5 Levels of Leadership: Session #1

Matt 20:20-28

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

ESV

As Christ Followers, we are living in a world upside-down and we are swimming upstream…

Jesus said, To go up you must first go down
To lead you must serve
To be blessed you must give
To be promoted you must humble yourself

Question: In the passage, I just read what are some leadership qualities that you see Jesus is looking for…

John Maxwell says, “Leadership is Influence, always has been, always will be…”

Napoleon Hill said, “Leaders are dealers in Hope.”

So here is the good news…If you are in this room, you have influence…and you can deal with hope.

Question: Do You Currently Consider Yourself a Leader? How So or Why Not?

What Are the Makings of a Great Leader…this is an indicator they have potential

A. Faithfulness Are they faithful to keep commitments already made?

B. Availability Do they make themselves available to growth opportunities?

C. Initiative Do they get involved without being pushed?

D. Teachability Are they willing to learn and submit to leadership? *

E. Hungry Do they have a hunger to grow, for new things, to take on new assignments.

F. Humble Do they know their role and value on the team…nothing more and nothing less

G. Smart Are they smart with people?

H. People Skills Do they get along with others?

J. Attitude What type of spirit and attitude do they exhibit? *

* Non – Negotiable

For me, a Good Attitude and Teachability are non-negotiable…

Players on the Team
1. Before we look at the 5-Levels of Leadership, let’s look at some other players on the team. These players will cause you to succeed or struggle at each level.
2. All of you pretty much know I have been greatly influenced by John Maxwell and his writings over the years…The two books that have influenced me the greatest are: “Developing the Leader Within You 2.0” and “21 Indisputable Laws of Leadership”
3. In the 21 Indisputable Laws of Leadership…Law number one is “The Law of the Lid”
  1. Leadership ability Determines a Persons’s Level of Effectiveness
  2. If your leadership effectiveness is a 4, your organization will be a 3…never higher.
  3. So, if we as a church have leadership effectiveness collectively as a 6…we will have a level 5 Church…
    - This is true in business, social groups, government, or any other organization
  4. But here is the good news in this…You can Raise the Organizations level by growing the leaders….
  5. So, if the organization is a 4…and the leader grows to a 7…the organization can now grow to a 6…
  6. But the organization will never outgrow the Leadership…
  7. vii. NOT JUST MINE…BUT COLLECTIVELY OURS
4. The Third Law is the Law of Process…
  1. Leadership develops daily, not in a day.
  2. Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 has shaped my leadership and my leadership language more than any other book I have ever read…
  3. When I read the 2.0 version a few years back…I was surprised by how many of the phrases, principles and processes I use that are in that book…
  4. See as we walk through the 5 Levels of Leadership…you have to understand the Law of the Lid and the Law of Process….
  5. Because you will need to raise your lid and understand it will be a process…

Transition: So, if the only time you look at this material is when we meet…I make you a promise You will not lift your lid and you won’t grow. Promise…because you didn’t embrace the process…

1. One more before we dive into the material…
  1. Culture is always a player on the team…

5 Types of Cultures:

Inspiring:
Accepting:
Stagnant:
Discouraging:
Toxic:

Conclusion: Our desire as a Church and my desire as a Pastor is to create an Inspiring Culture…

Why the 5 Levels Works as a Learning and Teaching Tool

1. It provides a CLEAR PICTURE of leadership.

People can only do what they see. If it’s not visible to them, chances are, they can’t do it effectively.

2. It defines leading as a VERB, not a NOUN.

Most people think that leadership is a noun. But leadership is more than a position. It is constant action, always in movement.

3. It breaks down leadership into UNDERSTANDABLE STEPS.

It makes leadership development easy to understand. You’ll see exactly where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there, and you’ll be equipped to act on that vision.

4. It provides a GAME PLAN for leadership development.

It helps you not only to develop your own leadership skills but also to build up leadership in those around you, advancing you both up the ladder of leadership.

5. It aligns leadership PRACTICES, PRINCIPLES, and VALUES.

5-Levels of Leadership

Level 1 – Positional

Level 2 – Permission

Level 3 – Production

Level 4 – People Development

Level 5 – Pinnacle

1. Now as we look at this…I want you to understand…these 5 levels are deceptive…because it isn’t how you see yourself …it also comprises of how those whom you lead see you…
2. 10 Insights to help you understand how these levels relate to each other
  1. You can move up a level, but you never truly leave the previous level behind
    - When you walk up the stairs, your feet leave each previous step, but that step is still there, helping to support the entire staircase. Likewise, as you climb to the next level of leadership, you’ve advanced beyond the previous level. But in truth, that level is always there. You will continue to build upon all the previous levels.

1. 1. You are not on the same level with every person

1. 1. - People respond to you based on the level you’re on with them. It is dynamic. You will receive a variety of responses to everything you say, based on the level of influence you have with each person.

