The 5 Levels of Leadership (And Why Most People Get Stuck at Level 2)

On this episode Brandon James and Joey Yak break down what leadership actually looks like beyond the title—and why most people never make it past the early stages. They dive into the 5 Levels of Leadership and unpack the difference between having authority vs. earning real influence. Brandon shares how leadership starts with production, but only scales when you learn to develop people, build trust, and truly care about your team beyond just results. The conversation gets real around what holds most leaders back—lack of self-leadership, insecurity, and trying to lead people somewhere they’ve never been themselves. They also talk about why high standards aren’t the problem… but having the wrong people around you is. Joey and Brandon break down practical ways to build trust with your team, how to have hard conversations that actually create growth, and why leadership is ultimately a servanthood position—not a status symbol. If you’re trying to grow a team, step into leadership, or figure out why people aren’t fully bought in—this episode will give you a clear framework to level up. LINKS Apple Podcasts ⤵️ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wit-podcast-whatever-it-takes/id1789167910 Youtube ⤵️ https://www.youtube.com/@WhateverItTakesPod Spotify ⤵️ https://open.spotify.com/show/1zzvGZzQh9Lj9VL1DScWRJ Join our free Facebook group ⤵️ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1664694160780709