission brings a
person’s first real step into leadership. Leadership is
influence, and when a leader learns to function on the
Permission level, everything changes. People do more
than merely comply with orders. They actually start to
follow. And they do so because they really want to.
Why? Because the leader begins to influence people
with relationship, not just position.
Level II: Permission
 In today’s hard-charging economy, leading by
permission may seem soft, with all that caring for
people and relationship-building viewed as weak. That
is not the case. Seeking permission might also be
frustrating for achievers, who just want to get things
done, immediately, rather than slowing down to build
relationship.
Level II: Permission
 The core of leadership at the permission level is that
people want to know that you care, before they care
what you know. People see you as a professional
partner, sharing the same goals and the same
challenges along the way. Leadership will flourish at
the permission level because respect will breed lasting
trusted professional relationships and that, in turn will
provided the basis for effective leadership.
Level II: Permission
 Trust is the foundation of permission. If you have
integrity with people, you develop trust. The more
trust you develop, the stronger the relationship
becomes. The better the relationship the greater
potential for a leader to gain permission to lead
 When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued,
and trusted, they begin to work together with their
leader and each other. And that can change the entire
working environment.
Level II: Permission
 To be effective at the permission level, possess a
genuine concern for your people. It is important that
you see life through their eyes. Deal wisely with
difficult people and make employees successful by
setting them up for success. Since leadership by
permission is built on professional relationships, it
forms the foundation for leadership success.
Best Behaviors at Level II
 Connect with yourself before attempting to connect
with others
 Gain self-awareness-Strengths and Weaknesses
 Develop a people-oriented leadership style
 Exhibit consistent mood, maintain an optimistic
attitude, possess a listening ear, and present to
others an authentic self
Best Behaviors at Level II
 Follow the “Golden Rule”
 Treat people with respect
 Become a chief encourager of your team
 Lift people up with kind words
 Strike a balance between care and candor
 Care for people, yet hold people accountable
Level II Thinking-People Skills
Development
 Side by side
 Let’s work together
 Initiation-I’ll come to you
 Inclusion-What do you think
 Cooperation-Together we can win
 Servant hood-I’m here to help you
 Development-I want to add value to you
 Encouragement-I believe you can do this
 Innovation-Let’s think outside the box
Level III: Production
 People follow you because of what you have done for
the organization. People admire you for your
accomplishments and respect your tenacity.
Production qualifies and separates true leaders from
people who merely occupy leadership positions.
 Good leaders always make things happen. They get
results. They can make a significant impact on an
organization.
Level III: Production
 Not only are they productive individually, but they also
are able to help the team produce. No one can fake
Level 3. Either you’re producing for the organization
and adding to its bottom line (whatever that may be),
or you’re not.
Level III: Production
 Some people never move up from Level 2 Permission
to Level 3 Production. Why? They can’t seem to
produce results. When that is the case, it’s usually
because they lack the self-discipline, work ethic,
organization, or skills to be productive. However, if
you desire to go to higher levels of leadership, you
simply have to produce. There is no other way around
it.
Level III: Production
 Good leaders don’t stop at the second level and simply
create a pleasant working environment. To be a good
leader, you must get things done. When that happens,
morale improves, targets are hit, profits go up, and
turnover goes down. Momentum kicks in, working in
your favour.
 Leading and influencing people become fun on this
level. Success and productivity have been known to
solve a lot of problems.
Level III: Production
 As you become a change agent, you can tackle thorny
problems, and take your people to another level of
effectiveness. A key to being effective at this level is
understanding how your abilities can be used
productively to further the vision of the organization –
and also connecting others to that vision, through your
communication. Begin to develop your people into a
team, and focus them on the things that yield high
returns.
Level III: Production
 Develop accountability for results, beginning with
yourself and ending with your people. Make the
difficult decisions that will result in positive long term
gains while championing change as a change agent and
understanding the process of change. Leadership from
results is built on admiration for the leader.
Level III: Production
 On Level 3, the emphasis is on personal and corporate
productivity. The ability to create a high-productivity
team, department, or organization indicates a higher
level of leadership ability than most others display. But
to reach the upper levels of leadership that create elite
organizations, leaders must transition from producers
to developers. Why? Because people are any
organization’s most appreciable asset.
Best Behaviors at Level III
 Understand how your personal giftedness contributes
to the vision
 Know your strengths and grow them
 Cast a vision for what needs to be accomplished
 Help other commit to the success of the vision
 Begin to develop your people into a team
 Praise accomplishments
 Be willing and able to be a change agent
Level IV: People Development
 People follow you because of what you have done for
them. Good leaders on Level 4 invest their time,
energy, money, and thinking into growing others as
leaders. Leaders become great, not because of their
power, but, because of their ability to empower others.
 How does this emphasis on people and people
decisions translate into action? Leaders on the People
Development level of leadership shift their focus from
the production achieved by others to the development
of their potential.
