Level up, Week 2: Where do you go from here?
ByWelcome to Week 2 of our group study of The 5 Levels of Leadership! Last week, we hit the ground running, with a challenging assignment to read the introduction and complete the leadership assessment in just seven days. In this week’s meeting, your goal as leader is to learn where every member of the group is in their leadership journey.
We are aware that some groups will consist of people who actively pursue leadership and personal growth. This study won’t be alien to them. On the other hand, some groups or group members may be making their first foray into leadership development. As a leader, please take those factors into account.
Also, you may find that some in your group are very self-aware, while others are not. Today’s discussion questions have been written with everyone in mind, so give yourself the freedom to depart from them and go down any productive path that presents itself. At the end of your discussion, you should have a better idea of members’ understanding of the basics of leadership, their openness in the group, and how willing they are to change and grow.
Before you meet, I’d encourage you to personally do the reflection and journaling assignment below. Then you’ll be able to share what it was like and what your group members can expect.
If you’re in MY group (not in any group in real life), answer all of the questions below for yourself. (You can share answers in the comments if desired.)
READING ASSIGNMENT:
Level 1: Position, pages 37-81
(We will discuss this reading assignment in NEXT WEEK’S post.)
DISCUSSION (Facilitator’s Guide):
1. (Icebreaker) When you go on vacation, are you a meticulous planner or a seat-of-your-pants explorer? Tell about a memorable vacation that came about as a result of your travel style.
2. To describe leadership, the book uses 5 levels. In the past, what mental picture have you used to describe or understand leadership?
3. Why do you think the 5 levels are in the order that they’re in? Would you have put them in that order? If not, why?
4. Why do you think it says that you’re not on the same level with every person?
5. What surprises did you find in the results of your leadership assessment? Do you think others’ assessment of you accurately reflects where you are in leadership? (If you haven’t yet completed the four-part assessment, you need to do so before your next meeting.)
6. What level are you on with most people according to the assessment? Where would you like to be?
7. Up until now, has your leadership development been planned, or have you simply tried to learn as you go?
8. How open are you to changing your leadership style to become more effective and influential in your life? What are you willing to do? What are you willing to give up?
ASSIGNMENT:
Take some time this week remove yourself from distractions and interruptions to reflect on where you are as a leader. Set aside at least an hour for this. Be sure to write in a journal about the current state of your personal influence, career, and life legacy. Are you where you would like to be? Reflect on how growing in leadership using the 5 Levels could positively impact those three areas.
You will not be expected to share this with your group. It’s for you alone to gain perspective and spend some time in self-examination.
In this information age, people tend to spend too little time truly alone, quietly reflecting without any distractions. No matter what you write in your journal, this exercise will yield positive results for your leadership development.
NOTE:
In the comments section, the questions are threaded so you can answer each individually if you’d like. (This makes it easier for others to find them and contribute to the discussion.) But please feel free to answer all questions in one comment if that serves you better.
1 (Icebreaker) When you go on vacation, are you a meticulous planner or a seat-of-your-pants explorer? Tell about a memorable vacation that came about as a result of your travel style.
Combination of both. I keep a list on my laptop of what I NEED on a vacation. The basics and those things I might have a tendency to forget.
I keep several things already in my suitcase. The travel size things of my make-up, shampoo, etc.
Then I go by the seat-of-my-pants.
My vacations are twice a year trip to my parents who are currently 89 & 90 years old. And one trip to see my daughter and grandson.
My priority is family at this point. Some day I will not be blessed with having parents and then I’ll have time to travel. Until then – my family is first.
Well, anyway i guess i ll definitely be a meticulous planner if i get the chance of a travelling vacation beacuse i don’t think have ever find myself at any time being a seat-pant planner, I love moving things out myself as I give people instructions in which i would have carefully examined from every perspective I can imagine, anyway that’s my believe but the truth is that my job is always keeping me busy that have not gotten such real vacation ever, am always having very short break in which i spent with my family at home.
