One of the dangers of getting to the permission level is that a leader may be tempted to stop there.  But good leaders don’t just create a pleasant working environment. They get things done! The production level is where leadership really starts and shifts to ‘another gear’. Production qualifies and separates true leaders from people who merely occupy leadership positions. Good leaders always make things happen. They can make a significant impact on an organization. Not only are they productive individually, but they also are able to help the team produce.

 

That’s why they must move up to level 3, which is based on results. On the production level leaders gain influence and credibility as well, and people begin to follow them because of what they have done for the organization. 

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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 also on level 3 that momentum kicks in.

 

Leading and influencing others becomes fun on this level. Success and productivity have been known to solve many problems. 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. On level 3, leaders can become change agents. They can tackle tough problems and face thorny issues. They can make the difficult decisions that will make a difference. They can take their people to another level of effectiveness.

 

Level 3 leaders are self-motivated and productive. As a result, they create momentum and develop an environment of success, which makes the team better and stronger. Another benefit of leadership on level 3 is that it attracts other highly productive people. Producers are attractive to other producers. They respect one another. They enjoy collaborating. They get things done together. That ultimately creates growth for the organization.

 

Production qualifies and separates true leaders from people who merely occupy leadership positions! Some people will never move up from level 2 permission to level 3 production. It looks like they can't produce results. When that is the case, it’s usually because they lack self-discipline, work ethic, organization, or skills to be productive.

 

In the next newsletter I will elaborate on the ‘Level 4 of Leadership': people follow you because of what you have done for them.

 

Source: ‘5 Levels of Leadership, by John Maxwell’.