1. 1. The higher you go, the easier it is to lead.

1. 1. - Level 1 is the hardest. Leadership gets easier, however, the higher you go. As your influence increases, you advance to higher levels. Climbing the 5 levels of leadership isn’t an easy task.

1. 1. The higher you go, the more time and commitment are required to win a level.

1. 1. - Every level requires additional work. It may get easier to lead at that level, but it never gets easier to climb. Most people don’t experience easy, effective leadership, because they have yet to pay the price for it. Great leaders pay upfront in order to reap the results at the end.

1. 1. Moving up levels occurs slowly, but going down can happen quickly.

1. 1. - Falling is always faster than climbing. But once you rise to higher levels, the lower levels act as safety nets. Therefore, greater advancement yields greater security.

1. 1. The higher you go, the greater the return.

1. 1. - When leaders lead well, they help others around them to flourish as leaders, building an ongoing legacy much greater than their initial investment.

1. 1. vii. Moving farther up always requires further growth.

1. 1. - Growth as a leader requires a combination of intentional growth and leadership experience. These two very different factors are both vital to the process of moving up to the next level. Neither can be replaced.

1. 1. viii. Not climbing the levels limits you and your people.

1. 1. - In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John says, “Leadership ability determines a person’s level of effectiveness.” The principle is known as The Law of the Lid basically states that as leaders go, so go the people they lead. Reaching your own leadership potential both sets the expectation that others will reach theirs, and helps build an environment conducive to the growth they seek.

1. 1. When you change positions or organizations, you seldom stay at the same level.

1. 1. - You have to start all over again. You don’t retain the level you climbed to at your previous position. But you do have the experience and knowledge required to return to where you once were. Positional leaders are reluctant to start over. They’d rather hold on to what they have because they think of leadership as a destination instead of a process. They simply hope to get there once and be done. Quality leaders are willing to re-earn their way to higher leadership levels because they understand that the life of a leader will almost always require them to start again at the bottom, often more than once.

1. 1. You cannot climb the levels alone.

1. 1. - Leaders are always taking someone with them-and therefore, it isn’t really “lonely at the top.” If you’re at the top and you’re all alone, you’re not a leader. You’re a hiker.

Effective leaders are always working to create positive change and facilitate growth, even if the results aren’t always immediate.

Identify one opportunity for improvement within your area of influence. What’s your immediate plan to begin this process of change? What action will you take first?

Level 1 Leadership – Positional
1. The keyword is Rights – People follow you because they have to.
  1. Positional leadership is the entry-level of leadership
  2. Every Leader starts here
  3. This level is granted to you by the position or title you have been given…
  4. Nothing is wrong with having a position or title but everything is wrong with using that position and title to get people to follow you…position is a poor substitute for Influence.
  5. This level has subordinates not team members…they rely heavily on rules, policies, and regulations.

1. The Upside of Level 1
  1. A Leadership position is usually given to people because they have leadership potential.

1. 1. - You’ve received the position because someone with authority believes in you. New leaders can use this as a platform to display their abilities. The initial goal should be to show those above you and those around you that you deserve the position you’ve received.
    - Jon Wooden never picked a captain for his basketball team until one player stepped up to show that he deserved the position. Wooden said, “Don’t tell me what you’re going to do, show me what you’re going to do!”

1. 1. A Leadership position means authority is recognized.

1. 1. - The people around you must believe in your leadership before you can truly be considered a leader. Once you gain influence, those around you will give you greater authority to lead.
    - At this level comes some measure of authority or power…so this person has proven themselves to someone along the way.

1. 1. A Leadership Position is an invitation to grow as a leader.

1. 1. - Your journey through the 5 Levels of Leadership will only succeed if you commit yourself to continual development. Develop yourself before you attempt to develop your people.
    - When asked, “what’s the one thing you would change to improve the effectiveness of your organization?” usually people name things that can be found on this list of “P’s”: products, promotions, policies, processes, procedures, pricing, and people. Seldom does anyone give the most powerful and significant of all answers.
    - ME! I would change ME to improve our organization.

1. 1. A Leadership position allows potential leaders to shape and define their leadership.

1. 1. - The greatest potential upside for people invited to take a leadership position is that they now can decide what kind of leader they want to be. A new position can become a powerful catalyst for personal growth.
    - The position they received may be defined, but they are not.

1. 3 Questions that shape and define your leadership
  1. Who am I?
  2. What are my values?

1. 1. - Values-The soul of your leadership that drives your behavior.
    - When leaders don’t maintain strong core values, their actions affect many people besides themselves. As you reflect on your values, settle your beliefs in three key areas:
      1. Ethical values -what does it mean to do the right thing for the right reason?
      2. Relational values-how do you build an environment of trust and respect with others.
      3. Success Values-What goals are worth spending your life on?
  2. What leadership practices do I want to put into place?
    - What example will I set?
    - How will I treat people?
    - How will I motivate others?
    - What should I expect from my team?
    - Where do I lead others?

