John C Maxwell’s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is one of the most popular books on leadership.
Through the years, it has become an essential for leaders as part of their library.
This section will delve deeper into book’s content and teachings.
What is ‘The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership’ About?
Understanding the Laws of Leadership is just like understanding nature’s laws. They exist whether you like it or not. They will apply to you no matter whether you are aware of its existence. But most importantly, these laws can be learnt.
Law #1: The Law of the Lid
Your potential as a person will be tied to your potential to lead. The better your leadership ability, the more likely you will fulfil your potential in your life.
Law #2: The Law of Influence
Leadership is influence. If you can influence people to participate, you are a leader. If you have no followers, you are not a leader because you’re leading no one!
Law #3: The Law of Process
Everything worthwhile takes time and persistence to build. If you want to become an outstanding leader, it takes a lifetime of dedication.
Law #4: The Law of Navigation
You need to plan and chart the course for your organization. Planning and charting speaks of strategizing and prioritizing for your organization.
Law #5: The Law of E.F Hutton
The mark of a true leader is when he speaks, people listen. You can often observe the leader in the group by which the ones the rest in the group listen to.
Law #6: The Law of Solid Ground
Leadership is built upon trust. Trust is built by competence, character and connection.
Law #7: The Law of Respect
People will follow someone they respect. They will follow people stronger than them. If you’re a 10, you will lead 8s or 9s. If you’re a 6, you will lead 4s and 5s.
Law #8: The Law of Intuition
Great leaders have an intuition toward leadership and it separates them from a good leader. However, this can be developed with time.
Law #9: The Law of Magnetism
We tend to attract people that are like us. Birds of a feather flock together. Associate yourself with champions.
Law #10: The Law of Connection
True leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand. Build authentic connections with your followers and they will follow you.
Law #11: The Law of the Inner Circle
Surround yourself with people that will build you up. You are the sum product of the people closest to you.
Law #12: The Law of Empowerment
Insecure leaders keep power to themselves. Secure leaders give power to others and enhance others as a result.
Law #13: The Law of Reproduction
Average leaders produce followers. Great leaders produce leaders. Create an environment where leaders would like to be part of.
Law #14: The Law of Buy-in
People need to believe in both the leader and the vision. When one is lacking, the leader finds that people are not willing to follow.
Law #15: The Law of Victory
Leaders lead their team to victory through unity of vision, diversity of skillsets and raising people to their potential.
Law #16: The Law of the Big Mo
Use momentum to your advantage. Get the small victories first and build on them.
Law #17: The Law of Priorities
Put first things first. There is a difference between activity and accomplishment, efficiency and effectiveness.
Law #18: The Law of Sacrifice
The higher up you go, the greater the cost. You have to give up a lot of the things you used to love in order to progress further.
Law #19: The Law of Timing
Knowing what to do is not enough. Knowing when to do and what to do is the key to success.
Law #20: The Law of Explosive Growth
Explosive Growth in your organization comes from your ability to raise leaders.
Law #21: The Law of Legacy
Your value as a leader is determined by your ability to leave the organization and have to continue on successfully. Develop your successor so that he can take over your role.
Should You Read This Book?
Since this is one of the foremost books on leadership and most top managers and leaders have read this book or attended a course on it, it’s good to read the same literature as them. In the least, it is a common topic or bridge that can be used in communication.
However, understanding the laws of leadership are like understanding the laws of gravity. Just because you are aware of the laws of gravity does not mean you can fly. Neither does it mean you can apply the laws of gravity in your life. Rather, you apply your life around the laws of gravity. i.e you take the stairs instead of jumping down the building. You have to learn to apply your leadership around its laws.
This is NOT a book to teach you to be a better leader, but rather a book that simply states what makes a good or outstanding leader. Reading it will give you some head knowledge, but you have to find an avenue where you can actually start developing practices and habits to become a better leader.
We highly recommend this book. Get it here on Amazon.