Welcome to Level Three Leadership! Let's take a peek below the surface together! Does the title sound a bit strong? It's like it's guiding us on how to put on the crown of power and become a leader who can make a difference! The wonderful thing about this book is that it's actually very gentle and caring, and it shows a great deal of concern for human nature. At first glance, it might not seem like it's about power, but it can actually give you the power to make a difference.

The book is called "Level Three Leadership." The wonderful book "Getting Below the Surface" is a textbook that is used in hundreds of universities in the United States and is also used in executive training in many countries. The author, James M. Krause, is a professor at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, where he focuses on leadership. As you can imagine, this book covers a lot of ground! It brings together many classic leadership theories, such as the ability to lead strategically, lead change, understand organizational design, and so on. You might already feel like you've heard these things before, and that's totally okay! They're not the main focus of this interpretation.

What makes this book really special is that it puts forward a totally new way of thinking about leadership. Right at the start of the book, the author suggests that leadership is all about managing energy. First, you've got to take care of your own energy, and then you've got to take care of the energy of those around you. The energy here is all about psychological energy, which is a state of being that is cognitively resourceful and internally positive. The word "energy" is the heart of this interpretation, and it's also the most innovative aspect of this book!

I'd love to ask you a question. Do you know anyone with a high energy level? I'd love to introduce you to someone I know. One year, on National Day, I went hiking in the mountains with a group and met the loveliest older woman. She was so helpful! She gave everyone ID cards, bought drinks for everyone, and made sure we ordered food together. Before we knew it, she had naturally become the leader of our group, and we all called her the deputy leader.

At the time, I was really confused. Oh, was she tired? The hiking program was quite challenging! We set off at 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and my friends and I were so tired that we didn't want to talk. She was always on the go, but she had so much energy!

After I got back from the hike, I chatted with a friend of mine who works in human resources about it. She said you might have met someone with an amazingly high energy level! She went on to say that there are two types of energy: physical and mental. This lovely lady was helping others, which, on the surface, seemed to be using up a lot of physical energy. But she was so happy serving others! That made her mental energy grow and grow. Her overall energy level just kept on rising!

My friend's words suddenly made me realize something. It was the first time I'd ever heard the word "energy," and I could feel the vibrant energy and infectious enthusiasm of someone who was brimming with it.

And it's so interesting to think about leadership from the perspective of energy. It's a new way of looking at things, and it's really valuable. We all know how it goes in the workplace. You hear people saying things like, "I'm so tired" and "I can't do it anymore." This means that leaders need to use their abilities to help themselves and their teams feel energized so that they can grow and thrive!

Even though the book doesn't offer a super formal academic approach to energy management, it still has lots of great ideas! I'm going to take a fresh look at this new definition of leadership and split the ideas in the book into two parts. The first part is all about how leaders can manage their own energy, and the second part is about how leaders can manage the energy of their teams.

Let's dive right in and explore the first question: how do leaders manage their own energy?

Let's picture a classic workplace drama together. Imagine the day of a workplace elite unfolding like this: stepping out of the car in high heels, nodding and smiling at the greeting of "hello boss," speaking eloquently in the meeting, and going to the gym after work. But when the cameras stop rolling, it's a different story. The pressure to perform at the top of their game, the lack of sleep, and the gym equipment that's been gathering dust for too long seem to be the reality.

We're really curious: how is it that those who seem so confident and consistently achieve high levels of success can maintain their high energy levels? Take the world record holder in the 100-meter backstroke, for example. She's a well-known jazz musician who performs concerts around the world. Then there's the CEO of a company that has achieved 40% growth for 10 consecutive years. And we can't forget the head of a thoracic surgery department who is performing coronary artery bypass surgery on his 400th patient! Have you ever wondered why they always seem so full of energy and confidence?

A psychologist did some research and made an amazing discovery! He chatted with nearly 500 world-class achievers, like the ones we mentioned earlier, and found that they all followed a remarkably consistent pattern of thinking and acting. He put all of this into a model he called the Resonance Model.

This model shows us that these amazingly successful people have all experienced and are really good at using their moments of resonance. The wonderful thing about resonance is that it's that feeling of inner harmony and unity you get when you're at your best. These folks use their resonant moments to recharge their batteries, even after some pretty intense preparation or major setbacks.

The great thing about resonant experiences is that they're not dependent on external achievements like winning a gold medal or becoming CEO. They're feelings that naturally arise when you're fully engaged and enjoying what you're doing. Take the Olympic champion swimmer, for instance. For him, the resonant moment is the feeling of harmony he experiences when he's effortlessly gliding through the water, not the gold medal.

Some folks might think that those who achieve amazing things are supposed to be particularly good at ignoring their feelings. They must keep reminding themselves, "Don't worry about how you feel, just give it your best!" or "A little pain is nothing if it means success!" to keep going.

However, researchers have found that this is a bit of a misconception. They say that trying to ignore your feelings will actually cause your energy to dissipate, which might lead you to settle for mediocrity. Researchers have even given this behavior a name: the "obligation cycle." This is where things can get tricky. When we force ourselves to practice through repeated training, we often end up with increasingly mechanical and forced movements. We focus so much on making sure every aspect of ourselves is done properly that we forget to enjoy the process. And here's the kicker: the more you care, the worse your performance. The author says that it's a bit like playing golf. If you try to get every muscle in your body in the right position, your body will become a bit rigid and your golf game won't be as good as it could be.

But folks who achieve high levels of success, while they may also seem to be working hard, have a very different inner cycle. They pay more attention to their feelings and allow themselves to fully experience the wonderful sense of empowerment that doing the task itself brings. When they hit a bump in the road, they put the results aside, focus on the joy of doing the task itself, and relive the moments of resonance over and over again. This helps them gain new energy and then overcome difficulties to achieve new moments of resonance, which leads to a positive cycle of energy.

The author also reminds us that empathic feelings can be transferred. He has a personal experience that he'd love to share with you. One day, a senior professor came to listen to his lecture. He did his very best in class and was really eager to get feedback after class. The professor said, "I'm sorry, but I have to tell you that your class is very boring." However, I find that you are full of energy and light steps when playing basketball, and I think you'd really enjoy learning how to play basketball in class. The author realized that he cared too much about the specific actions of lecturing and had been ignoring his inner feelings. You know, the best way to get those good feelings is to think about all those other times you've felt that way and then try to bring that feeling into what you're doing now.

For instance, if you're feeling overwhelmed by all the tasks on your plate, pause for a moment and reflect on that moment of empathy you experienced. I'd love to know what that feeling was like for you. Just keep repeating this in your mind, over and over, and you'll gradually start to feel your inner energy returning. And the great thing is, when you're full of energy, you naturally attract others. Even if you don't mean to lead, you'll find that leadership will come naturally to you. Because your state itself is contagious!

I'd like to mention another fascinating model, the control point model. This was also proposed by a psychologist. This model helps us think about a tricky question: are you a person who lives from the inside out or from the outside in?

People who live from the outside in often worry about what others think of them. They might even change their own thoughts to get approval from others. This can make it hard for them to act according to their true wishes. The most extreme example is when you lose all your own ideas, with no control points at all. On the bright side, people like this are super adaptable! The book gives a lovely example of the short story "Clay." The main character is a middle-aged woman living in Dublin who is really good at adapting to different situations. It doesn't matter what group she's with, she'll always try her best to fit in. She's like a piece of clay that can be shaped by anyone! People lovingly call her a "peace maker," but she is really quite lonely on the inside.

People who live from the inside out are more likely to think about what's going on inside them and let other people's thoughts slide. At the other end of the spectrum, this can show up as extreme narcissism and individualism, with 100% control.

Of course, most of us are somewhere in the gray area between the two. I'm curious if you've ever thought about how high your control point is? And for an amazing leader who wants to keep their energy up, should they live from the outside in or from the inside out? It's so important to find a balance between these two approaches! Living from the outside in can sometimes result in a loss of autonomy and feeling controlled by the world. On the other hand, living from the inside out can sometimes lead to a closed mind and fixed thinking.

