5 Levels of Performance

Like many of you, I loved playing sports as a kid. I had enough athletic talent to be passable at most things I tried, but nowhere near the necessary genetics or skills to get very good at any of them. But I’ve always been intrigued with the journey of athletes.

Now, I’m not talking about “athletes” like me (and probably you). Not a beer-league softball player or a golfer who does well to break 90… occasionally… by playing just a little bit fast and loose with the old pencil.

No, I’m talking about elite athletes. World-class athletes. Ones who have the potential to go pro in their chosen sport.

I imagine most of them started out just like most of us. They played pick-up games with their friends in the neighborhood, at school, or at the rec center. But before long, it became obvious that they were different. They had natural talent that their peers just didn’t have. And they started to excel.

Before long, they moved into more competitive environments, playing in organized games with and against other players closer to their own talent level. They played their sport throughout high school and into college, where the coaching became more specific and intentional. They got access to state-of-the-art training facilities, diet and exercise specialists, and sports psychologists.

And one day, they made it all the way to the pinnacle of their sport–the pros. They got drafted or earned their PGA tour card or whatever. But even then the journey continued. There were championships to be won, MVPs to be earned, all-star teams to be made, legacies to be cemented.

The leadership journey can be similar. Here’s how I see it.

Level 1 - Natural Talent

At this level, we rely on our raw, unrefined abilities with little thought toward improvement. We just do what comes naturally and figure things out as we go. Most of the time, it works out pretty well. On the other hand, we don’t know what we don’t know.

Level 2 - Self-Directed Learning

This level is where we start to realize we will only get so far with the trial-and-error method. We have an aha! moment and figure out a) we don’t know it all, but b) there are resources aplenty out there that can help us learn it. We realize we can improve and we start searching out head knowledge on how.

Level 3 - Applied Learning

Here is where we start to turn head knowledge into practical, real-world experience. We apply what we are learning in the real world–using ourselves, our teams, and our bosses as guinea pigs, and gaining the insight and seasoning that only come from the school of hard knocks.

Level 4 - Team Affiliation

“Game recognize game.” As we continue to grow and mature as leaders, we naturally start to find and associate with like-minded individuals who are on a similar journey. Rubbing shoulders with such people further accelerates our learning, fine-tuning the things we’re already working on and opening our eyes to new things we should probably consider.

Level 5 - Personal Coaching

At this level, we realize we have more inside us than we’re able to tap on our own. We make the commitment–and the financial investment–to procure some help. We find a coach with the skills and expertise to help us overcome our self-defeating tendencies (yeah, we all have them) and wring the final drops of potential out of ourselves.

Where are you on the leadership journey? What is your next step? When will you take it?