Description
Leadership is more than holding a title. It’s a journey of growth, influence, and creating real impact. In How Successful People Lead, John C. Maxwell explains that great leadership develops through five stages. Each stage builds on the one before it, and true leaders learn to embody all of them at once. The goal isn’t just to manage people but to inspire, develop, and leave behind something that lasts.
The first stage is leadership by position. Here, you have the authority because of your title, but authority alone doesn’t inspire loyalty. To succeed at this level, you must treat leadership as a privilege, not an entitlement. Reflect on your values, the kind of example you want to set, and how you can create a positive environment where others thrive. Relying only on power or control will hold you back. Instead, focus on setting a standard others want to follow.
The second stage is leadership by permission. At this point, people follow you because they want to, not because they have to. You’ve built relationships, shown you value others, and opened the door to collaboration. Trust begins to grow, communication flows more freely, and morale improves. But openness must be balanced with awareness — not everyone will have pure motives, and some may try to take advantage of the system. Strong leaders stay caring yet firm, addressing problems honestly while protecting the health of the team.
The third stage is leadership by production. This is where you and your team start delivering consistent, meaningful results. You’ve earned trust, communicated your vision, and created momentum. Productivity and morale feed each other, attracting positive attention and building credibility. However, not everyone will respond equally to momentum. Some will help push it forward, some will simply go along, and some may resist. The best leaders focus their time on the people and projects that generate the greatest results, while avoiding the trap of spreading themselves too thin.
The fourth stage is leadership by people development. Here, your success is measured not just by your own achievements but by how many leaders you help grow. You identify potential leaders based on chemistry, character, capacity, and contribution. Mentoring them requires time, trust, and the humility to share credit. You must let go of control and genuinely want others to succeed, even if their accomplishments shine brightly. The reward is watching others carry the vision forward and multiply your impact.
The fifth and highest stage is leadership by legacy. At this level, you’ve built a culture of leadership that will outlast you. You mentor emerging leaders across all stages, ensuring they can lead with integrity and skill. You also plan for succession early, preparing others to take your place when you step aside. This is about creating a ripple effect of influence that continues long after you’ve left. The challenge is staying humble, maintaining personal discipline, and surrounding yourself with trusted peers who keep you grounded.
True leadership isn’t about climbing to the top for personal gain. It’s about using your position, influence, and credibility to lift others higher. Each level demands growth in character, vision, and service. When leaders master all five stages — position, permission, production, people development, and legacy — they don’t just lead effectively; they change lives, organizations, and even entire industries. And that is the kind of leadership that endures.