I really think that as a leader, you should try to live from the inside out. It's so important to be self-aware! The author says that one of the things that sets senior executives apart is their strong sense of self. They have a deep understanding of their beliefs and are confident in their convictions, which is something to admire! Have you ever wondered why so many people fear being a leader? It's because they care so much about making other people happy! However, leaders need to have the courage to voice different opinions and be brave enough to be disliked by others. It can be scary to do this, but it's important to remember that it's okay to have different views and that not everyone is going to agree with you.

A while back, I came across a similar question in an online lecture by a teacher. I think the teacher's answer is really helpful, so I'd love to share it with you here. One of the students in the class had a question that they wanted to ask. I'm a little concerned that as I get older, my views might become set in stone. I'd really love to break through, but I'm just so afraid of losing my own convictions. I'd love to know what you think I should do! The teacher replied with a kind smile, saying that this is indeed a very delicate situation. It can be tough to change, but it's so worth it! The first step is to identify what you want to change.

I'm not sure I understand. Could you explain that to me? It's so important to keep an open mind and embrace the wonderful diversity of our beautiful world! Have you ever heard of Plato's allegory of the cave? It's a fascinating story about some slaves who were originally tied up in a cave. They thought that this was the whole real world! It wasn't until he was taken out of the cave and saw another cave that he realized he was living in a cave and discovered the relativity of his life. It's so interesting how our perspectives can change when we're exposed to new experiences! It's so interesting how observing others can help us reflect on the relativity of everything we believe. This is really quite meaningful, isn't it?

However, the teacher kindly pointed out that just because something is relative doesn't mean we shouldn't hold on to it. It's so important to think deeply about things, don't you think? Have we ever thought about which of our habits, lifestyles, or values we should hold on to and which we should adjust? It's also good to remember that these reflections don't have to be done in the moment of an event. They can be done in a reflective situation, whenever you feel ready. When you're 25, some things that seem awful now might actually turn out to be pretty special when you look back in a few years. And you know what? What you originally thought was wealth might actually be a debt.

It's so important to take a step back and look at our stories from a different angle. This helps us to really understand what makes us happy, what we should keep and what we should let go of. As time goes by, you'll find that you'll become a person with a solid, dependable core through the process of discernment.

So, in the teacher's opinion, whether you live from the inside out or from the outside in is just a result. It's so important to keep an open mind and be careful about change when you're reflecting.

I just wanted to mention that reflection is a really important topic in this book. The author is really encouraging leaders to take some time to reflect on and evaluate themselves. He makes a great point: to influence others, you've got to understand yourself first. Leaders should be the people who know themselves best, and that's a good thing!

I'm sure you'll agree that the most profound reflection mentioned in the book is none other than the third model to be discussed: the bad memetic model. I have to say, this is also the model that I find the most challenging to put into practice. It can be tough to look at ourselves closely, and that's okay!

This research is a real classic! It comes from Dawkins' 1976 book, The Selfish Gene. Dawkins made a great point: we're born with two amazing gifts. One is our genetic heritage, which gives us our gorgeous hair and eyes, our unique body features like metabolism and body type, and even our special behavior patterns.

But there's more! Along with our genes, we also have a hidden but powerful inheritance in the form of memes. These are shaped by our parents' parenting style and environment. These are the ideas, beliefs, values, and so on that are passed on to you gradually over time. They're like genes in that they're rooted in each of us.

It's totally possible that our memes contain some limiting beliefs that bind us deeply and prevent us from releasing our energy. I'll give you an extreme example. In the movie Black Swan, the protagonist Nina's mother exercises strict control over her, which seriously affects her performance in the ballet company. Nina's technique is absolutely amazing, but she could really use some help with her psychological self-confidence and interpreting the inner passion and charm of the character.

