The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership John C. Maxwell Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN (1998) Leadership can be learned, but the road to becoming a true leader is based on character, sacrifice, and disciplined effort over a lifetime. Book Review © Dr. Terry J. van der Werff, CMC

John Maxwell is nothing if not prolific.  Ordained minister.  Professional speaker.  Author of two dozen books.  Founder of four companies.  Expert on leadership.  Leader of leaders, and developer of leaders.

He begins by stating, "I have the privilege of teaching leadership across the country and around the globe."  Well, I have the same privilege, and I must say that reading his words are like sitting at the feet of a master.

At the core of Maxwell's thinking is his belief that leadership principles are constant - around the globe, through the millennia, and across occupations.  He draws examples freely from all three spectra.  He reminds the reader these 21 laws:

 

	can be learned
	can stand alone
	carry consequences with them
	are the foundation of leadership

I like Peter Drucker's distinction between managers - those who do things right - and leaders - those who do the right things.  Maxwell is clearly writing about the latter.

What are these 21 irrefutable laws of leadership?  Here is a sampling:

2.  The Law of Influence - The true measure of leadership is influence: nothing more, nothing less.  Princess Diana and Mother Teresa, one a royal, the other a nun, died a few days apart in 1997.  Each influenced a enormous segment of humanity for good - caring for the outcasts of society, supporting AIDS research, and banning land mines.  Positional authority may help, but influence is everything.  Hard work and character are the keys.

3.  The Law of Process - Leadership develops daily, not in a day.  Leadership is not a one day thing; it's an every day thing.  It's the disciplined, consistent effort to improve a little bit each day that reaps great harvests over a lifetime.

6.  The Law of Solid Ground - Trust is the foundation of leadership.  Leaders cannot take shortcuts.  Mistakes based on ability can be forgiven, but lapses in character are lethal, for it is character that makes trust possible.  And no one will follow someone they do not trust.

8.  The Law of Intuition - Leaders evaluate everything with a leadership bias.  Leaders read a situation like a great quarterback reads a defense.  The key is intuition - a balance of fact, logic, and instinct.  Yes, leadership is more art than science.  Though the principles are constant, their application is unique to each leader and to each situation.

10.  The Law of Connection - Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand.  Even in groups, connections are made and relationships built one individual at a time.  To move people to action, a leader must first move them with emotion.

11.  The Law of the Inner Circle - It takes a leader to raise up a leader.  You cannot do it all by yourself!  No leader has that much power.  The ultimate potential of any leader is largely determined by those closest to him or her, which puts a huge premium on the ability of the leader to develop those colleagues into dynamic leaders themselves.

18.  The Law of Sacrifice - A leader must give up to go up.  A popular misconception is that it is all "peaches and cream" at the top.  Yet, no one has ever ascended to a leadership role without paying a price, not just once, but many times.  Just as leadership is an every day thing, so too sacrifice is an ongoing element in leadership.  "Effective leaders sacrifice much that is good in order to dedicate themselves to what is best."

For the great leaders, this daily dedication and sacrifice dignifies them and enriches us, as Churchill once so wisely remarked: "There comes a special moment in everyone's life, a moment for which that person was born.  That special opportunity, when he seizes it, will fulfill his mission - a mission for which he is uniquely qualified.  In that moment, he finds greatness.  It is his finest hour."

In the final paragraph of the 21st Law, Maxwell soberly notes, "When all is said and done, your ability as a leader will not be judged by what you achieved personally or even by what your team accomplished during your tenure.  You will be judged by how well your people and your organization did after you were gone."

No one becomes a leader by reading a book.  But both emerging and seasoned leaders can profitably read to supplement their experiences, sharpen their skills, gain perspective, and identify areas for further development.  Maxwell's book is a good place to begin.

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