One of the most common leadership mistakes is expecting people to think beyond the level their role requires. As responsibilities grow from completing tasks to managing projects, developing plans, and shaping strategy, the way people think must evolve as well. Understanding these different levels of thinking helps leaders set clearer expectations, coach more effectively, identify future leaders, and build stronger organizational capability over time.
Are You Level Conscious?
Most teams employ some form of hierarchy to their organizational structure, and chances are you've worked with someone who excelled in one role but struggled a bit after being promoted. It's easy to assume the issue is performance, when in reality it may be a shift in the level of thinking the role requires.
One dimension of management competency that matters more than many people realize is the ability to scale your thinking. As responsibilities grow, so does the need to move beyond execution and see the bigger picture.
A simple way to think about this is through four levels of responsibility.
At the foundational level, an individual is required to focus on completing a task. The challenge at this level is simply to avoid distractions (work, friends, social media, or otherwise) and deliver quality work on time. Success comes from execution and attention to detail.
The next level up the chain puts these tasks within the context of a project – a series of inter-related activities that produce a larger outcome. As timelines lengthen and complexity increases, so do the skills required. Coordinating people, priorities, dependencies, and deadlines becomes just as important as completing the work itself.
The next rung up the management ladder is concerned about the plan that brings multiple projects together. The plan coordinates initiatives in pursuit of a higher-order objective that may have wider impact outside a single functional area or department. At this stage, leaders begin asking not only what needs to be done, but why it matters and how different efforts fit together.
At the top of the stack is the person who is responsible for the strategy that spawned all the plans. This is where leaders translate changes in the external environment into internal priorities and direction. Their focus is less on execution and more on understanding where the organization needs to go and why. They spend more time considering future opportunities, emerging risks, and the choices that will shape long-term success.
Why Understanding Levels of Thinking Improves Leadership
Like any model, this is a simplification of organizational reality. People often move between levels depending on the situation, particularly in smaller organizations where individuals wear multiple hats.
Even so, it's a useful lens for leaders.
It helps calibrate expectations based on the role someone is performing rather than expecting everyone to think the same way. It also provides a practical framework for coaching, helping leaders develop the capabilities people need to succeed at their current level while preparing them for the next.
It can also help explain why teams sometimes struggle. What appears to be a performance issue may actually be a mismatch between the level of thinking a role demands and the skills an individual has had the opportunity to develop.
For organizations focused on growth, this perspective can also help identify employees who have mastered the competencies of their current role and are ready for broader responsibilities.
Don't Overlook Your Integrators
As a final note, keep watch for those rare individuals who can move easily between multiple competency levels. These are the people who can contribute to strategic discussions in the morning, translate those ideas into practical plans in the afternoon, coordinate complex projects, and still step in to solve execution challenges when needed.
These are your “go-to” people that you rely on when the organization is facing major opportunities or responding unexpected threats.
Building Leadership Capability at Every Level
It's important to remember that these levels are different, not better or worse.
Organizations need people who excel at every level for the whole system to work. Strong execution is just as important as strong strategy. In smaller organizations, one person may operate across several levels (compressed into those “go-to” people I just mentioned). In larger organizations, those responsibilities are often more specialized.
Neither approach is inherently better. Both depend on having the right people thinking at the right level.
Strengthen Leadership Capability Across Your Organization
Here’s a little career planning game: place yourself in this hierarchy. Then ask yourself:
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- What level of thinking does my role require today?
- What skills would help me succeed at the next level?
- Am I coaching my team based on where they are today, or where I expect them to be?
The answers can provide valuable insight into your own development and help you better support the growth of those around you.
Next, think about your own team, and consider these questions:
- Are the expectations for each role aligned with the level of thinking it requires?
- Are you coaching people based on their current responsibilities, or expecting them to perform at the next level before they're ready?
- Who on your team consistently demonstrates the capacity to think beyond their current role?
- Where are performance challenges really capability or development opportunities?
- How are you preparing future leaders to move from execution to planning and strategic thinking?
Building leadership capability isn't just about promoting high performers. It's about helping people develop the way they think as their responsibilities grow.
The strongest organizations intentionally develop capability at every level.
If you're looking to strengthen leadership capability across your organization, Stratford helps leadership teams develop the skills, structures, and coaching practices that enable people to grow with the business. Let's talk about how we can help your leaders succeed at every level.
This article was originally published in 2011 as "Are You Level Conscious?. It has been updated with new content.