CUANDO VOY DE VACACIONES NO PLANIFICO, VIVO CADA DIA, DISFRUTO DE LO QUE ENCUENTRO A MI PASO, AUNQUE RECONOZCO QUE ESO ME HACE PERDER TIEMPO IMPORTANTE QUE PUEDO UTILIZAR SI PLANIFICARA MIS VACACIONES.
I tend to study the layout of the area beforehand, have a general plan to see certain important things, then when on the ground turn into an explorer guided by the people I’m with or the people in the area.
I use to plan…. But my husband at the time would never let us get past the planning stage, he thought women just enjoyed planning God Bless him! He’s no longer involved in our holidays/tours.
so I want to relax on holidays with my family, planning helps with that 
I just went & followed along , Perfect holiday, hadn’t been before, would go again in a similar format.
we had a plan 
knew where we wanted to go & what we wanted to see. We’d spoken to people who’d been there before, great visit .
what a blessing!!
I plan when I’m taking my family of 5 children. Right duwn to meals & ingridebts I need to pick up when I get there. Australian Snow Fields Smiggins-beautiful place . However I’m happy to cook, Read, ski, do nothing on a holiday as I’m a Teacher at a Gramnar school that expects
I travel overseas on my own, but with friends. Does that make sense?
China – My school organized a tour for 3 weeks & I went with 35 ish people, I planned nothing
New Zealand, took my daughter, & a friend & her daughter, hired a truck, motor home… Just drove, she’d been before… Local knowledge
Europe – visited my daughter who was studying at Universiry there, meet my sister in London who planned everything out, I joined her on some things but joined Claire my daughter elsewhere. Loved England, Loved France! Went to Fublin, that’s were I met up with Claire, nothing planned, hated it! Should have booked a tour & gone far & wide instead only did Dublin. Left there to meet my sister in France, beautiful
I visit my sister, as we have as a family over the years. 7 of us, now I just go, Hinterland Queensland Gold Coast. Beautiful, relaxed , plan nothing!!! Just take each day as it come
I prefer a seat of the pants approach, with some major highlights planned out. My honeymoon to Hawaii was an example. Had to do some touristy stuff, but decisions made on the fly became the most memorable.
I’m more of a planner, but will change if forced to, usually kicking and screaming. The more heads up I get about doing something and I can plan it into the day, or afternoon, fine. But no, I don’t want to stop at the WalMart in the middle of a 8 hour drive. I just want to get the drive over.
When I go on vacation, I only plan the transportation and the hotel, and then I go by the seat-of-my-pants. I keep the freedom to go with the flow and explore. I did this with the last vacation. It was big fun and we enjoyed every moment.
I take time to make a plan for all our vacations. I include: attractions, driving estimates, lodging, and other relevant notes for everyday. Sometime, I even plan a few alternatives (for rain or sun, or shorter/ longer stops). I usually don’t bother to plan around food. That is totally to be explored, unless we heard an excellent referral. I used to get quite upset when things didn’t work as I planned. Now, when we do something different, I look at it as another alternative that just didn’t present itself earlier and I feel it is a choice rather than a “must”. Needlessness to say the level of enjoyment went up.
2 To describe leadership, the book uses 5 levels. In the past, what mental picture have you used to describe or understand leadership?
As a guide who shows the way they have learned, keeping serving people and the mission as the focus
My only mental picture has been of level one and developing a culture. No real thought beyond that.
Having Spent 21 years in the Navy, I viewed leadership as positional. There where always people you would prefer to work with, if given a choice. Now it only makes sense why you preferred to work with some folks more then others. It’s because you liked them, they did what they said they would do, and they made sure you where taken care of. So in turn you respected them and would follow them into battle.
My favorite mental picture of leadership is with those individuals who loved being with you and pouring themselves into you, whether it was the elderly man down the street who told me stories about the neighborhood and always helped me fix my bike and let me use his tree swing, the teacher who loved to teach, but also asked about my family and built a relationships with others in the class, or my college teacher who made learning fun.
