John C Maxwell
the 21 iffefutable laws of leadership
And now, America's expert on leadership, John C Maxwell,
with "the 21 irrefutable laws of leadership".
The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership, follow them, and people will follow you.
I have the privilege of teaching leadership across the country and around the globe,
and I often get the opportunity to talk with people who attending one of my conferences
for a 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th time. At a recent conference here in the United States,
a man in his late 50,
assumed I had met him several years before,
came up and spoke to me during the break. He grab my hand and shook it vigorously,
he said: "learning leadership has changed my life, but I wish I had
heard you 20 years ago."
"No, you don't" I answered with a chuckle.
"What do you mean?" he said. "I would have achieved so much more, if I had known these leadership
principles 20 years ago, I would be in a totally different place in life. Your leadership laws have
fused my vision; they've given me the desire to learn more about leadership and accomplish my goal.
If I had learned these 20 years ago, I could have done some of the things
that I had never even dreamed possible."
"Maybe you would have," I answered. "But 20 years ago, I wouldn't have been able to teach them to
you, it has taken me an entire life time to learn and apply the laws of leadership to my life."
As I talk to you, I'm 51 years old. I've spent more than 30 years in professional leadership
position.
I've founded 4 companies. And I focus my time and energy on doing what makes a positive impact in
the lives of people.
As I travel and speak to organizations and individuals, people frequently ask me to define the
essentials of leadership. They ask: "If you would take everything you've learned about leadership
over the years, and boil it down into a short list, what would it be?"
This book on cassette is my answer to that often asked question. It has taken me a life-time to
learn these 21 irrefutable laws of leadership. My desire is to communicate them to you as simple,
and clearly as possible.
And it sure won't hurt; it would have some fun along the way. One of the most important truths
I've learned over the years is this: leadership is leadership, no matter where you go or what you
do. Time has changed, technology marches forward. Cultures vary from place to place, but the true
principles of leadership are constant. They are irrefutable and stand the test of time.
As you listen to the following laws, I'd like you to keep in mind 4 ideas:
First, the laws can be learned. Some are easier to understand than apply the others, but every
one of them can be acquired.
Second, the laws can stand alone. Each law compliments all the others, but you don't need one in
order to learn another.
Third, the laws carry consequences with them. Apply the laws and people will follow you.
Violate or ignore them, and you will not be able to lead others.
Fourth, these laws are the foundation of leadership. Once you learn the principles, you have
to practice them and apply them to your life. Whether you are a follower, who is just beginning
to discover the impact of leadership, or a natural leader who already has followers, you can
become a better leader.
Some laws you may already practice effectively, other laws will expose weaknesses you didn't know
you had. But the greater the number of laws you learned, the better leader you will become.
Each law is like a tool, ready to be picked up and used to help you achieve your dreams and add
value to other people's life. Pick up even one, and you will become a better leader. Learn them
all, and people will gladly follow you. Now let's open the tool box together.
1. Leadership law No. 1, the law of the lid. Leadership ability determines a person's level
of effectiveness.
I often open my leadership conferences by explaining the law of the lid, because
it helps people understand the value of leadership. If you can get a handle on this
law, you will see the incredible impact of leadership on every aspect of life.
So here it is, leadership ability is the lid that determines a person's level of
effectiveness. The lower individual's ability to lead, the lower the lid on his
potential. The higher the leadership, the greater the effectiveness. To give you
an example, if your leadership rates an eight, then your effectiveness can never
be greater than a seven. If your leadership is only a four, then your effectiveness
will be no higher than a three. Your leadership ability, for better or for worse,
always determines your effectiveness and potential impact of your organization.
Let me tell you a story that illustrates the law of the lid. In 1930, two young
brothers name Dick and M. Rays, move from New Hampshire to California, in search
of the American dream. They had just gotten out of high school, and they saw few
opportunities back home. They headed straight forward for Hollywood, where they
eventually found jobs in a movie studio. After a while, they opened a theatre in
Glendale, a town of about 5 miles northeast of Hollywood. But despite all their
efforts, they just couldn't make the business profitable. The brothers' desire
for success was strong, so they kept looking for better business opportunities.
In 1937, they finally strike on something that worked. They opened a small
drive-in restaurant in Pasadena, located just east in Glendale. People in Southern
California had become very dependent on their cars. And culture was changing to
accommodate that, including its businesses. Dick and M. Rays' tiny drive-in
restaurant was a great success. And in 1940, they decided to move their operation
to San Bernardino, a working class boom town, fifty miles east of Los Angeles,
they built a large facility, and expanded their menu from hotdogs, fries, and shakes,
to include barbeque beef and pork sandwiches, hamburgers and other items. Their
business exploded. Annual sells reached 200,000. And the brothers found themselves
splitting 50,000 in profits every year, a song that put them in the town's financial elite.
In 1948, their intuition told them that times were changing, and they made modifications
in their restaurant business. They streamlined everything, they reduced their menu and
focused on selling hamburgers, they reduced their cost in the prices they charge
customers, and they also created what they called the speedy service system. Their
kitchen became like an assembling line, where each person focused on service
with speed. Their goal was to fill every customer's order in 30 seconds or less.
And they succeeded. By the mid 1950's, annual revenue hit 350,000, and by the end,
Dick and M. Rays spilt their profits of about 100,000 dollars each year.
Who were these brothers? Their names were Dick and M. Rays McDonald. That's right,
the founders of McDonald's hamburgers. They had hit the American Jackpot. And the rest
they say, is history, right? Wrong! The McDonald brothers never went any farther,
because their weak leadership put a lid on their ability to succeed. It's true the
McDonald brothers were financially secure, they had one of the most profitable restaurant
enterprises in the country. Their genius was in customer service and kitchen organization.
That talent led to a creation of a new system of food and beverage service. In fact,
they were so widely known in food-service circles that people started writing them,
and visiting from all over the country, to learn more about their methods. At one point,
they received as many as 300 calls and letters every month. That led them to an idea of
marketing: the McDonald's concept. It looked like a way to make money without having to
open another restaurant themselves. In 1952 they got started, but their effort was a
dismal failure. The reason was simple: they lacked the leadership necessary to make it
effective. Dick and M. Rays were good restaurant owners, they understood how to run a business,
make their systems efficient, cut cost, and increase profits. They were efficient managers,
but they were not leaders.
2. The Law of Influence -- The true Measure of Leadership is Influence. Nothing More,
and Nothing Less
The true measure of leadership is influence. He the things he leads but has no one
following, is only taking a walk.
If you can't influence others, they won't follow you.
And if they don't follow you, you are not a leader. That's the law of influence.
No matter what anybody else tells you, remember that,
leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less.
3. The Law of Process -- Leadership Develops Daily, Not in a Day
Champions don't become champions in the ring, they are merely recognized there.
4. The Law of Navigation -- Anyone Can Steer the Ship, but it Takes a Leader to Chart the Course
5. The Law of E.F.Hutton -- When the Real Leader Speaks, People Listen
6. The Law of Solid Ground -- Trust is the Foundation of Leadership
7. The Law of Respect -- People Naturally Follow Leaders Stronger than Themselves
8. The Law of Intuition -- Leaders Evaluate Everything Through a Leadership Bias
9. The Law of Magnetism -- Who you Are is Who You Attract
10. The Law of Connection -- Leaders Touch a Heart Before Ask for a Hand
11. The Law of the Inner Circle -- A Leader's Potential is Determined by Those Closest to Him
12. The Law of Empowerment -- Only Secure Leaders Give Power to Others
13. The Law of Reproduction -- It Takes a Leader to Raise Up a Leader
14. The Law of Buy-in -- People Buy Into the Leader, Then the Vision
15. The Law of Victory -- Leaders Find a Way for the Team to Succeed
16. The Law of the Big Mo -- Momentum is a Leader's Best Friend
17. The Law of Priorities -- Leaders Understand that Activity is Not Necessarily Accomplishment
18. The Law of Sacrifice -- A Leader Must Give Up to Go Up
19. The Law of Timing -- When to Lead is as Important as What to Do and Where to Go
20. The Law of Explosive Growth -- To Add Growth, Lead Followers to Multiply, Lead Leaders
21. The Law of Legacy -- A Leader's Lasting Value is Measure by Succession