The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership - Book Review [HD BizBlog- The Blog: Productivity in Context]
I have to admit that I am a big fan of the writings of John C. Maxwell, so when the 10th Anniversary Edition of his book “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” came in the mail for a review, I was thrilled.
There is so much information in this book that I really cannot do it justice with just one post. I may address some of the Laws in future posts, as I have done with another of Maxwells’s books: “The 360 Degree Leader”. The anniversary edition has been updated to include some new examples of the laws in action (or what happens when they are broken!) and a new foreword by Stephen R. Covey.
Some will look at this book and think, “How boring.” Nothing could be further from the truth. This book is inspirational and motivating, in turns funny and sad. The examples are relevant and Maxwell is very careful to point out exactly what the person in question did right, or wrong.
Lessons can be learned
The first thing that you need to understand when reading this book is that each of these laws can be learned. Even if you are not the best qualified to carry it out, knowing that these principles are the foundation of leadership and that violating them carries consequences will make you a better leader.
One of my favorite quotes in the book is from The Law of Victory (p.183):
Leadership is responsible.
Losing is unacceptable.
Passion is unquenchable.
Creativity is essential.
Quitting is unthinkable.
Commitment is unquestionable.
Victory is inevitable.
Despite the motivational nature of that list, the idea of learning and applying all 21 Laws can be hard to grasp, a daunting mental exercise. That is precisely why Law number 11 struck me as being one of the most important:
The Law of the Inner Circle
“A leader’s potential is determined by those closest to them.” No leader can do it all, not on their own. What makes a successful leader are the qualities and strengths of those in the leader’s Inner Circle. There is a simple reason why you (and I) need a team to become a successful leader. When you give careful consideration to the growth of those around you, they become capable of greater things, allowing you to reach your own potential.
Maxwell suggests five questions that you should ask yourself about the people that you associate or work with to achieve your goals:
- Do they have high influence with others?
- Do they bring a complementary gift to the table?
- Do they hold a strategic position in the organization?
- Do they add value to me and to the organization?
- Do they positively impact other Inner Circle members?
The law of the Inner Circle requires that you identify, cultivate and recruit individuals for your leadership team that display maturity, excellence, and good character. It is this team that will be able to implement your plans for your organization. Their strengths in areas where you are weak will allow you to increase your impact far beyond what you could ever accomplish on your own. Further, you will develop your team by helping them to grow in those areas where they could use improvement.
As Mother Teresa said, “You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things.”
Applying the laws to your own life
At the end of each chapter on the individual laws is a short section on application. The greatest truth in the world is useless if you can not see how it should be applied. Each section has a short list of questions dealing with the topic of the chapter. These questions for review are quite specific in their intent to aid you in determining your own strengths and weakness. They can also be deep and soul-searching at times. For an example of one of these questions, with a specific goal of how to apply one of the laws, let’s look at the first one from the Law of the Inner Circle:
“List the names of your inner circle members. Next to that name write what that person contributes. If they do not have a clear role or function, then write what you believe they have the potential to contribute. Look for holes and duplications. Then begin looking for people to fill the holes and consider how you might eliminate redundancies. And be prepared to challenge current members with potential to rise to your expectations.”
Everything depends on leadership
This book is a how-to guide for developing yourself and your team into the very best leaders that all of you can be. Maxwell provides inspirational anecdotes about leaders who conquered amazing odds alongside cautionary tales of those who defied these timeless truths and the consequnces that they faced. “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” should become a resource that you turn to again and again for your own growth as a leader.
I give this book 5 stars and a heartfelt recommendation to each of you.
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Original post here: Stephen
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