Five levels of Influence
“Leadership is influence” according to John C. Maxwell (Maxwell, 2010), and you can raise your level of influence with others.
If you are unfamiliar with the five levels of influence, you should start by reading this short article on Influence Level.
Now, where would you like to be with yourself? Most likely level 3 – “Production”, 4 – “People Development” or even level 5 – “Personhood”?
I’ll guess that this is one level beyond your current level.
So how do I raise my level of influence? Choose the LeaderShift that is appropriate for the key relationships in your life:
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Leadershift!
From Level 1 – “Position” or “Power”
If you are at level 1 (reliant on your position to have power over someone to influence them) – struggling to attain level 2 (reliant on others permission to influence them) – I recommend that you seek professional help. I don’t mean a psychiatrist – I mean a coach or mentor, and now would be a very good idea!
If you are at level 1, chances are very high that there is no-one in your life currently at level 4 – i.e. no-one that you respect for how they have developed you as an individual.
- Find yourself a coach or mentor. This is the person you want as a coach or mentor ideally.
- Short of that, ask around – or get onto our website, we’ll happily point you to someone we’ve worked with in the past who might be suitable.
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Leadershift!
From Level 2 – “Permission” or “Relationship”
Those of you at level 2, wanting to get to level 3 – “Production” or results…
- You could start with your boss, or your more successful peers, friends or family members. Ask them to help you push yourself. It’s amazing once you start to get the results you want – then you’ll respect yourself for it and rely less and less on others influencing you.
- Establish a SMART goal that truly stretches you in your influence.
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Leadershift!
From Level 3 – “Production” or “Results”
Level 3 to level 4 – this, is about teaching and sharing with others to help them develop.
- You can start with learning something you have thought till now as being ‘impossible’. Right-handed players learning to play left-handed.
- Best of all, choose your favourite hobby, or something at work in which you are really quite skilful and teach someone else.
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Leadershift!
From Level 4 – “People Development” or “Mentor”
Level 4 to level 5, I believe that this is when you find yourself and what you really really believe in. It’s a higher calling, beyond self. It is, for me, ridding myself of the self-righteousness, the ego if you will and knowing that you have a purpose in this life. There are few leaders who truly attain this.
- Think of someone who you know who is really charismatic, but have never met personally who, if they came over to you and said “come with me” that you would simply follow… that person more than likely has achieved “personhood”.
- Ask them to mentor or coach you.
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There are other aspects of influence in this life , business and family. It is not entirely self-focused. The way we behave, the way we play, the confidence that we exude, the way we allow our character to come out – all of these have an influence on those around us. Is your influence always good?
Be a positive influence on someone else now:
- ask “what’s better today?” and
- Send this LeaderShift to a friend.
Enjoy and best wishes, John
Maxwell, J. C. (2010). The Five Levels of Leadership, now a book! | John Maxwell on Leadership. Retrieved from http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com/2010/10/03/the-five-levels-of-leadership-now-a-book/.