The author makes a great point—we can't change our genetics, but we can absolutely change our memes! As leaders, we often bring our own limiting beliefs into the enterprise. It's so important to gain a clearer understanding of our personal memes and decide which ones to keep forever in ourselves, our colleagues, and our subordinates, and which to eradicate completely.

For instance, some folks are really nervous about taking on a leadership role. Even if their superiors think they're great and give them a chance, they might still hesitate to accept it. When we look back on the reasons, we can see that they grew up in a family where respect was valued. This can sometimes lead to a fear of authority and even more so a fear of the way they have power. Another example is that some leaders are particularly responsible, but after a project is over, everyone around them leaves. It can be really tough when that happens! He took a good, hard look at himself and discovered that since he was young, he'd been carrying the weight of the entire family on his shoulders. Responsibility is a kind of control that can really put a lot of pressure on the people around him.

The author says that if we don't take a moment to think about our lives and how we've been shaped by those who came before us, we'll never truly be able to design our own lives or influence others in a meaningful way. A mature and visionary leader is someone who knows their own mind, is honest with themselves about what they don't need, and has the courage to choose what's right for them. As we go through this process, we become freer, more mature, more independent, and more authentic.

How can we do this together? This book has been emphasizing something really important, and that is that leaders must constantly reflect and evaluate themselves. When we notice something we're struggling with, it's a great idea to stop and ask ourselves: Why do I think this way? I'd love to know who told me to think this way! Do I decide to believe it? How can I change?

Specific Actions to Keep Your Energy High

We've already chatted about three pretty big ideas. The first is the empathy model, which helps us recognize and make the most of our good feelings. The second is the control point model, which encourages us to stand firm in our beliefs and not be easily swayed unless we've gone through a lot of reflection. And the third is the bad meme model, which helps us have the courage to recognize and challenge our own limiting beliefs. In a nutshell, there are just eight simple words: seek love and stabilize the core.

The book also has some great, easy-to-do things that can really help you feel more energized and change how you approach the little details of life.

The first step is to take a good, close look at yourself. This is where you can identify all those things that give you a boost and those that drain your energy. Once you know what they are, you can arrange your day in a way that makes the most of your energy, rather than just managing time.

The author says that time management experts will tell you to be efficient and to allocate your time carefully. However, one of his surgeon friends, although he's got a lot on his plate, makes sure to take care of himself and manage his energy. For instance, there are two ways to get from the office to the operating room. The direct route is through a narrow, empty corridor, which is often full of cardboard boxes and other idle objects. It's a bit of a challenge to navigate, but it's worth it! The other route is a bit longer but has a lovely carpeted corridor and a balcony overlooking the lobby. Through some thoughtful self-reflection, he realized that when he took the direct route to the office, he felt a little less energized. However, when he chose the longer, winding route, he felt happier, more invigorated, and in a higher mood. So, he decided to take the longer route.

The surgeon also makes sure to pay attention to how he feels after eating. What makes him feel so happy? What makes him feel a bit down? It's not about staying healthy, but about feeling good and having lots of energy! He makes sure to cut out the foods that make him feel tired and keep the foods that make him feel great! I think it's really helpful to look at the surgeon's approach as a reference.

It's also a good idea to be aware of habits that might be draining your energy. In looking into how executives tick, the author made an interesting discovery. It seems that even these seemingly very rational people have a habit of acting on autopilot, without much conscious thought. And there might even be some hidden actions that are draining your energy. For instance, some folks have a little mantra that goes, "Oh, it's so annoying!" or they let out a big, long sigh. These actions are so subtle that we don't even notice them, but they're actually draining your energy without you realizing it. It's so important for us to take care of ourselves and pay attention to our habits. If we notice that we're feeling a bit low on energy, it's a great idea to actively work on overcoming those habits.

All right, let's dive into the second part of this together! We'll chat about how leaders can manage the energy of others.

Let's start with a little story. Oh my, do you remember those spicy remarks made by a vice president of a major internet company back in May 2024? They caused quite a stir online! She said, "I'm not her mother-in-law, so I don't really know her family that well." "I have an employment relationship with my employees, and I'm not obliged to know about their families."

