The 5 Levels of Leadership Book Review by Des Hague

The 5 Levels of Leadership provides

clear steps for leadership growth.

Lead people well and help members of your team to

become effective leaders, and a successful career path is almost

guaranteed.

Each of the sections of this book is dedicated to

one of the 5 Levels:

Level 1: Position

• Position is the lowest level of leadership– the entry level.

• The only influence a positional leader has is that which comes with the job title.

• People follow because they have to.

Positional leaders usually have difficulty working with

volunteers, younger people, and the highly educated.

Why?

• Because positional leaders have no influence and these types of people tend to be more independent.

• Position is the only level that does not require ability and effort to achieve.

• Anyone can be appointed to a position.

Nothing is wrong with having a leadership position. Everything is wrong with using position to get

people to follow.

Level 2 - Permission

Level 2 is based entirely on

relationships.

On the Permission level,

people follow because they

want to.When you like people and treat them as individuals who have value, you begin to develop

influence on them. You develop trust. The environment becomes

much more positive

• The agenda for leaders on Level 2 isn’t preserving their position.

• It’s getting to know their people and figuring out how to get along with them.

But, good leaders don’t just create a pleasant working environment: They get things done!

That’s why they must move up to Level 3, which is based on results.

Level 3: Production

On the Production level leaders gain influence and credibility,

and people begin to follow them because of what they have done

for the organization.

• On the Production level leaders gain influence and credibility, and people begin to follow them because of what they have done for the organization.

Many positive things begin happening when leaders get to Level 3.

Work gets done, morale improves, profits go up, turnover goes down, and goals are achieved.

It is on Level 3 that momentum kicks in.

Level 4: People

Level 4 leadership is about people development.

It reflects your ability to develop and reproduce other leaders.

This is the stage where your leadership gains depth, sustainability, and begins to extend your influence beyond what

you can accomplish on your own.

This is the result of investing into others and helping them become

better people and leaders.

Level 5: 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.

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.

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