Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others! That is what leaders do on Level 4. They use their position, relationships, and productivity to invest in their followers and develop them until those followers become leaders in their own right. The result is reproduction; Level 4 leaders reproduce themselves.

 

Leaders on the people development level of leadership shift their focus from the production achieved by others to the development of their potential. And they put only 20 percent of their focus on their personal productivity while 80 percent on developing and leading others.

 

Production may win games, but people development wins championships! Two things always happen on Level 4. First, teamwork goes to a very high level. Why? Because the high investment in people deepens relationships, helps people to know one another better, and strengthens loyalty. Second, performance increases. Why? Because there are more leaders on the team, and they help to improve everybody’s performance.

 

Level 4 leaders change the lives of the people they lead. People follow level 4 leaders because of what they have done for them personally, and their relationships are often lifelong.

 

Helping individual leaders grow extends your influence and impact as a leader!

 

In the next newsletter I will elaborate on the ‘Level 5 of Leadership': people will follow you because of who you are and what you represent. 

 

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