Level 3 of The 5 Levels of Leadership
You may have heard it said that everything rises and falls on leadership.
But what exactly is leadership?
Leadership is influence.
The more influence you earn, the more people you can lead.
Some are natural-born leaders.
The rest of us have to learn how to be an effective leader.
Fortunately for us, there is a clear process, but a few points before we begin:
Point 1: You are at a different leadership level with each person.
Point 2: Each level builds upon the next.
Point 3: If you switch divisions for companies, you start over at Level 1, and have to earn your way back up.
It’s at level 3 that you actually start to build the company or organization.
You’ve been given a position and you’ve earned your team’s trust, but here is where you lead by example by becoming productive and effective.
Level 3 is when your people follow you because you get results.
You lead by example. You have done what you are asking others to do.
If you want your people to be organized, you have to first be organized.
If you want your team to be productive, you have to be productive.
The Upside of Production: You Now Have Leadership Credibility.
The Downside of Production: The Weight Of Leadership Just Got Heavier
One of the dangers of level 2 leadership is that a leader may be tempted to stay there.
Who doesn’t enjoy being liked?
But good leaders don’t just create a great work environment…
They get things done!
Many positive things begin to happen at Level 3.
Work gets done on or under budget, morale goes up, turnover goes down, and goals are achieved.
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, and they can take their people to another level of effectiveness.
- 1. Be the Team Member You Want on Your Team:
- Lead by example and set a positive tone.
- Avoid expecting others to do what you wouldn’t do yourself.
- 2. Cast Vision Continually:
- Keep the vision in front of your team consistently.
- Make time to communicate and reinforce the vision.
- 3. Discern How Team Members Affect Momentum:
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- 1. Categorize team members into:
- Momentum Makers (Producers who make things happen)
- Momentum Takers (People who go along for the ride)
- Momentum Breakers (People who cause problems and hurt morale)
2. Focus on investing time in the momentum makers.
- Encourage momentum takers to become makers themselves.
- Address issues with momentum breakers through candid conversations and provide opportunities for attitude change.
- Remove individuals who consistently disrupt the team’s progress.
- 4. Balance Your Leadership Style:
- 1. If you’re a strong Level 3 Production Leader:
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- Prioritize tasks but also maintain relationships with your team.
- Allocate regular time for connecting with your team.
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- Apply the 80/20 Pareto Principle.
- List responsibilities in order of their impact on the company.
- Focus the majority of your time on the top priority.
- Consider using resources like “The ONE Thing” by Gary Keller for guidance.
2. If you’re a strong Level 2 People Leader: