Are leaders born or made? I would submit to you that great leaders can be made by following certain rules or laws. In John Maxwell’s “21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” he lays out the foundation upon which you can become a great leader.
This book has been required reading at all of my companies.
Here is a list of the laws below.
One: The Law of the Lid
Leadership ability determines a person’s level of effectiveness
Two: The Law of Influence
The true measure of leadership is influence-nothing more, nothing less
Three: The Law of Process
Leadership develops daily, not in a day
Four: The Law of Navigation
Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course
Five: The Law of Addition
Leaders add value by serving others
Six: The Law of Solid Ground
Trust is the foundation of leadership
Seven: The Law of Respect
People naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves
Eight: The Law of Magnetism
Who you are is who you attract
Nine: The Law of Intuition
Leaders evaluate everything with a leadership bias
Ten: The Law of Empowerment
Only secure leaders give power to others
Eleven: The Law of Connection
Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand
Twelve: The Law of the Inner Circle
A leader’s potential is determined by those closest to him
Thirteen: The Law of the Picture
People do what people see
Fourteen: The Law of Buy-In
People buy into the leader, then the vision
Fifteen: The Law of the Big Mo
Momentum is a leader’s best friend
Sixteen: The Law of Victory
Leaders find a way for the team to win
Seventeen: The Law of Priorities
Leaders understand that activity is not necessarily accomplishment
Eighteen: The Law of Sacrifice
A leader must give up to go up
Nineteen: The Law of Timing
When to lead is as important as what do and where to go
Twenty: The Law of Explosive Growth
To add growth, lead followers. To multiply, lead leaders
Twenty-one: The Law of Legacy
A leader’s lasting value is measured by succession
The laws taught in this book, if applied, will shape you into a better leader regardless of your position, experience, or location. You can get a copy of “21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell on Amazon here.