These people knew the art of relating with people, having compassion and then poured themselves into individuals. Learning was fun and I loved being around them. I always did well in their classes also. Their relationship skills and compassion as well as their love for learning always stood out.
My mental picture for leadership in the past, was a person that was a very good speaker and was able to motivate his/her people to take them where he/she as a leader needed/wanted them to be.
3 Why do you think the 5 levels are in the order that they’re in? Would you have put them in that order? If not, why?
I believe that’s the process of how leadership progresses, trying to be another other than what you are will require re-submitting to the process. As far as re-ordering them..John’s the leadership expert, I’ll trust they’re correct!
I think your grow as a leader & you have to experience different levels so as to be the great leader you were meant to be. I think we go from needing direction to being able to create the direction. From being lead to leading. People who miss bits along the way, lack in leadership & tend to want to blame those underneath them for their own inadequacies they experience in leadership , they become vindictive
The leaves are important, it may take you a long time to proceed or it might happen quickly, I guess that depends on the type of leadership you are being lead by and how mush they ate willing for you to grow and be successful .
Having a great leader is pure Gold!
I think your grow as a leader & you have to experience different levels so as to be the great leader you were meant to be. I think we go from needing direction to being able to create the direction. From being lead to leading. People who miss bits along the way, lack in leadership & tend to want to blame those underneath them for their own inadequacies they experience in leadership , they become vindictive
The leaves are important, it may take you a long time to proceed or it might happen quickly, I guess that depends on the type of leadership you are being lead by and how mush they ate willing for you to grow and be successful .
Having a great leader is pure Gold!
Because each builds on the skills of others. The only order I would question would be production and relationships, but they work great where they are too.
I consider that they are in this order because we always build on the previous experience – Level 2 is based on experience from Level 1, Level 3 on Level 2 and so on. Of course we can jump one or two levels at a time, but, I consider that we need, at the beginning, to go through all the levels, in order to gain the experience to keep the flexibility to treat the people from our inner circle according with their own strengths, and to go through level 1 to level 5 with every new team member that just joined our team.
4 Why do you think it says that you’re not on the same level with every person?
I missed that, but it makes sense. You naturally move from level to level at your prove yourself worthy of being their leader, as you gain more trust. Trying to move to another level without receiving your followers (non-verbal) permission will result in not moving to the desired level.
Leadership in the past was “The Big Boss” checking up on you, watching over your shoulder , waiting for u to make a mistake…. Actually I’ve gone full circle, that’s what it’s like now:(
We are all growing and developing at different levels at different times. There must be people above you or further along, to mentor you, to help you or even to see your potential, to develop you as a leader .
I have a different relationship with each person I lead, which depends in part on the nature of the work they are responsible for and the way we interact together. This was one of the most useful concepts for me, so far, in thinking about leadership growth–that I have to think about each situation differently.
As relationships frown and
As the relationships grow and the other person grows, they will be at different levels with you. This is the part that seems the most intuitive for me. I know my influence is different with different people, and I can see it change over time.
You are not on the same level with every person because each individual is unique in his/her own way based on feelings and emotions and based on how they react to what happens in their life. The other reason is that we have to differentiate the way we treat our people based on their strengths and experience.
If we, as leaders, would treat everybody the same, then we would not help all of our people really reach their true potential.
5 What surprises did you find in the results of your leadership assessment? Do you think others’ assessment of you accurately reflects where you are in leadership? (If you haven’t yet completed the four-part assessment, you need to do so before your next meeting.)
My results of the leadership assessment were: Lvl 1: 9/10, Lvl 2: 10/10, Lvl 3: 9/10, Lvl 4: 7/10. My biggest surprise was when I found out that I am so close to master Level 4.
I do think others’ assessment of me reflects the reality and I believe this based on their feedback on the way I work with them and on my actions on developing them.
6 What level are you on with most people according to the assessment? Where would you like to be?
I am on level 3 with most of my people, and I am on level 4 with the one that I want to grow as my successor.
