"A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position." - John C. Maxwell.
When people hear "leadership," many think of John C. Maxwell. He's a bestselling author, a speaker, a coach, and is most popularly known as a leadership expert. He is passionate about helping others do remarkable things and lead fulfilled lives.
We had the chance to hear him speak live. It was an experience worth sharing – especially with the business leaders here in Orlando. In this blog, you will learn some of the most important insights we learned from John C. Maxwell's presentation. From setting a good influence to trusting the process to create more leaders, this blog will cover various leadership skills and personal development lessons from Maxwell's 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.
So, read until the end, for these are essential insights you can use and master in work and life.
4 Best Lessons of Leadership from John C. Maxwell
1. Leaders lead from the front.
"Leaders who are good navigators are capable of taking their people just about anywhere." – John C. Maxwell.
Leading from the front enables you to transform your business and bring change forward. When you're always in front of the team, you can manage your process and grow your people. Additionally, this can allow you to see all the moving parts of your business and spot trouble before it transforms into a crisis.
2. Leadership is a daily thing.
"Leadership develops daily, not in a day." – John C. Maxwell.
That's one thing you need to know about great leaders – they aren't born, they're made.
Maxwell's The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership discusses the Law of Process. This law emphasizes that no leader is born with an inherent talent to lead but must purposefully practice daily to become one. Learning to be a great leader requires a long and painful process, not an "aha" moment.
Take a look at your daily routine. Do you think it's taking you toward becoming a great and successful leader? Are you making time for learning and personal development? Does your night and morning routine prepare you for the day's challenges? Are you putting in the effort every single day? These are questions you need to ponder. Because you don't just wake up one day and "boom," you're already the leader you aspired to be. No, it doesn't work that way. You need to fully invest in the process. Successful leaders are learners who make consistent efforts to get better each day.
Growth has no finishing line, and that's beautiful. That means you have the potential to keep getting better daily. If you keep that mindset, you'll remove the pressure of becoming perfect overnight. Enjoy the process, learn from the people around you, and be more intentional with your time and energy. And in no time, you'll reap the rewards of becoming the leader that helps, influences, and leaves a beautiful legacy.
3. Great leaders create more leaders.
“Leaders create and inspire new leaders by instilling faith in their leadership abilities and helping them develop and hone leadership skills they don’t know they possess.” — John C. Maxwell
Want to know if someone's a great leader? Don't look at their years of experience or their salary. Instead, look no further than their team. Successful leaders don't create followers, they develop more leaders like themselves.
True leadership is inspiring, empowering, and elevating other people. Leaders constantly teach and coach to help their teams and others achieve their full potential. They are not selfish with their knowledge, ideas, and time. Great leaders give away their power so that others can take ownership of their behaviors and make responsible decisions.
Remember that reproducing more great leaders takes more than just vision. It also needs you to take actionable steps. Build the spirit of leadership into your company culture, train your team, provide them with growth opportunities, and guide them throughout the process. Be the leader that celebrates their small wins and progress. And as they begin to take ownership of their incredible talents, it's time you take a little step aside and allow them to be independent.
When you focus more on your team's development, you will surely strengthen your leadership approach.
4. Your leadership is measured by your influence
" The true measure of leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less." - John C. Maxwell.
Maxwell talked about the Law of Influence. He believes that influence is one of the most important qualities you should possess to become a great leader. If you don't have influence, you don't have followers. And if you don't have followers believing in you, you're not a leader. Your true power as a leader is in your influence and ability to motivate people to believe in you, take action, and support your vision.
You can increase your influence by connecting with people, nurturing them, believing in them, supporting them, listening to them, and empowering them.
Conclusion:
Again, becoming a great leader is not a one-day process. There are a lot of challenges that you have to face along the way. No matter how hard you work and the time and energy you invest, disappointment will still be inevitable. You have to push through the pressure, uncertainties, and doubts. Through this, you are molding a great and strong leader within you.
