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)

 
For free access to the other outstanding video with another expert and the transcripts to both videos, simply enter your name and email address in the form below. In addition to receiving the free transcripts, you will be subscribed to the Empower 2000 blog and receive periodic messages about thought leadership.

 
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
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!

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!

 
From: Brendon Burchard
Date: Fri, Jun 3, 2011 at 3:52 PM
Subject: Transformation Truth #1 (from Brendon)
To: Joseph Peck

Hi Joseph,

Welcome to my Transformation Truths Coaching Program!

Once a week for the next 8 weeks, I’ll coach you by asking you to consider eight blunt statements about your current life experience. These statements will guide you, in straightforward terms, to take a direct look at how your life is going. I call these statements “transformation truths” because, if internalized, they are powerful enough to change your life. I ask that you consider the truths in these short newsletters with complete candor. As President James A. Garfield said, “The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.” So please know that while these Truths may force you to address a few things that need to change in your life they will also set you on a path to creating a life and career that matters.

Your first Truth is below. Enjoy!

– Brendon
Author, Life’s Golden Ticket

————————————————————

Transformation Truth #1: Either You’re Moving Forward, or Not

 
By Brendon Burchard
Founder, Experts Academy, and author of Life’s Golden Ticket

“Nine-tenths of the miseries and vices of mankind proceed from idleness.” – Thomas Carlyle

We were all born to move forward. That’s how our bodies were designed: to crawl, to walk, to run forward at a high speed. We were meant to stretch and grow and push ourselves toward our destinies and dreams.

Unfortunately, many of us have forgotten this and have gotten trapped in our current lives because of it. We’ve let our responsibilities and the need for safety weigh us down. We’ve stopped taking the leaps and bounds and chances needed to get us closer to the life we desire. Tragically, we’ve settled into jobs that lead nowhere, relationships that sink our spirits, and habits that hold us back. It’s not difficult to understand why so many people have anxiety attacks or undergo midlife crises—you would, too, if you woke up one morning and realized you were nowhere near the life you always dreamed of living.

I want to help you consciously conduct a progress check on your life—right now, today.

I want you to look at your life and ask these simple questions:

? Am I closer to the life of my dreams this year than I was last year?

? Have I been charging ahead in life, standing still, or falling behind?

? Am I truly moving forward toward my dreams, or am I simply conning myself into believing that I’m just “waiting for the right time to make my move”?

I emphasize the word “truly” in the last question, and in all eight of the transformation truths, because it doesn’t allow you much wiggle room. If I simply asked you, “Are you moving forward in life?” you might be able to con yourself and say, “Well, I’m sort of moving forward.” But the word “truly” means you have to be a little more honest and straightforward with yourself. I do this because there can be no “sort-of’s” if you hope to take an accurate, honest inventory of your life. Deep down, you know it’s a cop-out to say, “I’m sort of advancing toward my dreams.” That’s like saying, “I am moving forward, but I’m just taking baby steps right now.”

Alert: Baby steps may be okay for starting out, but just taking baby steps without bold steps and big risks ensures that your life will forever be stuck in its infancy.

Read this truth again: Either you are truly moving forward, or you are not. How do you feel when you read that? If you feel a sense of strength and pride because you know you’re giving your all to achieve your dreams, good for you.

If, however, you wince a little at this truth, then you know it’s time to transform your life. You should interpret that small “uh-oh” in the back of your mind as a clarion call to stop and do some serious stocktaking and figure out why you’ve gotten stuck in life, and what you need to do to get moving again.

Isn’t it true that no matter how successful you are right now, you could be making more and faster progress towards your dreams?

Isn’t it true that you’ve been holding back a little bit, that there’s more “you” that could be showing up each day, vibrantly and passionately?

Isn’t it true you already know what you have to stop doing and start doing to move forward right now?

At this point, a lot of people who hire me as a life coach or attend my events say, “I don’t know why I’m stuck in life, and I don’t know how to get going again.”

To these people I gently reply, “Yes, the fact is, you do know. All the answers lie within you.”

Then, in order to prove this to them, I often give them a sentence-completion activity. I write the start of a sentence and I let them finish it. For example, I’ll give them a statement that says, “To move forward in my life again, the first thing I have to do is…” It’s amazing how fast they can complete the sentence. They’ll immediately say, “Finally ask for a promotion,” or “Stop beating myself up over the past,” or “Ask for some help,” or “Stand my ground rather than get steamrollered.”

Most clients are surprised at how immediately they know exactly how to finish the sentence. They feel a renewed sense of confidence and competence when they know that they have all the answers within them.

I’m going to give you similar sentence-completion activities throughout these 8 weeks of coaching, which I call transformational turning points. I’d rather do these live with you, but I think you’ll still discover this newsletter series empowering by itself. When you complete these simple yet profound statements, your life will turn the corner and you will begin to move closer to your dreams. Below are the turning points for this truth. So stop, grab your journal, write down each statement, and finish it as honestly and thoroughly as you can.

Transformational Turning Points:

? The main reason I am where I am in life right now is because I chose to…

? The main areas of my life where I seem to be spinning my wheels are…

? The weight that I’ve been carrying around on my shoulders that has prevented me from moving forward is…

? The dream that I absolutely must start moving toward once again is…

? The first step I’m committed to taking right now is…
Next week’s Transformation Truth will likely disturb you. (It’s about your career:). Stay tuned. Until then, stay focused on taking action on this week’s Truth.

As you move forward, may the gates to possibility always swing wide open for you.

In friendship,

– Brendon

ps. Have you heard me talk about life’s last three questions? If not, you can see the video at http://www.brendonburchard.com/videos
About Brendon
Brendon Burchard is the author of Life’s Golden Ticket and a highly-acclaimed life strategist, leadership speaker and business consultant.

Meet Brendon at http://www.BrendonBurchard.com.

Copyright (c) 2009 The Burchard Group LLC.
Life’s Golden Ticket is a registered trademark owned by the author.

The Burchard Group
2065 NW Miller Road #102
Portland, OR 97229
USA

Join the conversation. Share your feedback below about Transformation Truth #1: Either You’re Moving Forward, or Not.