Level IV: People Development
 And they put only 20 percent of their focus on their
personal productivity while putting 80 percent of it on
developing and leading others. This can be a difficult
shift for highly productive people who are used to
getting their hands dirty, but it’s a change that can
revolutionize an organization and give it a much
brighter future.
Level IV: People Development
 You now use your position, relationships, and
productivity to invest in your followers and develop
them until they become leaders in their own right. At
this level, leaders reproduce themselves.
 The upside of your leadership for the organization
escalates dramatically. With most leaders
concentrating their effort on production – the level
below this one – you gain an advantage, and your
abilities can make a competitive difference for your
organization as well as your own career.
Level IV: People Development
 To succeed at this level you must recruit the best
people possible, and place everyone in the right
positions, helping them to build on their strengths and
equipping them with the resources to do their job well.
You must also model good leadership, or otherwise
your people will behave in ways that you don’t want.
 Only about 10% of people achieve this level.
Level IV: People Development
 People are loyal to you because they see firsthand
personal growth opportunities for them as well as, the
company. Leadership success is underscored by a win –
win scenario and a high commitment to success. To be
effective at this level place a priority on developing
people. Focus your attention on the fact that people
are your most valuable asset and your leadership
success will depend on your ability to surround
yourself with an inner core of competent people who
compliment your leadership style and goals.
Leadership from people development is built on
loyalty.
Best Behaviors at Level IV
 Recruiting
 Find the best people p0ssible
 Positioning
 Placing the right people in the position complimenting
their strengths
 Modeling
 Showing others how to lead
 Equipping
 Helping others do their jobs well
Best Behaviors at Level IV
 Developing
 Teaching them how to do life well
 Empowering
 Enabling others to succeed
 Measuring
 Evaluating those whom you develop to maximize their
efforts
Level IV Thinking
 Maintain a teachable spirit
 Decide that people are worth the effort
 Work through your insecurities
 Spend 80% of your time with the top 20% of your
people
 Commit the time necessary to develop leaders
 Create a personal development process
Level V: The Pinnacle
 People follow you because of who you are and what
you represent. Rare is the leader who reaches Level 5—
the Pinnacle. Not only is leadership at this level a
culmination of leading well on the other four levels,
but it also requires both a high degree of skill and
some amount of natural leadership ability.
Level V: The Pinnacle
 It takes a lot to be able to develop other leaders so that
they reach Level 4; that’s what Level 5 leaders do. The
individuals who reach Level 5 lead so well for so long
that they create a legacy of leadership in the
organization they serve.
Level V: The Pinnacle
 Pinnacle leaders stand out from everyone else. They
are a cut above, and they seem to bring success with
them wherever they go. Leadership at this high level
lifts the entire organization and creates an
environment that benefits everyone in it, contributing
to their success. Level 5 leaders often possess an
influence that transcends the organization and the
industry the leader works in.
Level V: The Pinnacle
 Most leaders who reach the Pinnacle do so later in
their careers. But this level is not a resting place for
leaders to stop and view their success. It is a
reproducing place from which they make the greatest
impact of their lives. That’s why leaders who reach the
Pinnacle should make the most of it while they can.
 With gratitude and humility, they should lift up as
many leaders as they can, tackle as many great
challenges as possible, and extend their influence to
make a positive difference beyond their own
organization and industry.
Level V: The Pinnacle
 The highest and most difficult level of leadership is
not available to all. While some people can climb as
high as level four, to hit the top requires not only
effort, skill and intention but also a high level of
talent. Only about 1 per cent of leaders reach this level,
where they are focused on developing leaders, not
gaining followers or doing work.
Level V: The Pinnacle
 People follow you because they respect you. As a leader
you are bigger than life and your success is shown
through a life of accomplishments. People seek you out
after you have left the company because you have left
an indelible mark on the organization and the
employees.
Best Behaviors at Level V
 Make room for others at the top
 Help others by better developing their strengths
 Create an inner circle that keeps you grounded
 Do things for the organization that only Level 5
leaders can do
 Plan for your succession
 Leave a positive legacy
The 5 Levels of Leadership
 In summary, everyone can become a better leader. It is
important to keep in mind that the higher you go up
the leadership scale, the longer it takes to accomplish
results, the higher the commitment will be and it is
imperative that we know what level we are on with our
people and the company.
Leadership Assessment
 I am going to ask each of you to complete Part 1 of the




Leadership Assessment you have in front of you today
Feel free to complete Part 2, 3 & 4 at your convenience
Answer honestly as this is for you to take with you
Read the instructions that start with “Part 1 Level 1”
Continue thru “Part 1 Level 5”
Leadership Assessment
 What you will find is that if you practice the behaviors
noted on each of the Levels in this Assessment, you
will find the roadmap to improving your Leadership
potential
 “Good Luck” in your personal leadership journey