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The 5 Levels of Leadership (applied to TPM's)
The greatest leaders lift those around them.
James Dayhuff
July 17, 2024
In partnership with
(6 minute read)
👋 Hey TPM Craftsmen, let’s get crafting.
This newsletter edition is focused on the Influential Leadership Pillar
What’s inside?
👨🏫 Learn: 5 Levels of Leadership (and where I failed!)
🤝 People: Simon Sinek, an optimist and leader
📚 Resource: The book, 5 levels of leadership
Learn
👨🏫 The 5 Levels of Leadership
The time I failed as a TPM leader
Let me tell you about a time I failed to lead. Hang in there with me, this is painful to write!
I had recently left ExxonMobil and joined Twitter. (I don’t know if I could’ve found two companies more polar opposite!)
ExxonMobil leaned heavily into a commercial-grade Agile implementation, fitting our people and organization into strict frameworks. I carried this mindset to Twitter, aiming to drive massive changes.
I did extensive research, created the world’s greatest slide deck, and… it was a complete flop.
What was supposed to be a systemic change in how we operated, turned out to be a puff of unnoticeable smoke.
Why? I failed to lead. I relied too heavily on my title as a TPM, expected people to follow, and worked in a vacuum.
I didn’t quite understand some fundamental truths about leadership and building momentum across stakeholders. Luckily, I learned from this experience and am a better TPM because of it.
Several of these missed fundamental leadership truths are effectively expressed in Maxwell’s leadership framework.
Maxwell’s Framework
John Maxwell is a renowned expert in leadership development. With over 30 million books sold and decades of experience, he has influenced leaders worldwide.
This framework is all about influential leadership.
Rewind to the 1970’s
Initially, in the 1970s, Maxwell branded this as “The 5 Levels of Influence”. Why Influence and not Leadership? Well, management and and leadership were fairly synonymous in the 1970’s.
However, as the terms leadership and management began to find their own nomenclature homes, his framework evolved into “The 5 Levels of Leadership”, based on the principles of influence.
Moving beyond titles
This framework is about moving beyond titles: to build relationships, achieve results, develop others, and ultimately inspire.
There are 5 levels of leadership maturation, according to Maxwell.
Level 1, Position: Leadership is associated with a title. People follow you because they have to. This is the weakest type of leadership.
Level 2, Permission: Leadership is built on relationships. People follow you because they want to.
Level 3, Production: Leadership is demonstrated by results. People follow you because of what you have done for the organization.
Level 4, People Development: Leadership is about growing others. People follow you because of what you have done for them personally.
Level 5, Pinnacle: Leadership is about respect and admiration. People follow you because of who you are and what you represent.
In my previous story, my mind was stuck at Level 1. I didn’t build the relationships (Level 2) or demonstrate results (Level 3) needed to influence and lead effectively at Twitter. (It is embarrassing to even admit this lack of leadership awareness!)
Applying Maxwell’s Framework to TPM’s
Now before we go on, I want to call out the obvious trouble with any leadership “advice”….The trouble with any leadership framework or material is that it quickly becomes too generalized and therefore lacks actionability and applicability.
So to avoid that trouble, let’s see how we can apply these levels of leadership directly to the world of being a TPM!
Level 1: Position
Position-based leadership relies on the rights granted by the title. People follow you because they have to.
At this level, a TPM is new to the role and relies on their title to get things done. People follow their lead because they must, not because they want to.
Example: a TPM is assigned to drive a compliance-related program for broad adoption of a new process, mandated from an executive. Sure, people will follow that TPM lead but most of it is because of their position to drive compliance as a TPM.
At this level, people give you the least amount of effort and input.
Level 2: Permission
Permission-based leadership is about relationships. People follow you because they want to. The leader prioritizes people over process.
Here, you as a TPM begins to build relationships with people on various teams. People follow because they like and trust you. This is achieved through effective communication, showing empathy, and being approachable. By listening to team members and valuing their input, you can create a supportive and collaborative environment.
Example: a TPM may be assigned to drive an initiative, and the TPM begins not by setting milestones of execution but rather by building relationships with the most critical contributors. The TPM understands different peoples views, challenges, hopes, and more. This TPM knows that the quality of the program relies on the quality of relationships.
People begin to give you more earnest and proactive effort.
Pro-tip: When you get a new program set on your plate, one of your priorities should be to shift from Level 1 to Level 2 as quickly as possible.
Level 3: Production
Production-based leadership is about results. People follow you because of what you have done for the organization.
At this stage, you’re recognized for your ability to deliver results. People follow because of what the TPM has accomplished. Your track record of success builds credibility and trust. In short, results establish credibility.
Example: a TPM has had at least one major win within the company. This win is significant in business value and scale. These results associated with an important initiative establish credibility, boosting trust in the TPM.
(This is a beginnings of a high-impact TPM with results to prove it.)
Level 4: People Development
People-development-driven leadership is about leveling up those around you. The tide rises wherever you are. People follow you because of what you have done for them personally.
This level is about developing the skills and capabilities of the team. You invest time in mentoring and coaching, helping team members grow in their roles. You build community. You drive best practices. You stand as an example of what a TPM can deliver. By empowering others, you enhances overall performance and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
Example: an IC TPM might begin to establish an internal TPM community to foster best practices, mentoring, and leveling-up the whole org. The TPM contributes to internal or external TPM best practice documentation. Additionally, but not exclusively, a TPM may move into a TPM management role.
Level 5: Pinnacle
The pinnacle is the highest level of leadership, it is a conglomeration of putting people first, building credibility through results, developing people, and sustaining this over time. People follow you because of who you are and what you represent. These are the all-stars of any craft or profession.
At the pinnacle, a TPM is respected and admired for their leadership. People follow because of who they are and what they represent. The TPM’s influence extends beyond their immediate team, impacting the broader organization and industry. Their leadership legacy is built on integrity, vision, and the ability to inspire others.
Example: a TPM’s opinion is valued at all levels of an organization and company. This TPM has created a lasting, positive legacy of impact on others and anything they are associated with.
So what?
Growing as a leader is foundational in your TPM role.
The greatest leaders lift those around them. Using Maxwell’s framework helps us paint a path to become that type of leader.
The next obvious question is…how do I grow as a leader? How do I move throughout these levels? If you want to hear more on that, reply to this email and let me know! I’m always trying to gauge which content is most helpful.
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People
🤝 Simon Sinek, a modern day voice of leadership
Simon Sinek is well-known for many of his books on leadership. Two of my favorites:
In his own words (or the words of his editor?):
Simon Sinek is an unshakable optimist who believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Simon's WHY is to inspire people to do what inspires them so that, together, each of us can change our world for the better.
With a vision to change the way businesses think, act, and operate, Simon and his team work with leaders and organizations in nearly every industry to help transform company culture and create a better working world.
