You might think a term like Thought Leadership is decades old. Not really, it is more like years old. It is about 15 years old. The first recorded use of it or the first real use of it in a big setting came from this seller right here – Joel Kurtzman. He is the editor of a couple of magazines most notably Harvard Business Review. But this was his job – to be a Thought Leader, to interview Thought Leaders in its in depth capacity when he interviewed people who are very thoughtful about different ways to innovate around the way business is done that caused him to coin this term – Thought Leadership and a Thought Leader. He said this is somebody who contributes new thoughts to business.

Thought LEADERSHIP presented by Alan Veeck (4 minutes)

 
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Where do most people go to learn leadership?

According to leadership expert Dr. John Maxwell, “The answer to that question today is that they search many places. Some examine the world of politics. Other seek models in the entertainment industry. Many look to the world of business. Most people seem to look to successful CEOs, management consultants, and theoriticians with Ph.D.s to learn about leadership”

“But the trust is, the best source of leadership teaching today is the same as it has been for thousands of years. If you want to learn leadership, go to the greatest Book on leadership ever written – the Bible.”

“The most critical problem facing the church today is the leadership vacuum that grew during the Twentieth Century. He says “the American church is dying due to lack of strong leadership.”

Dr. Maxwell further asserts that “leadership is influcence, nothing more, nothing less.”

This morning as I was lying in bed thinking about a private school I am helping, “The Law of the Lid” came to my mind. Later while journaling, I was prompted to find and post “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell. Here they are. May these bless you as they have blessed me.

Executive Summary: “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”

Book by Dr. John Maxwell

Source: Perspective – Resources for Bible Teachers

Not so much a book review, but an ‘Executive Summary’, a condensing of key ideas… Leadership consultant and former pastor John Maxwell offers twenty one “laws” distilled from his experience as a self-confessed “expert leader”..

Leadership consultant and former pastor John Maxwell offers twenty one “laws” distilled from his experience as a self-confessed “expert leader.”

1. The Law of the Lid.
Your leadership is like a lid or a ceiling on your organisation. Your church or business will not rise beyond the level your leadership allows. That’s why when a corporation or team needs to be fixed, they fire the leader.

2. The Law of Influence.
Leadership is simply about influencing people. Nothing more, nothing less. The true test of a leader is to ask him to create positive change in an organisation. If you cannot create change, you cannot lead. Being a leader is not about being first, or being an entrepreneur, or being the most knowledgeable, or being a manager. Being a leader is not just holding a leadership position. (“It’s not the position that makes a leader, but the leader who makes a position.”) Positional leadership especially does not work in volunteer organisations. The very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate. “He who thinks he leads , but has no followers, is only taking a walk.”

3. The Law of Process.
Leadership is learned over time. And it can be learned. People skills, emotional strength, vision, momentum, and timing are all areas that can and should be learned. Leaders are always learners.

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 will also see obstacles before others do. A leader sees more, sees farther, and sees before others. A navigator (leader) listens – he finds out about grassroots level reactions. Navigators balance optimism with realism. 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. When he spoke, everyone listened. When real leaders speak, people automatically listen. Conversely, in any group or church, you can identify the real leaders by looking for those who people listen to. According to Margaret Thatcher, “being in power is like being a lady – if you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” (p45) Tips for a Positional leader – like a newly appointed minister – who wants to become a REAL leader… look for the existing real leaders and work to have influence there. Factors involved in being accepted as a new real leader include character, building key relationships, information, intuition, experience, past success. and ability.

6. The Law of Solid Ground.
Trust is the foundation for all effective leadership. When it comes to leadership, there are no shortcuts. Building trust requires competence, connection and 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. (Mmmm… I thought like poles were meant to repel!) Handy hint: “Staff” your weaknesses. If you only attract followers, your organisation will be weak. Work to attract leaders rather than followers if you want to build a truly strong organisation.

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.” (p113)

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.” (p127). Another point to ponder… “Great leaders gain authority by giving it away.”

13. The Law of Reproduction.
It takes a leader to raise up a leader. Followers can’t do it, and neither can institutional programs “It takes one to know one, to show one, to grow one.” The potential of an organisation depends on the growth of its leadership.

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 vison but like the leader, they get a new vision.

15. The Law of Victory.
Leaders find a way for the team to win. “You can’t win WITHOUT good athletes, but you CAN lose with them.” p162). Unity of vision, diversity of skills plus a leader are needed for a win.

