John Maxwell has become an invaluable source of leadership ideas in recent years and is a great author for coaches to tap for both leadership & teamwork ideas. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is a book that I not only recommend but a book that should be read more than once. I not only read the book more than once, I even got the book on CDs to listen to it while I drive.
I am going to give a quick overview of this book. I’ll breeze through the laws & hopefully whet your appetite for the book. Here are my favorite Laws:
- The Law of the Lid – Leadership is the lid that determines the level of effectiveness.
- The Law of Process – Leadership develops daily not in a day.
- The Law of Respect – People follow leaders stronger than themselves.
- The Law of Solid Ground – Trust is the foundation of leadership.
- The Law of Magnetism – Who you are is who you attract.
- The Law of Connection – Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand.
- The Law of The Inner Circle – A leader’s potential is determined by those closest to him.
- The Law of Victory – Leaders find a way for their team to win.
- The Law of Empowerment – Only a secure leader is willing to give power to others.
Obviously this is a very brief look at some of Maxwell’s Laws – he goes into great detail and uses stories to illustrate each law. Maxwell’s books are easy to read and do not overwhelm you with a lot of psycho – babble or touchy feely nonsense. Maxwell gets to the point in a manner most coaches would appreciate.
My personal feeling about leadership is: a Leader gives his followers (or team) hope when all seems lost. Like William Wallace (Braveheart) said “People follow courage not titles.â€
This book will be a valuable addition to your library & a book you’ll refer to time and time again.
Tony DeMeo