The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You

by John C. Maxwell

Though I have made adjustments to the laws and updated the ways I teach them, some things have not changed in the last ten years.

So here it is: leadership ability is the lid that determines a person's level of effectiveness. The lower an individual's ability to lead, the lower the lid on his potential. The higher the individual's ability to lead, the higher the lid on his potential.

True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence, and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned. The only thing a title can buy is a little time-either to increase your level of influence with others or to undermine it.

The main difference between the two is that leadership is about influencing people to follow, while management focuses on maintaining systems and processes.

The best way to test whether a person can lead rather than just manage is to ask him to create positive change. Managers can maintain direction, but often they can't change it. Systems and processes can do only so muc...

To be a leader, a person has to not only be out front, but also have people intentionally coming behind him, following his lead, and acting on his vision.

"It's not the position that makes the leader; it's the leader that makes the position. " -STANLEY HUFFTY