By John Maxwell
We are to grow as leaders in order to grow leaders (2 Tim. 2:1, 2). “The best thing leaders can do for their organization is to grow personally” (Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership, p. 31).
LAW # 1: The Law of the Lid
Leadership Ability Determines a Person’s Level of Effectiveness
There is a difference between management and leadership. Leaders focus more on dreaming the vision of the future: Joseph (Gen. 37). Managers analyze the details of today. Leaders spend more time looking for opportunities. Managers smooth out current situations. Leaders focus more on people: Be a Barnabas (Acts 4:36; 9:27; 11:26; 15:37). Managers focus on accomplishing tasks. Leaders prefer high risks environments. Managers prefer safety zones. Leaders have a bias toward creativity, fluidity, and innovations. Managers have a bias toward preservation, protection, and procedure.
Maxwell talks about the Lid Blockers in your life that keep you from growing as a leader. A lid blocker would be anger (Prov. 16:32; 1 Tim. 3:4; 3:5).
LAW # 2: The Law of Influence
The True Measure of Leadership is Influence
Henry Blackaby says that “influence, however, may be too broad a term to describe adequately the act of leadership. A prankster can call the local post office and claim to have placed a bomb on the premises. That is exerting influence . . . not leadership” Spiritual Leadership, p.18). Maxwell writes that relationships are 85% of leadership. He gives three steps to charisma to help build relationships.
1. Learn people’s names quickly (Rom. 16).
2. Be more interested in others than yourself (Phil. 2:4ff).
3. Smile much and live with a positive attitude (Phil. 4:13).
Maxwell notes, “All things being equal people will do business with people they like. All things not being equal, they still will” (Prov. 3:1-4; Luke 2:52; Acts 2:47).
LAW # 3: The Law of Process
Leadership Develops Daily, Not in a Day
Are leaders born or made? The answer is yes.
Here are some ways leaders can be made. The secret of success is found in your daily routine (Luke 9:23). The Bible teaches “progressive sanctification” (2 Cor. 3:18). What personal habits are helping and hindering me from becoming a better leader? What professional habits do I need to develop to become a better leader? Leadership is a process of overcoming weaknesses and failures.
Mark, the author of the Gospel, failed (Acts 13:13) but he was not a failure (2 Tim. 4:11).
LAW # 4: The Law of Navigation
Anyone Can Steer The Ship, But it takes a Leader to Chart the Course
The last chapter of the Revelation is proof that God saw the end from the beginning and is navigating us to that end. The course God has charted is called the Seven Dispensations. Paul in Acts 19:21 charted his course to Rome.
Steps of Navigation
1. See the end before you begin (Neh. 2:1-5)
2. Chart the course in as much detail as possible (Neh. 2:6-8)
3. Determine what resources are needed (Neh. 2:8)
4. Anticipate the obstacles (Neh. 2:9)
5. Gather the right people (Neh. 2:11-3:32)
6. Measure your progress along the way (Neh. 4:6)
Maxwell reminds us, “It is not the size of the project that determines its success. It is the size of the leader.”
LAW # 5: The Law of E. F. Hutton
When the Real Leader Speaks, People Listen
or
Leadership through Communication
If you want to get something started in your church to whom do you go? Example: Nehemiah knew Artaxerxes was the man of influence. How can I influence through my communication?
Your level of Confidence sends a message. Confidence comes from preparation (Ecc. 10:10). Confidence comes from experience. Get involved now with a veteran pastor.
Your level of Competency sends a message. Study leadership. Teach leadership to others. Develop your preaching ability. Christ was a leader of leaders. He left a legacy of 11 leaders. Christ was a preacher. “Never man spoke like this man” (John 7:46).
Your level of Character sends a message. All of the following works on communication stressed integrity as the highest form of influence for a speaker. Aristotle taught this in his “Rhetoric: Speech is the art of persuasion: Logos, Pathos, Ethos.” Augustine also this in “Concerning Christian Doctrine.” Spurgeon in Lectures to my Students” emphasized, “Take heed to thyself.” Paul also emphasized character in 1 Tim. 4:12-16.
