Tuesday, October 30, 2012

THE 21 IRREFUTABLE LAWS OF LEADERSHIP

Leadership guru John Maxwell offers twenty-one “laws”distilled from his experience as an “Expert Leader”.

1. The Law of the Lid.

Your leadership is like a lid or a ceiling on your organization. Your business will not rise beyond the level your leadership allows it to grow. That’s why when a corporation or team needs to be fixed, they fire the leader first.

2. The Law of Influence.

Leadership is about influencing people, nothing more, and nothing less. The true test of a leader is to ask him or her to create positive change in an organization. If you cannot create change, you cannot lead. Being a leader is not about being first, being an entrepreneur, being the most knowledgeable, or even being a great manager. It’s not the position that makes a leader, but the leader who makes a position. The very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate (or buy-in). “He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk.”

3. The Law of Process.

Leadership is learned over time. People skills, emotional strength, vision, momentum, and timing are all areas that can and should be learned. Leaders continually learn and grow to become improve their role as a great leader.

4. The Law of Navigation.

Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course. Vision is defined as the ability to see the whole trip before leaving the dock. A leader sees more, sees farther, and sees before others. Preparation is the key to good navigation. “It’s not the size of the project, it’s the size of the leader that counts.”

5. The Law of E.F. Hutton.

Hutton was America’s most influential stock market analyst, so when he spoke everyone listened. When real leaders speak, people automatically listen. Factors involved in being accepted as a new real leader include character, building key relationships, information, intuition, experience, past success, and ability. According to Margaret Thatcher, “being in power is like being a lady –if you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”

6. The Law of Solid Ground.

Trust is the foundation for all effective leadership roles. When it comes to leadership, there are no shortcuts. Building trust requires competence, connection and real character.

7. The Law of Respect.

People naturally follow people stronger than themselves. Even natural leaders tend to fall in behind those who they sense have a higher“leadership quotient” than themselves.

8. The Law of Intuition.

Leaders evaluate everything with a leadership bias. Leaders see trends, resources and problems, and can read people.

9. The Law of Magnetism.

Leaders attract people like themselves. Who you are, is who you attract and surround yourself with. So “staff” your acknowledged weaknesses with the best available talent, and never sacrifice your standards for talent excellence. If you only attract followers, your organization will be weak. Work to attract leaders rather than followers if you want to build a truly strong organization.

10. The Law of Connection.

You must touch the heart before you ask people to follow. Communicate on the level of emotion first to make a personal connection.

11. The Law of the Inner Circle.

A leader’s potential is determined by those closest to him.“The leader finds greatness in the group, and helps the members find it in themselves.”

12. The Law of Empowerment.

Only secure leaders give power to others. Mark Twain said,“Great things can happen when you don’t care who gets the credit.” … “Great leaders gain authority by giving it away.”

13. The Law of Reproduction.

It takes a leader to grow another leader- followers can’t do it. The potential of an organization depends on the growth of its leadership. “It takes one to know one, to show one, to grow one.”

14. The Law of Buy-In.

People buy-in to the leader first, then the Vision. If they don’t like the leader but like the Vision, they get a new leader. If they don’t like the leader or the Vision, they get a new leader. If they don’t like the Vision but like the leader, they get a new Vision.

15. The Law of Victory.

Leaders find a way for the team to win. Unity of vision, diversity of skills, plus a leader, are all needed to win. “You can’t win WITHOUT good athletes, but you CAN lose with them.”

16. The Law of Momentum.

You can’t steer a ship that isn’t moving forward. It takes a leader to create forward motion.

17. The Law of Priorities.

Activity is not accomplishment; so learn the difference. “A leader is the one who climbs the tallest tree, surveys the entire situation, and yells “Wrong Jungle!” A leader has learned and executes the three R’s: a) what’s Required; b) what gives the greatest Return; and, c) what brings the greatest Reward.

18. The Law of Sacrifice.

A leader must give up to go up. Successful leaders maintain an attitude of sacrifice to turn around an organization. As he worked to turn around the Chrysler Corporation, Lee Iacocca slashed his own salary to $1 per year. ”When you become a leader, you lose the right to think about yourself.”

19. The Law of Timing.

When to lead, is as important as what to do and where to go. Only the right action at the right time brings success.

20. The Law of Explosive Growth.

To add growth, learn to lead followers. To multiply growth, lead leaders. “It is the job of a leader to build the people who are going to build the company.”

21. The Law of Legacy.

A leader’s lasting value is measured by succession.“Leadership is the one thing you can’t delegate. You either exercise it – or abdicate it.”

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