The 9 Levels of Leadership Through ValCoRE™

Decoding the Evolution of Leadership Through ValCoRE™

Leadership is a reflection of values. The way a leader thinks, acts, and influences others is deeply connected to the values that drive them. ValCoRE™ shows us that leadership evolves through nine distinct levels. Each level represents a different way of solving problems, creating meaning, and guiding others.

Every level has strengths and shadows. The goal is not to judge, but to understand where you are leading from, where you are growing, and what you might be resisting.

Level 1: Survival Leadership

This level is about immediate safety and protection. Leaders here are focused on short-term stability and doing whatever it takes to survive the moment. They can act decisively in a crisis and keep their team grounded when resources are scarce. The challenge is that they often struggle to plan for the long term and may operate from fear rather than vision.

Learn more about how survival instincts shape leadership during times of uncertainty.

Level 2: Tribal Leadership

At this stage, leadership is about belonging, loyalty, and identity. Tribal leaders create a strong sense of “us” by building rituals, traditions, and shared culture. They excel at fostering community and loyalty, but this same strength can limit innovation if outsiders or new ideas feel threatening.

Explore how tribal loyalty can both strengthen and hold back modern teams.

Level 3: Power Leadership

Power-driven leaders lead with force, energy, and willpower. They inspire action, take bold risks, and create momentum when others hesitate. Their gift is decisiveness, but their shadow is authoritarianism. Without balance, they can become ego-driven and create environments of conflict.

Discover when power creates momentum and when it begins to erode trust.

Level 4: Order Leadership

Order-based leaders value rules, structure, and morality. They focus on creating systems, policies, and fairness. They are often the stabilizers in organizations, ensuring accountability and ethical standards. Yet their strength can also become a weakness if they become rigid, bureaucratic, or intolerant of disruption.

See how order leadership provides stability but can clash with innovation.

Level 5: Achievement Leadership

This level is defined by results, performance, and progress. Achievement leaders thrive on growth, innovation, and competition. They are strategic, ambitious, and forward-looking. However, the drive for success can come at the cost of wellbeing, culture, or balance. Burnout and “winning at all costs” are common pitfalls.

Learn how achievement leaders drive progress and the hidden risks of their ambition.

Level 6: Humanitarian Leadership

Here, leadership is about equality, inclusion, and collaboration. Humanitarian leaders listen deeply, foster belonging, and create cultures of empathy. Their strength lies in building trust and shared responsibility. Yet they can struggle with tough decisions, avoiding conflict or prioritizing harmony over outcomes.

Find out how humanitarian leadership can create belonging while navigating its own blind spots.

Level 7: Systems Leadership

Systems leaders see the bigger picture. They integrate complexity, balance competing priorities, and design for sustainability. They are skilled at connecting vision with detail and creating strategies that endure. But the risk is detachment — systems thinkers can become overly intellectual or stuck in complexity, losing touch with human needs.

Explore how systems leadership thrives in complexity but risks becoming disconnected.

Level 8: Holistic Leadership

Holistic leaders operate from a global perspective. They recognize interconnectedness, ecological responsibility, and long-term sustainability. They lead for the good of the whole, not just the part. While this vision is powerful, it can also become abstract or impractical if immediate needs are ignored.

See how holistic leadership balances planetary vision with practical action.

Level 9: Evolutionary Leadership

This level is about transforming systems themselves. Evolutionary leaders integrate all previous levels and pioneer new ways of living, working, and leading. They hold paradox, lead through emergence, and design for the unknown future. The challenge is that their ideas can feel too abstract or “ahead of their time,” making it difficult for others to follow.

Discover how evolutionary leaders shape the future and the challenges they face bringing others with them.

ValCoRE™ Insight

Most leaders do not live in only one level. They move between several, with one Dominant, one Emerging, and one Resistant. The power of ValCoRE™ is that it makes this visible. When leaders understand their own values and the values of their teams, they can reduce resistance, unlock progress, and lead with greater impact.

Ready to uncover your leadership level? [Take the ValCoRE™ Test]