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 necessarily accomplishment. We need to learn the difference. “A leader is the one who climbs the tallest tree, surveys the entire situation, and yells “Wrong Jungle!”” (p176) If you are a leader, you must learn the three “Rs”… a) what’s Required b) what gives the greatest Return c) what brings the greatest Reward.

18. The Law of Sacrifice.
A leader must give up to go up. Successful leaders must maintain an attitude of sacrifice to turn around an organisation. One sacrifice seldom brings success. As he worked to turn around the Chrysler Corporation, Lee Iacocca slashed his own salary to $1 per year.”When you beome 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 will bring success.

20. The Law of Explosive Growth.
To add growth, lead followers. To multiply growth, lead leaders. “It is my job 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.”

REFLECTIONS
This is a book with some valuable practical insights. John Maxwell, a former senior pastor and now a management consultant, has spent much of his working life reading and researching the essential features of leadership. But don’t be mislead – while Maxwell offers practical insights, there is very little biblical material involved. This is a book that sits on the shelves of Christian bookshops only by virtue of Maxwell’s publishing connections.

Australians will find some features of the book irritating. We don’t share the American “leadership culture”, and Maxwell’s personal reminiscences about his leadership triumphs will leave most readers cold. For example… “As I mentioned in previous chapters, I sometimes teach leadership outside the United States. Over the years I’ve held conferences in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Korea, New Zealand, Nigeria and South Africa. In addition, my books have been translated into more than twenty languages, and my tapes are distributed to countries all around the globe. So I know my leadership principles have travelled far.”

You’ll also need to be prepared for endless illustrations drawn from the worlds of American pro football and basketball. If NBA and NFL coaching tales leave you cold, maybe the stories of American civil war heroes and corporate mavens will ease the pain – though I doubt it.

Overall, though, this is a book with a stack of useful insights into the process of leadership, which may even help you do it better.

Phil Campbell

John C. Maxwell: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

 
2 New Laws in 10th Edition book

The Law of Addition
We add value to people by serving them!

The Law of the Picture
People do what people see! It’s all about example. The greatest leadership is by example.

 
Related Links

• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell (PDF #1)
• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell (PDF #2)
• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell (PDF #3)
• The John Maxwell Company

Blessings to meditate upon and apply the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership!

Joseph

Joseph Peck, M.D.
“Blessed to be a blessing”
Dr. Breakthrough, THE CONNECTOR, and The Journal Guy
Founder and Executive Director of Webinars777
Breakthrough Life Coach helping your DREAMS come true
Creative Marketing and Communication Specialist

Empower 2000, Inc.
Empowering and Connecting a new generation of THOUGHT LEADERS
Changing Lives to Disciple Nations

STAY CONNECTED
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P.S. Sign up TODAY for my free E-course “30 Days To Breakthrough!” God wants to transform your life NOW!

P.S.S. Spiritual Journaling will transform your life!

UNCOMMON Journaling is the key
to unlock YOUR dreams!

Join the conversation. Please share your comments below about the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.

At the end of your life, there are 3 important questions to answer

Did I live (my life with passion)?
Did I love?
Did I matter?

I’m passionate about empowering you to make a BIG SPLASH in the dash of your life. And what I’ve discovered is that the more you SHARE the blessings God has bestowed upon you, the more blessings He will pour through you into other people’s lives.

So in that context, let me share these special opportunities to empower YOU

1) Sunday Inspiration: Keep the fire lit

On a scale of 1-10, how passionate are you about the life you are living? What is your Big Dream? Are you living it? If not, what step of faith can you take to start making that a reality?

2) Learn how to create a bestseller with social media (teleseminar today)

You are invited to join Denise Wakeman in her teleseminar interview of her friend and colleague Marnie Pehrson at 2 pm EDT on June 7. In May 2011, Marnie launched a self-published book and took it to bestseller status on Amazon.com in less than 24 hours. How did she do it? Come learn from an online marketing genius, bestselling author, and founder of IdeaMarketers.com.

I first met Denise a few years ago when I hosted her on a webinar about blogging. Denise is the person who helped me grasp the importance of blogging to grow my business and increase my influence.

3) Romancing the Loan (webinar tonight)

If you need help with cash flow in your business or know someone who does, I invite you to this webinar with guest expert Larry Tyler at 8 pm EDT tonight (June 7).

4) The Millionaire Messenger by Brendon Burchard

I highly recommend ordering Brendon’s audio book for only $17 from Amazon. He’s giving away 2 super bonuses – training to help get your message out big. – to the first 1000 people. I signed up myself on June 3. Brendon’s audio book is titled “The Millionaire Messenger: Make a Difference and a Fortune Sharing Your Advice.”

