Level 5 Leadership was/is practiced by a few great leaders[i],
and it in essence means a great leader that develops other leaders who develops
leaders. It’s not someone who can just lead people or produce results, but rather
somebody who develops other leaders to lead. It’s the frame work of legacy, of
lasting influence, and of worldwide impact. Level 5 Leadership is not about
followership, but rather developing a community of leaders who lead.
As I read the Bible recently with politics in mind, I kept
wondering if Moses was a level 5 leader. Moses probably felt overwhelmed,
extremely daunted, and greatly unworthy of the role he was called to play in
liberating the children of Israel from the Pharaoh, the world power at the
time.
Can you imagine, a lone man, armed with faith alone, come to
change the very livelihood and culture of the Egyptians? Your society is built
on slavery, your armies are some of the greatest and largest, your education
and civilization one of the most advanced, and you come to defy all that in
your humble and meager sheep-herding ways, simply proclaiming liberty and
peace.
It’s a wonder Moses wasn’t imprisoned for life or killed on
the spot. As incredible, and preparatory, as this was for Moses, I don’t think
this is what made him such a great leader of leaders.
Moses was put through a major leadership refiner’s fire. His
audience was thousands of people who were not educated, thousands of people who
had never been in a position of free leadership, and thousands of people who
had never fully taken care of themselves or made decisions for themselves
before. They were slaves; they did what they were told to do. This is not
exactly the type of people great freedom and business leaders are typically
looking for.
Yet, Moses took it on head first. He proceeded with great
humility, with incredible patience, and was consistently dedicated to being a
servant leader.
Was Moses perfect, according to the accounts we have? No, he
wasn’t. But when he received mentoring from his father-in-law to elect and
develop leaders among the people, he jumped on it and formed one of the freest
forms of government that is still studied today.
The people tried and tested Moses repeatedly, complaining
that they would rather be in Egypt to have the comforts and security of slaves than
pay the price to become autonomous, to strive for leadership, to obtain freedom. Not only this, but God told
Moses that they were unworthy and disobedient people. He said He would destroy
them, he would take away the challenge, the pain, and the annoyance of
developing these people into a great nation of free leaders.
What an easy scapegoat, right? How often have I wished
something miraculous would happen and I would suddenly be successful and wouldn’t
have to go through all the painful work to get there! But…where is the
“success” in that? If I can paraphrase Patrick Henry, who I think said it very
well, what we obtain too cheaply we esteem too lightly.
Being handed a million-dollar home, or expensive car, or
whatever, is much much different than
working, toiling, and becoming the person who pays for it in cash. This is not
to say you don’t have mentors, or miracles from God, or an incredible community
of leaders who helps along the way, but rather that I need to pay the price of
servant leadership, live the process of the refiner’s fire, and traverse the path
of greatness.
How Moses responds to God’s offer to take away the pain
reminds me of the great people I’ve studied and heard about from history, and
it blows me away every time I think of it. They say, “That would be nice, but
I’d rather keep trying. I don’t want to stunt my growth here. To truly
accomplish my mission, my passions, my purpose, I know I need to keep growing.
So, now is a better time than later.” Moses asks God for another chance, to
keep developing his leadership as well as the leadership of his brothers and
sisters.
This is level 5 leadership.
It is a powerful thing to be a producer of great leaders.
Such is the essence of world-wide influence. Such is the essence
of legacy. Such is the essence of greatness.
Such is the essence of freedom yesterday, today, and
tomorrow.
Ian Cox
[i]
See: Launching a Leadership Revolution
by Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady, Good
to Great by Jim Collins, and The 21
Irrefutable Principles of Leadership by John Maxwell