I would like to master level 4 and then work on my way up to mastering level 5, while using levels 1 to 4 with all of my people.
I want to develop my people in order to take all of them with me at level 4.
7 Up until now, has your leadership development been planned, or have you simply tried to learn as you go?
I’m a registered nurse and my leadership development has not been planned. I was promoted first to a headnurse position in ICU. Then later on to a teaching position within a hospital and then on to Risk Management and such.
I have attended a several leadership conferences. Even leadership conferences through our church. I did attend one of your conferences in Denver for Lay people. Loved it. Learned. Laughed. And our team laughed & sang all the way back to Kansas.
In nursing you are often in leadership because of your skills. In healthcare we often tend to rise to our level of incompetence. You know – the Peter principle.
I changed jobs 5 years ago so I could get out of management. I only wanted 1 boss and no employees under me. Due to some tragic events in my life, I thought life was to short to deal with crying women all day. I was administrator of a family practice group at that time. My priorities had changed. My family became my priority.
So my new job is a management job. And they have now moved me into areas – working with physicians. Again.
“I thought life was too short to deal with crying women all day.” Very interesting to read that. I can relate. I began my leadership journey years ago–reading tons of books on leadership and applying the pearls of wisdom to my life. I recently obtained a quasi-leadership role at work, and I must say I don’t enjoy it. I long for the days when I was solely responsible for myself, not for so many other people who daily share their personal problems with me. It delays my own personal development. Perhaps I shouldn’t be selfish, but I prefer to be constantly trying to grow myself into a better and more productive human being.
My plan is to learn as I go, always being aware of who is doing things effectively and studying why its working for them. I try to keep my development constant through leading and asking questions. I realize that the more I learn the more I need to.
As a teacher, ( Christian school) we are encouraged to attend PD ( Zpersonsl Development) throughout the year, I haven’t done that for 2 years now as I was rejected on my last application & time ran away, the following year I was off work due to a work place injury, I have requested extra PD this year and have been fobbed off
a divine appointment 
We have a PGP ( Personal Growth Plan) , I was on the commuter that implemented changes to this initiative. Hoping I can direct my PD in the area of Human Resources this year.
I attend Hillsong Conference every year in Sydney, as a leadership tool at my own expense & my own time because I see it as a valuable tool for me to “fill up”, renew , have awesome people speak Gods word into my professional life. 2011 was Awesome, John Maxwell spoke !! Couldn’t get enough
I read lots of Books that help me with work & my personal like. Oh and I read the bible
If I don’t follow up my leadership growth, no one else will…. Generally speaking.
I’ve learned as I’ve gone, but see the limitations of that. But practical skills means much, so abandoning it seems silly.
I’ve been a constant learner for the last 7 years. But even with the 100+ books read, the Masters degree in Strategic Leadership, and becoming a John Maxwell Team member, I find the best way to learn is to pass it on to others. For me the learning becomes better in a mastermind group setting and being able to learn from a group of other leaders.
At the beginning I learned as I went, because there were not that many that would teach and develop a young person willing to learn. So what I did was to watch the more experienced people how they asked questions, developed plans, managed/led people, followed up or asked about feedback, and so on.
After a couple of years, I discovered the world of personal development and self growth, so I started to read a lot of books on managing (at the beginning) and then I focused mainly on leadership. The best thing for me was that I had the opportunity to apply and to test what I was learning from books. I had my plan my place for my leadership development.
8 How open are you to changing your leadership style to become more effective and influential in your life? What are you willing to do? What are you willing to give up?
My goal is effectiveness, so that requires constant awareness to how I need to change in approach.
I must take a more serious attitude and give up some of my tendencies to make a joke. Not flaky, or mean, just look for a more professional side, rather than a fun side. That’s BIG for me.
I am very open to any change that will help me become more effective and influential, which will allow me to add more value to other people. My motto is “Today I am better than yesterday and worse than tomorrow”!
I am willing to stretch more, do more, be more, and for this I want to give up excuses, old habits and thoughts, and time&money.
Though i haven’t really achieved much in the area of leadership, i wish i could be more effective and influential.
I am willing to create time and give up excuses.
I am prepared to make changes that will improve my leadership! I have asked at work, the 80/20 rule,
( G8t at 80% need work to work on 20%) they didn’t know what that was. … Couldn’t give me an answer. Still waiting:)
I am willing to study further, complete my Masters of Education. That’s in my time, work doesn’t have allocated time for attendance or exams or study leave. Work doesn’t contribute towards the payment of the course either. Other school do
I need to move 
We are an educational institution and we don’t really assist our staff to be better educated. Interesting that ….
I manage the Rugby Team at school and my sole purpose is to make my team look good, in and off the field. They must play their part also, but that’s my role and I’ve been very successful in this. My team are awesome! They look to me for off field adivce, direction that the “spirt” should take, their ideas , thoughts are valued. My Captian, grew as a leader this year. I was so pleased. To watch this happen right before your eyes , he’s off to Uni this year, but he’ll stay in touch. Others are returning to assist with Rugby this year, they ate giving back. Another young guy, very vocal, will b a great leader!! Has ideas constantly, but is willing to put them into place!!! He’ll go far
I want the best for my TEAM. I want my team to shine. I want everyone else to want to be on my team! It’s the place to be! You can grow / develop on my team! I will do whatever it takes for you to achieve on my team. @ believe me that’s not easy…. But we achieved it last year & we intend to go it again this year:) They know I care!
I am a meticulous planner, whenever am traveling both business trip or vacation, i like to plan and budget everything ahead of time. Most of time i find it diffcult to flow with other because where ever am going i already know what to do there to save my time likewise when u move with people they delay u by being interested in everything along the line
Presently am a nigerian living in cameroon, its unfortunate we havent got the 5 level of leadership in bookshop here.cameroon is mainly dominate by french speaking so it make it hard to get first hand english books here. I hope when i’ll be traveling back to nigeria i can buy it
I have be opportune to see the preview of the 5 level of leadship on net and i strongly do believe it align with normal growing process.
1.} Probalby my most memorable Vacation was when I was in College and we went to Visit my Aunt who had rented a room out to A Lady from China who was teaching that particular summer @The University of Maryland. It was indeed a learning experience. I never will forget trying to explain the toaster to her beacuse she had never seen one before.
2.] We live in a world where so many think Leadership is about Titles when really True Authentic Leadership is Servant Leadership.
3.] The book is full of knowledge. It could not be presented any clearer. The author does indeed have a gift of Communicating with people on different levels.
4.} It is easy to see why a person is on different levels at the same time. One person they may have just met, another person they have a relationship. You might know someone where even though the two of you are great friends due to hectic schedules you always meet to acomplish something.
5.] Assessment was well done
6.] With some On Level 2/ Others Level 3 There is some growth on Level 4
7.] Growth, Learning, Reading and Leadership go hand in hand. It must be Intentional.
8.} I’m convinced that there is something I can learn from others. I’m willing to do the necessary work required.
1. Plan (on my own or with the team I will share vacations with). The most memorable has been in 1991 when I participated in an Archaeological expedition and made great discoveries and subsequently a National recognition by the Arcaeological society.
2. Same.
3. The “levels” can only be as described.
4. Each person entering the team, has a different social, educational and experience background which combined with personality and attitude place that person in a level that varies from my own. Now, if (from 1 – 10) I am, say, a number 8 leader, I will attract lower levels to come into the team and usually there will be 2 – 4 levels difference.
5. a. Thought I was on Level 3 moving towards 4 but I realised that I am struggling to get to Level 3. . .
b. Yes
6. a. On Level 2 with most and Level 3 with few
b. Level 3 with most and Level 4 with some
7. Learn as I go (mostly)
8. a. Very open
b. Study Work Grow
c. My “comfort zone”
You are indeed a great man.