Brendon is regarded as one of the world’s top thought leaders in teaching you how to position yourself as the expert in your niche to be paid well.

 
Blessings to live, love, and matter!

Joseph

Joseph Peck, M.D.
“Blessed to be a blessing”
Dr. Breakthrough, THE CONNECTOR, and The Journal Guy
Founder and Executive Director of Webinars777
Breakthrough Life Coach helping your DREAMS come true
Creative Marketing and Communication Specialist

Empower 2000, Inc.
Empowering and Connecting a new generation of THOUGHT LEADERS
Changing Lives to Disciple Nations

STAY CONNECTED
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/thejournalguy
Facebook: http://facebook.com/thejournalguy
Twitter: http://twitter.com/thejournalguy
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/MastersmindMarketing

        

P.S. Sign up TODAY for my free E-course “30 Days To Breakthrough!” God wants to transform your life NOW!

P.S.S. Spiritual Journaling will transform your life!

UNCOMMON Journaling is the key
to unlock YOUR dreams!

Five Reasons Why Leaders Need a Closed Door Policy
by Kevin Eikenberry on APRIL 18, 2011
in LEADERSHIP and LEARNING

Let’s start with a short thinking exercise …

Think of every new leader speech you have ever heard. They will all include “I have an open door policy.” Does every leader truly practice that policy?

If you made a list of leadership clichés, the “open door policy” would likely make the top ten. Clichés exist because truth exists within them, and clichés often beg further examination beyond the nugget of truth.

Such is the case with the “open door policy”.

The intention of course is about availability, access and openness. When someone says their door is always open, they are implying that when you need help, advice or information, they will be available. The problem here is twofold:

This is a hard policy to live up to. (Even if the door is open, it doesn’t mean the leader is available – look at your calendar, after all). So stating this universal policy often sets expectations you can’t live up to.

When the leader is available, they likely have work do to, and the interruptions of the open door can be detrimental to productivity. After all, leaders are there to serve their teams, and they have responsibilities and work output of their own.

That is the backdrop for my assertion that leaders need a closed door policy. This doesn’t mean that access, availability and openness don’t matter – far to the contrary! Rather, a closed door policy as I will describe it actually allows for these things to exist realistically, and perhaps paradoxically, allows productivity to rise for everyone!

What is a Closed Door Policy?

Now that you are over your shock that I would debunk the leadership standard, let me describe what I mean.

Should you make yourself accessible and available to your team? Yes, of course, just not at their whim and leisure! Think about it: when was the last time someone popped their head in the door with a question, interrupting your thinking and flow of work, with a question that was truly an emergency? How many of those questions could wait 15 minutes, 2 hours or until tomorrow?

The closed door policy is more like the office hours of a college professor. You knew when they were available and so you planned to meet with them, ask your questions and get your coaching during those times. This approach certainly made the professor more productive – and you too!

The closed door policy is about putting some discipline and intentionality into your work day for the purpose of creating better control of your time and skyrocketing your productivity.

Whether you use office hours, a planned time to meet with team members, or devise some other approach – the goal of the closed door policy is to create space for everyone to have greater productivity because there are fewer avoidable interruptions.

The Benefits

Here are five specific benefits you will gain from creating your version of a closed door policy.

1) You will create clearer, more accurate expectations. Since your door can’t be open all the time, or you sometimes ask people to come back later (or you aren’t in your office anyway), why not have an expectation you can deliver on? By telling people when you are available or having some other process that creates a clear and reliable expectation, you set everyone up for success. You also manage people’s perception of your honesty and intentions. Far better to be available when you say you will be than to say you are available and not be.

2) You will manage interruptions. While we all believe we can multi-task, that is a misnomer. Have you ever been working on an important project, document or plan and had someone pop in to ask you a question? After they leave, how long does it take you to reconnect with and be productive on the other piece of work again? Interruptions sap our productivity! By managing the chances for interruptions (remember there are few true emergencies and when they occur people will interrupt anyway) we are improving our productivity vastly.

3) You will develop others. A true open door policy is one of the fastest ways to hamstring the development of your team. Why? Because when they have a question they can immediately come ask you! Would they ask you that question if you were on a business trip or vacation, or would they figure it out, make a decision without you, or wait until you were available to share their questions? In any of those cases, your availability is keeping them from learning. If you truly want to coach and develop your team, you must be supportive and available, AND you must allow them to try new things! Closing the door and creating an expectation of trust helps people grow.

