The following contains excerpts from the book, How Successful People Lead (John Maxwell).
At our music school in Odessa, Texas, we believe that music is more than sound – rather, it is relationships. In understanding how successful relationships work, the subject of leadership is central. When students in the arts and music begin to understand the value of successful community and the value that fostering successful relationships can bring, it brings into focus the importance of understanding what successful leadership looks like.
“How Successful People Lead” is a condensed version of the author’s “The 5 Levels of Leadership”, using the same structure of the previous book, showing the progressive order of leadership growth: 1) Position, 2) Permission, 3) Production, 4) People Development, and finally 5) Pinnacle.
Maxwell defines the levels as follows: 1) A leadership position is usually given to people because they have leadership potential. 2) A leadership position means authority is recognized. 3) A leadership position is an invitation to grow as a leader. 4) A leadership position allows potential leaders to shape and define their leadership. The ‘downsides of this level are: 1) Having a leadership position is often misleading because a position always promises more than it can deliver. 2) Leaders who rely on position to lead often devalue people. 3) Positional level leaders feed on politics. 4) Positional leaders place rights over responsibilities. 5) Positional leadership is often lonely. Positional level is just the starting point of leadership.
We believe that every student is a potential leader, and endeavor to foster that possibility at our music school in Odessa, Texas.
On level 2, Permission, people begin to follow you not because they have to, but rather because they want to. The leader begins to influence people through building relationships. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. This can change the entire working environment. People go along with leaders they get along with.
We encourage each student to pursue the development of lasting relationships that open the door to successful collaborations in our music school in Odessa, Texas.
The ‘best behaviors’ of level 2 are: 1) Connect with yourself before trying to connect with others (know and like yourself). 2) Develop a people-oriented leadership style (don’t’ rely on rules or systems). 3) Practice the Golden Rule: “Treat others as you want others to treat you.” 4) Become the Chief Encourager of your team. 5) Strike a balance between care and candor.
On level 3, Production, leadership begins to get results. Leadership on this level attracts other highly productive people. Some people find it difficult to transition from level 2 to 3 because they can’t seem to produce results. This is usually due to a lack of self-discipline, work ethic, organization or skills to be productive. Laws of leadership at the production level: 1) The Law of Respect: people naturally follow leaders stronger that themselves. 2) The Law of Magnetism: Who you are is who you attract. 3) The law of the picture: People do what people see. (When people see results from their leader, they know results are expected from them.) 4) The Law of Victory: leaders find a way for the team to win. 5) The Law of Momentum: momentum is a leader’s best friend. 6) The Law of Priorities: leaders understand that activity is not necessarily accomplishment. 7) The Law of Sacrifice: a leader must give up to go up. 8) The Law of Buy-in: people buy into the leader first, then the vision. Production leaders are self-motivated and productive. As a result, they create momentum and develop an environment of success, which makes the team stronger.
At our music school in Odessa, Texas, we desire to give each student ‘wins under their belt’ in positive experiences of successful performances and artistic endeavors. This builds confidence and esteem, which gives them added fuel in their potential as leaders.
On level 3, the emphasis is on personal and corporate productivity, but to reach the upper levels of leadership, that create elite organizations, leaders must transition from producers to developers, because people are any organization’s most appreciable asset. Good leaders on level 4 invest their time, energy, money and thinking into growing others as leaders.
To transition from level 4 to level 5, a leader must believe the following: 1) The highest goal of leadership is to develop leaders, not gain followers or do work. 2) To develop leaders, you must create a leadership culture. 3) Developing leaders is a life commitment, not a job commitment.
We see the ultimate goal of students in our music school in Odessa, Texas as students who rise to a level of maturity that they attain autonomy in their own development, where they not only can teach themselves as constant learners, but also extend training to other students.
Very few leaders ever reach level 5, Pinnacle. It is the culmination of a lifetime of leading well on all other four levels. Pinnacle leaders stand out from everyone else. They are a cut above, and they seem to bring success with them wherever they go. They often possess an influence that transcends the organization and the industry they work in. A guide to remaining productive at level 5: 1) Remain humble and teachable. 2) Maintain your core focus. 3) Create the right inner circle to keep you grounded. 4) Do what only you can do. 5) Create a supercharged leadership development environment. 6) Create room at the top. (If you don’t create room at the top for developing leaders, you will waste much of your potential horsepower and you will eventually start to lose your up-and –coming talent. 7) Develop your top leaders. 8) Plan your succession. 9) Plan your legacy. 10) Use your leadership success as a platform for something greater.
At our music school in Odessa, Texas, our goal is to raise up talent to fulfill their unique individual potential and see them grow into successful leaders in our community. Through this, the community is enriched and strengthened through growing, vibrant, cultural relationships.