The "Law of Priorities" gives an understanding that leadership will always require an ability to effectively prioritize regardless of how efficiently an organization is being run. Therefore, activity is not an indicator of forward progress unless it is critical to accomplishing future goals. The Pareto Principle states that a focus on the top 20 percent in terms of importance will produce an 80 percent return on effort. For example if your to-do list has ten items on it, the top two will give you 80 percent of the benefit for the entire list. In order to prioritize, we should use Maxwell's three R's: What is Required? What gives the greatest Return? What brings the greatest Reward?
The next law explains a harsh inescapable reality of leadership. Leaders must have an attitude of sacrifice and be willing to do whatever it takes to reach the next level. Maxwell uses Lee Iacocca and his dedication to saving Chrysler starting in the late 1970s as an example of the "Law of Sacrifice." In order to incorporate the changes that needed to take place, Iacocca gave all his time working around the clock neglecting his usual mandatory time with family. He also worked for a salary of one dollar. However, his sacrifices were seen by the entire company and created a culture that allowed Chrysler to work its way back to elite status. All leaders need to accept that the higher the level of leadership, the greater the sacrifices.
The most effective leaders recognize that when to lead is as important as what to do and where to go. Timing is everything and this concept leads into the "Law of Timing." With every single move made by a leader, the result will always fall into one of four categories outlined below.
- The Wrong Action at the Wrong Time Leads to Disaster
- The Right Action at the Wrong Time Brings Resistance
- The Wrong Action at the Right Time Is a Mistake
- The Right Action at the Right Time Results in Success
Simply stated, the right choice at the right time will lead to incredible results, but if either is wrong the result will always be negative.
Maxwell next goes into what he explains as leader's math. It simply means that although leading followers will bring growth, leading leaders will expand the boundaries of growth. The "Law of Explosive Growth" shows that leaders who develop other leaders multiply their growth since each acquired leader will also bring their followers. Basically, an organization will experience a multiplication effect that goes far beyond adding resources, reducing costs, increasing margins or anything else just by working to develop leaders.
The final law in this powerful book is the "Law of Legacy" which states a leader's lasting value is measured by succession. The best leaders have an ability to think ahead and value what is best for a company. Through creating a leadership culture, an organization is enabled to be successful regardless of his or her presence. Great leaders will have incorporated ideals and values that will carry on long after they are gone. A legacy will be created that puts the organization into the position to do great things in the future without them.
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"The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership"
Follow Them and People Will Follow You
By John C. Maxwell
"Everything rises and falls on leadership. Most people don't believe me when I say that, but it's true. The more you try to do in life, the more you will find that leadership makes the difference. Any endeavor you can undertake that involves other people will live or die depending on leadership. As you work to build your organization, remember this:
- Personnel determine the potential of the organization.
- Relationships determine the morale of the organization.
- Structure determines the size of the organization.
- Vision determines the direction of the organization.
- Leadership determines the success of the organization.
I wish you success. Pursue your dreams. Desire excellence. Become the person you were created to be. And accomplish all that you were put on earth to do. Leadership will help you to do that. Learn to lead - not just for yourself, but for the people who follow behind you. And as you reach the highest levels, don't forget to take others with you to be the leaders of tomorrow."
- Law of the Lid
- Law of Influence
- Law of Process
- Law of Navigation
- Law of E.F. Hutton
- Law of Solid Ground
- Law of Respect
- Law of Intuition
- Law of Magnetism
- Law of Connection
- Law of the Inner Circle
- Law of Empowerment
- Law of Reproduction
- Law of Buy-In
- Law of Victory
- Law of the Big Mo
- Law of Priorities
- Law of Sacrifice
- Law of Timing
- Law of Explosive Growth
- Law of Legacy
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