Five Levels of Leadership – From John Maxwell

By Chris Hill | November 26, 2025 | Comments Off on Five Levels of Leadership – From John Maxwell

The Five Levels of Leadership — Notes from Developing the Leader Within You

Dear Leader,

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Everything rises and falls on leadership,” but the real question most people wrestle with is this: What is leadership?

Many believe leadership is tied to a title, position, or office — yet we’ve all seen leaders who hold no title, and titled individuals who clearly aren’t leading anyone. Leadership is bigger than hierarchy. It is deeper than authority.

Leadership is influence.

John Maxwell defines leadership in just one word — influence.
If you have followers, you lead. If others are moved, encouraged, guided, or shaped by you, you are influencing them. And that means you are leading.

Here are four truths about influence that Maxwell highlights:

🔹 1. Everyone influences someone.

Even if you don’t realize it, someone is watching your life, decisions, work ethic, and character. You are shaping someone.

🔹 2. We never fully know who or how much we influence.

Often our greatest impact is unseen. Influence travels further than we think.

🔹 3. The best investment in tomorrow is influence today.

The question is not Will you influence? but rather, What kind of influencer will you be?

🔹 4. Influence is a learnable skill.

Leadership is not something you either have or don’t have. It is something you can develop.

The Five Levels of Leadership

Maxwell outlines five progressive levels every leader should understand and aspire to climb.

Level 1 — Position

The simplest form of leadership.
This leader has authority because of title, not trust.

Characteristics of the positional leader:

  • Security comes from position, not ability

  • The role is usually granted, not earned

  • Followers will only do what is required

  • Volunteers and younger people rarely follow them well

A boss at this level controls people. A leader influences them.

Level 2 — Permission

Here, people follow because they want to.
Leadership is built on relationship, care, and connection.

“You can love people without leading them,
but you cannot lead people without loving them.”

This leader listens. They value people. They gain trust.

Level 3 — Production

Results begin to show. Momentum builds.
People follow because the leader is getting things done.

This level moves from merely caring for people → to mobilizing people for purpose.

Level 4 — People Development

The hallmark of great leadership is not how many follow you, but how many you help rise.

At this level:

  • Followers love the leader (Level 2)

  • Followers admire the leader (Level 3)

  • Followers become deeply loyal to the leader (Level 4)

Why?
Because this leader grows people — personally and professionally.

What Level 4 leaders do:

  • Walk slowly through the crowd — don’t let growth disconnect you from people

  • Invest intentionally in future leaders — development is not accidental

Level 5 — Personhood

Few ever reach this level.
This is influence built on decades of growth, integrity, and impact. People follow not just because of what you do, but because of who you are.

Climbing the Leadership Ladder

  1. The higher you climb, the longer it takes

  2. The higher you climb, the greater the commitment

  3. The higher you climb, the easier leadership becomes

  4. The higher you climb, the more growth you experience

  5. You never leave the foundation behind — each level builds on the previous

  6. Not everyone you lead is on the same level

  7. To lift an organization, you must take other influencers with you

Reflection for Leaders

  • What level are you currently operating on?

  • What qualities must you develop to reach the next level?

If you want stronger influence, don’t just aim to lead people.
Aim to grow leaders.

Action Steps — Strengthening Your Circle of Influence

  1. Identify the five most influential people in your organization

  2. Spend one hour each month with each of them individually

  3. Spend two hours each month developing them together as a group

Influence multiplies when leaders build leaders.

If this helped you — or if you’d like coaching or resources to strengthen your leadership further — I would love to walk with you as you grow. You don’t need a title to lead. You just need influence… and intentional growth.

Keep leading well.
Your influence matters more than you know.

Posted in Leadership