1. The Downside of Level 1
  1. Having a Leadership Position is often misleading

1. 1. - Just because you have a position or title doesn’t make you automatically a leader.
    - A position always promises more than it can deliver because leadership is action, not position.
    - Relying on your position to establish leadership will leave you disappointed.

1. 1. Leaders who rely on position to lead often devalue people

1. 1. - By not having a genuine belief in them
    - By assuming people can’t instead of assuming they can.
    - By assuming people won’t rather than believing they will
    - By seeing their problems more readily than their potential.
    - By viewing them as liabilities instead of assets
    - As a result, positional leaders run the risk of damaging team morale.

1. 1. Positional Leaders feed on politics

1. 1. - Leaders who value position over the ability to influence others tend to create a highly political and vicious environment.
    - Driven by selfishness at the expense of the organization’s mission and purpose, positional leaders focus on control instead of contribution.

1. 1. Positional leaders place rights over responsibilities.

1. 1. - Positional leaders enjoy feeling important and having authority. Inevitably, positional leaders who rely on their rights develop a sense of entitlement. They expect their people to serve them, rather than looking for ways to serve their people.
    - Their job description is more important to them than their job development.
    - They value territory over teamwork. As a result, they usually emphasize rules and regulations that are to their advantage, and they ignore relationships.
    - Just because you have the right to do something as a leader doesn’t mean that it is the right thing to do.

1. 1. Positional leadership is often lonely

1. 1. - If you are a positional leader and you find yourself lonely…you’re not doing it correctly…
    - You should be taking people with you on the journey of leadership

1. 1. Leaders who remain positional get branded and stranded

1. 1. - Whenever people use their position to lead others for a long time and fail to develop genuine influence, they become branded as positional leaders, and will probably never advance in that organization. They may move laterally, but they rarely move up
    - Real leaders prepare new leaders for success, investing in them with their time, influence, resources, and opportunities.

1. 1. vii. Turnover is high for positional leaders

1. 1. - Positional leaders always lose the best people. When the best people leave an organization because of bad positional leaders, the organization suffers. This happens because an organization cannot function on a level higher than its leader.

1. 1. viii. Positional leaders receive people’s least, not their best

1. 1. - It is impossible to succeed with people who are giving their least.
    - When people follow a leader only because they have to, they will only do what they have to do.
    - One classic example of this is the clock-watcher. Clock-watchers just want to fulfill the least of their duties. Obsessed with how long they’ve been there and how much longer they must stay; clock-watchers live for the end of the workday.

Best Behaviors on Level 1
1. To go to the next level of Leadership you have to do two things:
  1. Change the way you think about Leadership

1. 1. - These are your beliefs

1. 1. Change the way you lead

1. 1. - These are your behaviors.

1. There are some beliefs that help a Person Begin Moving to Level 2…Permission / Relationships “People follow because they want to”
  1. Titles are not Enough

1. 1. - You just realize a position is not the end-all and be all…
    - Leadership is meant to be active and dynamic, always working to create a positive change.
    - Great leaders find this lowest level of leadership dissatisfying…but motivational to move up…

1. 1. People – Not Positions – Are a Leaders Most valuable asset.

1. 1. - Investing in relationships right where you are is huge.
    - People come before position, when people see that you are intentional in that, they begin to help you

1. 1. A Leader Doesn’t Need to Know all the Answers

1. 1. - Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know
    - Also, let them enjoy their moment and celebrate with them.

1. 1. A Good Leader Always Includes Others

1. 1. - You want to learn to lead with others, not just lead others.
    - Team and others must come before personal ambitions.

The Behaviors of Position – Behaviors that help a Leader to Move up to Level 2
1. Stop relying on Position to Push People
  1. You want to pull people along…not push them.
2. Level 1 Thinking
  1. Top-Down – “I’m Over you.”
  2. Separation – “Don’t let people get close to you”
  3. Image – “Fake it till you make it”
  4. Strength – “Never let ‘em see you sweat”
  5. Selfishness – “You’re here to help me”
  6. Power – “I determine your future”
  7. vii. Intimidation – “Do this or else”
  8. viii. Rules – “The Manual Says”

1. Level 2 Thinking
  1. Side by Side – “Let’s work together”
  2. Initiation – “I’ll come to you”
  3. Inclusion – “What do you think”
  4. Cooperation – “Together we can do this”
  5. Servanthood – “I’m here to help you”
  6. Development – “I want to add value to you”
  7. vii. Encouragement – “I believe you can do this”
  8. viii. Innovation – “Let’s think outside of the box”
2. Trade Entitlement for Movement
3. Leave Your Position and Move Toward Your People

5 Levels of Leadership: Session #1

Email my notes