The model
John C. Maxwell, American author and mentor of leaders, outlined the five levels of leadership in Developing the Leader Within You (1993) and gave a full treatment in The 5 Levels of Leadership (2011). The levels show why people follow a leader.
| Level | Name | Why people follow |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position | because they have to - the leader holds a title |
| 2 | Permission | because they want to - the leader has built a relationship |
| 3 | Production | because of what the leader has done for the organisation |
| 4 | People Development | because of what the leader has done for them personally |
| 5 | Pinnacle | because of who the leader is and what they represent |
Key observations
- Position is the lowest level. A title gives the right to decide but not people's commitment. A leader who stays at this level has subordinates, not team members.
- Levels are not skipped - each builds on the one before. Relationship without results (level 2 without 3) gives a pleasant atmosphere but no progress; results without relationship are fragile.
- The level depends on the person - a leader may be at different levels with different people.
- Level 4 is the reproduction of leaders - the most important task is developing others until they become leaders themselves. See the discipleship method, coaching and mentoring.
Assessment
The model is not a scientific theory in the strict sense - it grew from practice and observation rather than empirical research. It is, however, very useful for self-reflection and corresponds well with scientific concepts: level 1 matches legitimate power, while levels 2-5 match referent and expert power in French and Raven's typology (see power and influence).
Mariusz Marcinkowski and Piotr Gąsiorowski of the Akademia Przywództwa Foundation are connected with the Maxwell Leadership network; Maxwell's “laws of leadership” are part of the AP postgraduate programme. See John C. Maxwell, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.
Sources
J. C. Maxwell, Developing the Leader Within You, Thomas Nelson 1993 J. C. Maxwell, The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential, Center Street 2011 Akademia Przywództwa, akademiaprzywodztwa.pl (About, Studies)