This is the fifth post in my series on the Engagement Pyramid, a framework I developed to help leaders see the different levels of engagement on their teams and understand what drives each one. If you missed any of those, start here with Neutrals.
Every leader has someone on their team who just gets it. The person you trust with the big pitch, the messy project, the client who’s one bad meeting away from leaving. They deliver every time, often while helping three other people hit their deadlines too. You probably already know who I’m talking about, but this person is still missing a couple critical elements that push them all the way to the top of the Engagement Pyramid.
Level 4: "What's next for me?"
If 3s are still discovering what they’re capable of, 4s have stopped wondering and started building. These are the organization’s next-in-line leaders. They’re highly skilled, dependable, and ambitious. They consistently deliver exceptional results while investing in their own growth. They’re basically the person who finishes the group project and then asks if there’s extra credit. With their eyes set on advancing their skills and careers, they thrive on meaningful challenges and opportunities. Their drive to ask, “What’s next for me?” makes them proactive, high-performing team members who are on the cusp of fully embracing the organization’s mission.
They’ve built credibility and want challenges that signal continued growth. High-visibility projects, leadership roles, and recognition satisfy their need for achievement and respect, and keep them climbing toward the top of the pyramid.
Competence
4s don’t just do their jobs, they crush them. They’re the ones you trust with big projects, high-stakes clients, and that last-minute deck that somehow still turns out excellent. Their work is timely, polished, and exceeds expectations. They handle complexity like it’s a group chat and challenges like it’s their morning coffee. They haven’t even hit their ceiling yet, still leveling up with every new assignment.
These are your A-Players. The ones teammates go to when things get messy and leaders go to when things really matter. 4s can lead an entire department, run a cross-functional project, or take over a team and nail it. They’ll help everyone around them succeed and grow their skills in the process. They often step into a captain-like role, leading meetings, guiding discussions, and quietly setting the bar for everyone else without needing a fancy title or corner office. They’re constantly upskilling, attending workshops, asking better questions, and pushing toward mastery. They’re the team’s Swiss Army knife. Sharp, reliable, and weirdly good at many things. You half expect them to casually mention they’re also a licensed pilot.
The thing about 4s, though, is they don’t always realize how good they are. They see themselves as solid contributors, maybe even strong performers, but they often underestimate just how much value they bring. Psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger famously found that while low performers tend to wildly overestimate their abilities, high performers consistently do the opposite, underestimating how their skills compare to their peers. It’s the reverse Dunning-Kruger effect: the better you are, the more you assume everyone else is just as good. That gap between how they see themselves and how valuable they actually are is one of the biggest challenges with 4s.
Contribution
When it comes to Contribution, 4s are fully capable leaders. They align their work with the organization’s goals, support their teammates, and elevate the people around them. They live the values, champion the culture, and take initiative without being asked. By every external measure, they’re already your top leaders.
But internally, their focus still tilts toward personal growth. They care about the mission, but they haven’t fully become the mission yet. Deep down, they’re also thinking about how each project lines up with their next promotion, their next opportunity, their next step. Right now, it’s a partnership of mutual benefit. “When I help the company win, the company helps me win.” It’s a great relationship, it’s just not a marriage yet. That’s not a flaw. It’s just the difference between a 4 and a 5.
4s jump in without being asked, live the values out loud, and hold the bar high for themselves and for the whole team. Their actions quietly shape the work environment for the better. They’re doing everything right. They just haven’t made the full shift from “me” to “we” yet. They’ll move mountains for you, but you see it added to their CV the next day.
Why This Matters
4s are essential to any high-performing team. Their competence, drive, and ambition make them invaluable, and their leadership potential is hard to miss, even if it’s not stamped on their email signature yet. They’re already making a big impact, and they’re poised to become the kind of leaders who elevate everyone around them.
The numbers reflect their value. 4s are only 10 to 20% likely to leave within 12 to 18 months, often because a competitor comes calling with a bigger opportunity. And their contribution to the organization is significant. A 4 generates around 20% of their salary in positive ROI through retained knowledge, proactive leadership, and cross-team impact. Lose a 4, and you’re not just losing output. You’re losing the person who kept three other projects from falling apart.
The tension with 4s is real. They want growth, visibility, and a path forward. If they don’t see it, they’ll find it somewhere else. And their two biggest blind spots make them vulnerable. They underestimate their own value, which means they don’t always advocate for themselves. And they still tie the organization’s success to their own, which means their commitment has conditions. Give them a runway, and watch them rise. Ignore them, and they’ll quietly update their LinkedIn.
Up Next
In the next post, we’ll move up the last and final step of the Engagement Pyramid, Level 5. The “How can I help?” zone where the organization’s success becomes personal because there is no difference between their values and goals and the company’s values and goals.
