Read Online The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential by John C. Maxwell - Free Book Online
Authors: John C. Maxwell
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success will always be limited. If you want to become a better leader, let go of control and start fostering cooperation. Good leaders stop bossing people around and start encouraging them. That is the secret to being a people-oriented leader, because much of leadership is encouragement.
“You never know who’s right, but you always know who is in charge.”
—
Whistler’s Law
2. Trade Entitlement for Movement
Political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli wrote, “It is not the titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.” He understood the nature of leadership and the true weakness of titles. If you want to make the most of your position at Level 1 and to honor whatever titles you possess, then do not rely on them to lead others. Don’t exercise your rights. Don’t become possessive about your perks. And never believe that youdeserve your position. Leadership isn’t a right. It’s a privilege. It must be continually earned. If you possess any sense of entitlement, that will work against you.
If you followed the presidential primaries in 2008, you may have noticed two telling examples of how a sense of entitlement can impact leadership. On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani was the early favorite in the polls and many people believed he would receive the nomination of his party. He must have made a similar assumption, because when the primaries began, he decided not to enter the first few. Instead, he waited until the primary held in Florida. That state had a lot of delegates and he thought he would win it easily, then use that momentum to carry him forward and take the nomination for president. What happened? John McCain, who political experts gave little chance of winning the nomination, worked hard from the beginning and picked up a couple of wins, and the momentum began to shift. By the time the Florida primary came into play, the country was moving toward John McCain and away from Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani’s sense of entitlement probably lost him the nomination.
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton was the early favorite in the polls and many people believed she would receive the nomination of her party. Unlike Giuliani, she worked hard from the beginning. However, she seemed to assume that she would have the nomination sewn up by Super Tuesday and didn’t seem to have a strategy beyond that date. Meanwhile, Barack Obama waged his disciplined campaign, gained incredible momentum, and received the nomination. The rest, as they say, is history.
Good leaders don’t take anything for granted. They keep working and keep leading. They understand that leadership must be earned and established. They remain dissatisfied in a way, because dissatisfaction is a good one-word definition for motivation. Good leaders strive to keep the people and the organization moving forward toward its vision. They recognize that organizations can sometimes be filled with appointments, but teams can be built only by good leadership.
You may have been appointed to a Level 1 position, but you will have to lead yourself and others above it. You must be willing to give up what is in order to reach for what could be. Let a vision for making a difference lift you and your people above the confines of job descriptions and petty rules. Forget about your leadership rights. Focus on your responsibility to make a difference in the lives of the people you lead. When you receive a position or title, you haven’t arrived. It’s time to start moving—and taking others along with you.
3. Leave Your Position and Move toward Your People
People who rely on position often mistakenly believe that it is the responsibility of the people to come to them for what they need and want. Good leaders understand that it is
their
responsibility to move toward their people. Leaders are initiators.
Greek philosopher Socrates said, “Let him that would move the world, first move himself.” If you want to move up to Level 2 in your leadership, you need
“You never know who’s right, but you always know who is in charge.”
—
Whistler’s Law
2. Trade Entitlement for Movement
Political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli wrote, “It is not the titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.” He understood the nature of leadership and the true weakness of titles. If you want to make the most of your position at Level 1 and to honor whatever titles you possess, then do not rely on them to lead others. Don’t exercise your rights. Don’t become possessive about your perks. And never believe that youdeserve your position. Leadership isn’t a right. It’s a privilege. It must be continually earned. If you possess any sense of entitlement, that will work against you.
If you followed the presidential primaries in 2008, you may have noticed two telling examples of how a sense of entitlement can impact leadership. On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani was the early favorite in the polls and many people believed he would receive the nomination of his party. He must have made a similar assumption, because when the primaries began, he decided not to enter the first few. Instead, he waited until the primary held in Florida. That state had a lot of delegates and he thought he would win it easily, then use that momentum to carry him forward and take the nomination for president. What happened? John McCain, who political experts gave little chance of winning the nomination, worked hard from the beginning and picked up a couple of wins, and the momentum began to shift. By the time the Florida primary came into play, the country was moving toward John McCain and away from Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani’s sense of entitlement probably lost him the nomination.
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton was the early favorite in the polls and many people believed she would receive the nomination of her party. Unlike Giuliani, she worked hard from the beginning. However, she seemed to assume that she would have the nomination sewn up by Super Tuesday and didn’t seem to have a strategy beyond that date. Meanwhile, Barack Obama waged his disciplined campaign, gained incredible momentum, and received the nomination. The rest, as they say, is history.
Good leaders don’t take anything for granted. They keep working and keep leading. They understand that leadership must be earned and established. They remain dissatisfied in a way, because dissatisfaction is a good one-word definition for motivation. Good leaders strive to keep the people and the organization moving forward toward its vision. They recognize that organizations can sometimes be filled with appointments, but teams can be built only by good leadership.
You may have been appointed to a Level 1 position, but you will have to lead yourself and others above it. You must be willing to give up what is in order to reach for what could be. Let a vision for making a difference lift you and your people above the confines of job descriptions and petty rules. Forget about your leadership rights. Focus on your responsibility to make a difference in the lives of the people you lead. When you receive a position or title, you haven’t arrived. It’s time to start moving—and taking others along with you.
3. Leave Your Position and Move toward Your People
People who rely on position often mistakenly believe that it is the responsibility of the people to come to them for what they need and want. Good leaders understand that it is
their
responsibility to move toward their people. Leaders are initiators.
Greek philosopher Socrates said, “Let him that would move the world, first move himself.” If you want to move up to Level 2 in your leadership, you need
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