4) You will allow space for important, not just urgent, work. As leaders we must do work that is beyond the urgent. We must have time to think, plan, check our vision and more. It is nearly impossible to do this with a constant focus on the urgent and immediate. A closed door policy is one step towards giving you the time you need to work on the most important things.

5) You will improve organizational productivity. When you close your door, explaining to your team why you are instituting this new process, you not only improve your productivity, but you improve theirs. Some questions they will answer themselves. Some will go away, and those that they need to ask will be asked in an effective and efficient manner – and they will remain more focused with fewer of their own interruptions too!

Let me be clear – the intention behind an “open door policy” is fine, admirable, and important. In theory, this idea is to provide access to information, ideas, wisdom and help. Unfortunately, in practice this isn’t what happens. The unintended consequences that surface in a lack of time control and reduced productivity far outweigh the advantages.

Should leaders be accessible, available and open to conversations? Should they feedback and provide coaching? Of course they should – and if they don’t their effectiveness and value as a leader is severely limited. These goals can be reached – and in most cases reached more effectively – with a more realistic, structured and clear plan and approach. An approach that sometimes includes a closed door.

In the 1981 classic Escape from New York, Kurt Russell plays the hard-edged Snake Plissken. The movie’s premise is Air Force One carrying the president of the United States has crashed into New York City (which has been turned into a maximum security prison for all criminals in the U.S.). Plissken, who is about to be incarcerated in New York is offered a deal: if he gets the president out of New York, he’ll get his freedom.

Snake has a problem though – the police have implanted a small time bomb in his neck and he only has 22 hours to get the president out and have the bomb neutralized (it could happen! It’s the future!). Naturally Snake is a man on a mission – not only to save the president but also to save himself.

As he rushes through the prison colony that is Manhattan island, Snake teaches all of us a few things about leadership (as well as providing some awesome tips on how to kill hardened post-apocalyptic criminals with bad hair). Here’s what we can all learn from Snake:

Leaders are willing to bet on themselves

Think about the odds Snake faced. He was going into a penal colony full of the deadliest criminals around. He had a choice of simply going to prison and living there (which he could have easily done because he’s a badass) or fighting the criminals to rescue the president.

Tough odds. Snake took the bet. He knew what he was capable of and he understood the value of the prize (his freedom). Sure it was a “stretch goal” to rescue the president but Snake was willing to take that bet because he was confident in his abilities.

Are you willing to bet on yourself when you face huge odds against you? Know what you’re capable of and take an occasional risk. You might surprise yourself with what you’re able to do.

Leaders maintain laser-focus on their objective

Snake had 22 hours. He had one objective – get the president out alive. He made some friends along his journey – Cabbie (Ernest Borgnine), Brain, and Maggie. He also made a few enemies, most notably The Duke of New York (Isaac Hayes).

There were times Snake could have stayed and fought with his friends when they decided to stay behind and fight. He could have stayed for revenge to kick The Duke’s butt. But he didn’t. He directed all his energy toward one single goal – getting the president out. All the other things he could have done would have been righteous but they were distractions from his primary objective.

Do you know what your primary objective is? Do you avoid distractions and side-projects? What do you do to maintain your focus on your objectives?

Leaders take bold risks

Snake could have accepted his prison sentence and not risked his life. Instead, he landed a glider on the roof of the World Trade Center, fought off bad guys, and ran a gauntlet across a heavily-mined 69th street bridge to get the president out. He could have tried to hold his position on the top of World Trade to be extracted by helicopter but he didn’t like the odds so off to the crazy bridge crossing he went.

He had no idea if his risks would work out. But he knew if he didn’t take action, the outcome was certain failure. Snake took the chance and made some bold moves. Of course they worked out (otherwise it would have been a crappy movie).

When is the last time you took a bold risk? Have you considered any bold moves recently? What’s holding you back from taking those chances?

Leaders care about people

After Snake finally gets the president out and has the bomb deactivated, he asks the president what he thought about all the people who died to help him escape from New York. Cabbie, Brain, and Maggie all gave their lives in the escape effort.

The president offers half-hearted condolences for their loss. Snake doesn’t buy it and he sabotages the president’s major peace initiative. Snake knows good people sacrificed a great deal and his last act of defiance demonstrates he truly cared about and appreciated what they gave for the greater good.

So are you the next Snake Plissken?

Do you bet on yourself? How do you stay focused on your goals? Do you make bold moves? Do you really care about the people who are taking those risks alongside you? Take some quiet time today and reflect on these questions. Ask yourself if you’re as good a leader as Snake Plissken was.

Source: Article by Mike Figliuolo at Thought Leaders, LLC