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Learning the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

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Book by Maxwell, John C.

36 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1999

23 people are currently reading
536 people want to read

About the author

John C. Maxwell

1,002 books5,788 followers
John Calvin Maxwell is an American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, primarily focusing on leadership. Titles include The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. Some of his books have been on the New York Times Best Seller List.

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5 stars
137 (51%)
4 stars
87 (32%)
3 stars
36 (13%)
2 stars
7 (2%)
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1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Heidi.
90 reviews3 followers
April 24, 2022
The biggest takeaway for me was the importance of prioritization, and how 20% of what you focus on amounts to 80% of your output, so be judicious on how you spend your time. Delegate, streamline, and be selective.
Profile Image for Zdenek Sykora.
435 reviews20 followers
June 23, 2024
"Learning the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell is a definitive guide on leadership that has influenced countless leaders worldwide. This study guide version of Maxwell’s best-selling book is designed to help readers internalize and apply the principles that can make them effective leaders.

The book distills Maxwell’s extensive experience into 21 laws, such as the Law of Influence, the Law of Process, and the Law of Respect. Each law is explained with real-life examples and practical advice, providing a roadmap for developing leadership skills. Maxwell emphasizes that leadership is about inspiring and influencing others, and these laws are the foundation for doing so.

Key themes include the importance of continuous personal growth, the impact of influence and respect in leadership, and the necessity of vision and intuition. Maxwell also explores the dynamics of teamwork and the power of connection in building strong, cohesive groups.

"Learning the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to enhance their leadership abilities. Maxwell’s insights are both profound and practical, making this book a must-read for aspiring leaders. Its impact is significant, providing tools that are essential for effective leadership in any field.
10 reviews
January 3, 2020
In my quest for constant self improvement, I found this book to be one of the most helpful. Many books of this genre have lengthy filler stories that add little to the book. The 21 Laws instead focuses on defining each law and providing a short example. The material is easy to digest and worth learning. I would reccomend for anyone looking to improve their leadership skills.
Profile Image for Brandon Moskal.
3 reviews1 follower
March 12, 2020
I don't think this book provided many practical tools and discussed leadership rather generically. I didn't find the author all that credible as an expert. Maxwell writes like a guy sitting around trying to write a leadership book and not someone who has experience in the trenches. I didn't find his personal experience relatable.
Profile Image for Senan.
185 reviews1 follower
August 1, 2024
It was a good gathering of things needed to be a good leader. This being said, if you've watched or read many other books on the subject you may find an echoing of the same things you've heard before.

Pretty much, if you're starting your journey learning about leadership, this is the perfect starting point.
Profile Image for David.
96 reviews26 followers
June 28, 2019
A great primer on what it takes to be an impactful leader.
Profile Image for John Montgomery.
Author 1 book4 followers
March 17, 2012
Lawyers receive no formal leadership or management training in law school. As we rise in the profession, we are placed in leadership positions and miraculously expected to know how to lead. This book was an invaluable part of my informal leadership training. I highly recommend it to anyone who aspires to become a leader, who suddenly finds himself or herself in a leadership position or who is already leading. I've consulted and read my copy of this book so many times that the contents have separated from the spine. This book, like Robert Greene's The 48 Laws of Power, makes a useful leadership reference that ofter provides just the insight needed to overcome a difficult leadership challenge.

Maxwell is a crisp writer. Each law is set forth in its own chapter, and each chapter is divided into short sub chapters. My pet peeve with most business books is the omniscient narrator. Maxwell's voice strikes a nice balance in this book between illustrating the laws with personal stories and ones about leaders like Henry Ford and Robert E. Lee.

Maxwell was one of the role models for Great from the Start. I admire the clarity of his writing and the consistency of his pedagogy. His mastery of organizational structure enables him to effortlessly deliver his 21 laws of leadership.
Profile Image for Cory Emberland.
1 review
September 10, 2012
I think I need to read this 25 times, then another 25 times and take notes...
I can hardly process all the content in this book, it is amazing to me a man (John Maxwell) had all this wisdom spill from his pen.
Profile Image for James.
174 reviews4 followers
December 10, 2012
This book was full of interesting anecdotes and stories. I did not find it as inspiring or life changing as '7 Habits.' Still a good read with stories about Lee Iacoca and Jack Welch and Ray Crock. I think it would be more interesting to read books about these people.
Profile Image for Bruce Flanagan.
119 reviews9 followers
March 5, 2011
Enjoyable read but not so easy to remember and apply 21 principles
Profile Image for Noli Ozaeta.
1 review7 followers
December 5, 2013
I usually don't like reading books, but this one was worth reading. It gives you history about our world's businesses. It can also educate you and may help you along better run a business.
Profile Image for Larry Millington.
2 reviews
March 4, 2014
Keeping close at hand as a reference manual when needing assistance in navigating through situations at work.
Profile Image for Dorcas.
42 reviews2 followers
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September 10, 2016
Not a fan of inspirational books; I struggled to finish this one
2 reviews
October 23, 2014
Definitely worth reading multiple times. Leaders are readers!
Profile Image for Stan Belyshev.
Author 22 books2 followers
August 20, 2016
Out of all the many book s I read by John Maxwell...this one is still #1
50 reviews1 follower
April 24, 2017
I read this book with my adviser so that she can prepare me and help me learn more about leadership development skills. There are worksheets that come along with the book that help you better understand the 21 leadership skills that everyone should develop in life. There are 21 chapters in the book and they each discuss one leadership skill. Within each leadership skill, the author is able to give good and bad examples of the leadership skill that he talks within that chapter. The content of the book was great and the chapters were not that long because the author got straight to the point. The different leadership skills that he talks about are relevant since we do need to apply them and practice them in real life. Overall, it is a great book if you are interested in learning more about leadership skills and how you can grow more as an individual.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews

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