Levels of Leadership
Leaders grow through a series of sequential phases that are universal and invariant and thus, ignoring this reality, in turn, mean jeopardizing efforts to change institutions and develop effective leaders. The five levels of leadership and system performance include reactive, egocentric, integral, creative and unitive (DeChurch et al. 2010). The egocentric level is also known as “I am my needs” phase where it is characterized by meeting the set goals and objectives. Leader operating at egocentric level tend to be controlling and autocratic and in turn, can be destructive. Leaders at the reactive phase tend to care genuinely about their workers and organize and operate as benevolent patriarchs. The leadership is ordinarily humane though at times lacks the capacity of widely sharing power. On the other hand, creative leaders are needed to innovate, be visionary and adapt designs and cultures. A unitive level is considered the highest phase of awareness where leaders operate as global visionaries.
References
DeChurch, L. A., Hiller, N. J., Murase, T., Doty, D., & Salas, E. (2010). Leadership across levels: Levels of leaders and their levels of impact. The Leadership Quarterly, 21(6), 1069-1085.