I was reading this book when this unfortunate incident occurred. I came across some sentences that seemed to shed some light on the incident. The book says that some leaders want their employees to leave their thoughts and emotions at the door when they come to work. They just want them to get on with the job in hand. They tend to focus on the surface-level stuff, like how an employee acts. They don't really care about what's going on inside the employee.

Three-Tier Leadership Model

The book then introduces an important leadership model, which is also the fourth model mentioned in this interpretation. It's called the three-layer leadership model, and it's a great one! This model even has a way of managing employee energy!

The author says there are three levels of leadership, which I think is really interesting! The first level of leadership is all about visible behavior. The second level is about conscious thoughts. And the third level is about the employee's unconscious, which always influences their thoughts and behaviors, values, beliefs, emotions, and other internal concepts and feelings. And it's the third level of leadership that can truly inspire team energy!

This level of classification is like putting on a pair of glasses that help you see things in a new way. It makes abstract leadership seem more layered and interesting! I'd love to know which levels of leadership are reflected in your company!

It's clear that this former senior executive of a major company is a leader who's still learning and growing. Leaders at this level are used to using methods such as giving orders, appraisals, and material rewards. They often don't realize that what's most important is understanding their employees' thoughts and feelings.

The book makes a great point—this approach isn't wrong! Its biggest plus is that it's straightforward, simple, and easy to measure. It's true! Up until the middle of the 20th century, behavior management was the most popular style of management in the world. It's so great to see first-level leadership in companies everywhere! Things like punching in and out, performance appraisals, and more are all part of it.

However, the author kindly reminds us that if we only lead at the first level, our employees might lose energy. It's so sad when employees feel suppressed in fixed role boxes and become disconnected from their work. It's so sad, but many people come to work with their minds and hearts somewhere else.

Leadership at the second level is all about caring for your employees. It goes one step further than leadership at the first level and starts to care about the thoughts of employees. At this level, leaders use logic, data, and reasoning to try to persuade employees. But wait a minute! Aren't the logic of our arguments and the assumptions we cite also constantly changing? Who can really say that what they say is 100% correct? And could it be that employees don't feel motivated to do things because they don't understand the reasoning behind them? I think the answer is that they understand the reasoning, but just don't want to do it.

So, the author suggests that the best leaders are the ones who have made the leap to the third level. These leaders pay attention to the inner beliefs and feelings of employees on the level of the soul. They resonate with the values of employees and create an emotional connection with them. These leaders are the ones who can best inspire the energy of employees!

Moreover, it's not just about climbing the leadership ladder. It's about understanding the big picture and making changes that align with the market and the company's values.

The first level of leadership is all about keeping things efficient, keeping costs down, and making a profit. It's a utilitarian approach that's all about taking.

But, since the middle of the 20th century, something pretty amazing has happened. We've entered the era of the experience economy! I truly believe that the best profits come from spiritual experiences, not just goods. The author makes a great point: you can measure how many tables a waiter has cleaned, but you can't measure his smile. And if you try, he'll fake it! On top of that, the global economy is becoming more and more uncertain. People are starting to question the idea of relying on yourself to get ahead at work.

Against this background, it's no surprise that employees' expectations of organizations and society's standards of "what exactly is a good organization" have begun to change. We want companies to be more than just a place to work. We want them to be a place where we can feel at home, and where we can let our emotions run free. It's not just a transactional relationship. It's also about forming an emotional connection, sharing values, and accepting the individual.

The book says that there's a voice inside us all that says, "As long as I'm professional enough, I'll know how to do it and not care about how I feel." Only children are so sweet! They act based on their feelings. But there's another voice that says, "In a company with such a relationship of interests, is it too idealistic to talk about emotions and feelings?" But if you really think about it, does your feeling affect your performance? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! I'm sure everyone will say yes! So, maybe thinking that a complex person can become a one-dimensional machine after entering a market relationship is a bit simplistic, don't you think?

Of course, don't worry! Practicing the third level of leadership doesn't mean completely abandoning the first level of leadership and efficiency-centeredness. I truly believe that functionality is the foundation of a business. It would be great if we could find a way to make emotion and efficiency work together to create the best possible situation for everyone! It's even possible for an organization to show that it can do more than just get the job done. In fact, it can create more economic value!

I'd love to share an example that really impressed me with you. One year, I was delighted to volunteer to help organize a company visit. My colleague and I got there a little early to get things ready. The lovely girl in charge of reception told us, "Oh, I'm so sorry! Let's change to another meeting room." "Oh, those windows in that room don't close properly." On the way there, we had a good laugh and said, "Our customers are like our pandas – they can't get sick!"

I instantly felt a great impression of this company. I'm sure she didn't mean to! It's one thing to make sure employees are trained to do the reception process meticulously, but it's another thing to control whether they'll considerately think about whether the customer will feel cold. The lovely thing about this process is that it's all about the emotional side of a company, beyond just efficiency.

Treat people as the wonderful individuals they are!

How can we best serve as leaders at the third level? This is a really big topic, and it's so important! The book is full of helpful tips and techniques! For instance, a leader can help employees connect their actions with the company's values by exploring what motivates them. It's also super important for leaders to have a strong moral foundation, because that's what helps them inspire others. There are four main practices for effective leaders. They might sound simple, but they're not easy to achieve! And the four main things we can all do to be more effective leaders are: tell the truth, keep promises, be fair, and respect individuals. This is the only way you can gain the recognition of your employees on a values level.

At the heart of it all is a simple question: do you see each person as an individual, or as a role? If you see each person as an individual, they'll naturally do the right thing.

For instance, you can often guess what someone's values are based on how they act. This means being curious about the person as a human being, just as you are. They, just like you, have their own inner passions and are influenced by the ideas that surround them. It's so important to understand the values of others. That's the only way you can influence them, resonate with them, and inspire them to follow.

Another great example is paying attention to how the other person is feeling. We all know that employees are not cold machines. If you can see his emotions and help him deal with them, you'll win his heart! He'll recognize your kindness and even be grateful to you. Hey there! Why not ask a question? Do you think you could recognize the emotions of your colleagues? After all, you work with them every day! Would you be willing to help them manage their emotions?

Another great example is that leaders should always keep their promises. It's always best to be honest with people. If you can't do something, don't promise you can. And don't pretend you have something you don't. If you're not sure you can do what you're asking others to do, it might be best to hold off on asking. Because this all affects how others see and trust you.

And, remember to respect everyone! Because we respect each other and believe in the value of each other, we should pay attention to the quality of listening. The author kindly suggested that I can ask myself these four questions to test whether I really respect my employees. For the lovely people we meet every day, do I know their names? When I'm with people I see every day, do I make eye contact and really listen to them? When someone is talking, do I listen carefully and attentively, or do I interrupt them?

So, the most important thing to remember when you're leading people is to treat them as the people they are. It's so important to remember that just because someone is involved in market transactions, it doesn't mean that they cease to be a member of society. We all belong to society, and that's something that never changes. It's so important to remember that human society will always need the care, respect, and affection that people have for each other. And the market operates right within our human society.

And that, my friends, concludes our little journey together through this book. At the heart of it all are four models. The first one is the empathy model, which gently reminds us not to focus on correcting our specific actions, but to find and use our inner good feelings. The second model, the control point model, gently reminds us that leaders should tend to live from the inside out. It's important to identify what needs to be changed before making any changes, so that we can support our leaders in making positive changes from within. The third model, the bad meme model, gently encourages us to recognize our memes, to have the courage to change the limiting beliefs deep in our hearts, and to not let our energy remain sealed under the discipline of our predecessors. The fourth model, the three-tier leadership model, shows us the emotional dimension and the richness of the personality of employees as independent individuals. It teaches us to view a person from more dimensions and to inspire a person from the dimensions of values and emotions. To do this, the leader must cultivate their own morality.