The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

    I often wondered how a parvenu like Princess Diana, a woman with no education, could become such a beloved icon. I also wondered how Steve Jobs, one 1/3 of the brain behind Apple Inc, could be seen as a genius rather than a guru. The answer, according to Maxwell, is in the influence. He shows how leadership is based on a combination of persona, talent, work, ambition, and foresight. Many of our notions of leadership are, according to him, nothing but myth, and he proceeds to shatter them.

     Maxwell uses real-life examples of famous leaders, like Teddy Roosevelt, who went from being a sickly asthmatic child to all-American boxer, lawyer, naturalist, cowboy, soldier, politician, etc. Then there’s Abraham Lincoln, who succeeded at first, then failed miserably; he entered the Black Hawk War as a captain, screwed up, and left the war as a private. Maxwell believes that Lincoln could have done well as a captain, but he was not ready for the job. What he needed was to start at the bottom, learn the needed skills, and work his way up. What the author implies, though doesn’t state directly, is that Roosevelt’s education won him the respect of the upper classes, while his ranching in the Dakotas won him the respect of the lower classes. His muckraking against government corruption was risky for a politician (and still is) but his reputation as a boxer made people give him a wide berth. It brings to mind Vladimir Putin, with his (staged) judo matches and riding his (drugged) bears, followed by riding his horse shirtless in the cold. Yes, it’s likely that he grabs his coat as soon as the photographers leave, but his manipulation of his image is what gets him support.

    The chapter that resonates the most with me is The law of Navigation, where the author uses the example of Robert F. Scott. The story is tragic; Captain Scott took his men to reach the South Pole, a Norwegian beat him to it, and Scott’s entire crew died on the way home. Now before I go any further, let me warn you that I went to middle school in the UK, and we were taught that Scott was a heroic explorer. The young and old believe that he was a brave, upstanding adventurer, who remained a gentleman to the end, even as he froze to death. But today, the gentleman navy officer, full of resolve while he froze to death, is known as a bungler. He planned the wrong route, took the wrong clothes, and used the wrong transportation. Not mentioned in the book is that he dismissed the advice of his subordinate that the ponies were no good. This is an issue that the author brings forth later, when he allows a church member to lead, but only after making the needs of the church known. True leaders are willing to listen, and they accept the expertise of others. It’s a better strategy than saying “I’m in charge, just listen to me.”

    John C. Maxwell doesn’t pull any punches when discussing the skills and personality needed for leadership. He goes through the many factors that can make or break a leader – character, skills, work ethic, personality – and how famous leaders used them.