Any good reading program for leadership development should include both classic and contemporary texts. Contemporary authors and podcasters such as Craig Groeschel, Carey Niewhof, Patrick Lencioni, Michael Hyatt, Danielle Strickland and Donald Miller provide fresh ideas about leading in today’s ever-changing world. But what about the classics? What do books that were written 20, 30 or 50 years ago have to teach us about leading today? A lot!
One of my favorites is Stephen Covey’s Principle-Centered leadership which he published in 1990. Principle-Centered Leadership is a collection of articles that Covey wrote for Executive Excellence magazine. The book was published over 30 years ago. Given the amount of change the world has experienced over that period, can Covey’s insights still be relevant today?
As the title suggests, Covey’s ideas are rooted in principles. Methods are many, principles are few; methods always change, principles never do. Principles are pieces of wisdom that never change and always apply, regardless of year or geographical context. One of those principles is what Covey calls, the Four Levels of Leadership.
Methods are many, principles are few; methods always change, principles never do. Principles are pieces of wisdom that never change, regardless of year or geographical context. Share on XThe Four Levels of Leadership are: Personal, Interpersonal, Managerial and Organizational. While grateful for Covey’s model, my thinking diverges slightly from his in terms of the qualities and aptitudes needed to thrive at every level. Let us look at each.
Personal Leadership is all about leading oneself. It means embracing personal growth as a never-ending pursuit. Covey teaches that as the inner circle of our knowledge and experience increases, so does the outer edge of ignorance. The more we come to know, the more we see that we do not know much at all. However, personal leadership must go beyond simply having appetite for knowledge. It is a continual pressing into one’s history and psychology trying to identify what is holding us back. Dealing with an unwept trauma. Discovering an underutilized charism. Deepening understanding of an unacknowledged wound that has become a negative script out of which we live our lives. This self awareness can be painful but also freeing. We need this level of freedom if we are to become what God had in mind when He created us. In the absence of that level of self-awareness, leaders may operate with blind spots . Worse, leaders can be oblivious to the negative impact on others and the organization.
Personal leadership goes beyond having appetite for knowledge. It means pressing into your history and psychology to identify what is holding you back from our potential. Share on X
Interpersonal Leadership is all about influence, not authority. It is about having relational influence with people, not positional power over people. In this level of leadership, it is critical to build trust because trust is the one thing that changes everything in every relationship. Covey speaks of the need to develop character and competence when building trust. Character, because people trust others whom they consider to be honest, selfless, transparent, authentic, and forthright. Competence matters as well. Hey, you might trust your neighbor to water your lawn while you are away, but if she lacks the skill, would you trust her to perform open-heart surgery if needed? Of course not. In addition to character and competence, I would present another category – connection. Connection is the ability to develop authentic, transformational relationships through empathy, communication and listening.
Interpersonal Leadership is all about influence, not authority. It is about having relational power with people, not positional power over people. Share on X
Managerial Leadership is all about enabling others to act, not simply telling them what to do and how to do it. This level of leadership is more powerful when it is an extension of interpersonal leadership that is founded on trust. In the absence of trust, managers try to get what they want through coercion or manipulation. Good, healthy management is not about compliance, it is about enabling others to act, it is about empowerment more than anything. In an authentic managerial relationship, the manager is the helper, not the driver. The best managers see the dignity, potential and power of their people and help them see it in themselves, then act on it. Good managers support and encourage their people. Good managers remove obstacles and empower their people with the authority needed to get the job done.
In an authentic managerial relationship, the manager is the helper, not the driver. It is about empowerment more than anything. Share on XOrganizational Leadership is all about alignment to the mission. Left unchecked, most organizations drift toward chaos, disorder, and inefficiency. Organizational leaders do three things: 1) align to the mission what can be aligned, 2) prune what cannot be aligned to the mission, and 3) disproportionately invest in each area bearing the most fruit. These three leadership priorities allow the organization to stay aligned to what matters most, rather than veering off to pursue every distraction under the sun.
Organizational leaders do three things: 1) align to the mission what can be aligned, 2) prune what cannot be aligned to mission, and 3) disproportionately invest in the areas that bear the most fruit. Share on XStephen Covey’s Four Levels of Leadership have stood the test of time because the Four Levels of Leadership are rooted in timeless principles, not prevailing fads. If you are looking for a few other classics check out: