Strategic Leadership for Physicians: Navigating the Five Levels Toward Healthcare Excellence

Physician leadership in modern healthcare requires more than clinical expertise or hierarchical authority—it demands emotional intelligence, strategic vision, and the ability to drive systemic change. This paper adapts John C. Maxwell’s “Five Levels of Leadership” to the medical context, offering a structured framework for physicians to progress from positional authority to transformational legacy. Each level is illustrated with evidence-based examples and recent literature, emphasizing relationship-centered leadership, performance-based influence, and mentorship through professional and digital identity. The article integrates original contributions by Al Reesi on pre-Ramadan diabetes education and physician branding, demonstrating applied leadership in clinical and academic settings. Positioned within the broader context of interdisciplinary collaboration and digital transformation, the model advocates for a leadership approach that is ethical, results-driven, and legacy-oriented. Building leadership capacity is not optional—it is a strategic necessity for sustainable, future-ready healthcare systems.