Your level of Charisma sends a message
“Charisma is the ability to bring a sparkle into the room. Charisma is faith, a positive attitude, and confidence. Charisma is what draws people to you and makes the medicine go down easy” Maxwell. How can I develop charisma? Give credit to others like Nehemiah.
Your level of Care sends a message as seen in Mt.22:37-40. Paul in Acts 27 did not start out as the leader but he ended up a leader that others listened to.
LAW # 6: The Law of Solid Ground
Trust is The Foundation of Leadership
Do people trust me? Trust makes leadership possible and Character makes trust possible. Paul states in 1 Tim. 3:2 for people to trust their leader he must be “Blameless.”
LAW # 7: The Law of Respect
People Naturally Follow Leaders Stronger Than Themselves
What is your leadership level on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest? With God’s help, we can grow in our influence. Acts 13:1, 2 is about 10 years after Paul’s conversion and during this time he earned respect. Jesus taught that we must give respect to receive respect (Mt. 7:1-5)
LAW # 8: The Law of Intuition
Leaders Evaluate Everything with a Leadership Bias
“It has been said that a leader’s intuition, that special ‘sixth sense,’ can be summed up most accurately as: ‘the leader’s ability to ask his wife what he should do, and then not mess up the wise counsel she gives him” (Maxwel). One of the arguments for the existence of God is intuition. “The ontological argument goes like this: (a) we have an idea of a Most Perfect Being (b) the idea of a Most Perfect Bing includes existence, since a Being, otherwise perfect, who did not exist would not be so perfect as a Being who did exist;(c) therefore, since the ideas of existence is contained in the idea of the Most Perfect Being, that Most Perfect Being must exist” (Ryrie, Basic Theology, p. 32). See Romans 2:14-15.
I would call intuition in the life of the believer as being led by the Spirit (Rom. 8:14) and having God’s wisdom (James 1:5).
Did Paul disobey the Holy Spirit in going to Jerusalem in Acts 21? Why was Paul going to Jerusalem? The answer is in Rom. 15:25-28.
A. Some said Paul was disobeying the Holy Spirit (21:4; 10-13).
B. Paul said he was not disobeying the Holy Spirit (9:15; 19:21; 20:22, 23; 23:1).
C. The Lord said Paul was not disobeying (12:11).
LAW # 9: The Law of Magnetism
Who You Are Is Who You Attract
Proverbs 27:19
If we want to attract other leaders with positive attitudes, then we must cultivate a positive attitude (Phil. 4:13).
We are responsible for our attitude (Phil. 4:4).
“God chooses what we go through. We choose how we go through it.” The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects the wind to change. The leader adjusts the sails.
A leader’s attitude is caught by his or her followers.
Contrast the different attitudes of the two leaders and their effect on their followers: Saul in 1 Sam. 17:11, 24 and David in 1 Sam. 17: 46, 52.
LAW # 10: The Law of Connection
Leaders Touch a Heart Before They Ask for a Hand
Jesus connected with his followers: Lk. 24:32; Mk. 12:37; John 7:46. Jesus spent time with his followers: John 14:12. Maxwell advocates that leadership is 80% relationships.
LAW # 11: The Law of the Inner Circle
A Leader’s Potential Is Determined by Those Closest to Him
Mt. 10:1
If we can accomplish our dream alone, then our dream is too small. Name some leaders who had inner circles in Scripture.
Jesus Inner Circle
Mt. 10:2 Mk. 3:16 Lk. 6:14 Acts 1:13
1st Peter Peter Peter Peter
Andrew James Andrew James
James John James John
John Andrew John Andrew
5th Philip Philip Philip Philip
Bartholomew Bartholomew Bartholomew Thomas
Thomas Matthew Matthew Bartholomew
Matthew Thomas Thomas Matthew
9th James James James James
Lebbaeus Thaddaeus Simon Simon
Simon Simon Judas Judas
Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot
There is synergy with a successful team (Dt. 32:30; Ecc. 4:9-12).
LAW # 12: The Law of Empowerment
Only Secure Leaders Give Power to Others
Phil. 2:19-23
Stephen Covey emphasizes two kinds of delegation
1. Gofer Delegation: Emphasizes the methods. Focuses on How.
2. Stewardship Delegation: Emphasizes the results. Focuses on What
What is the difference between delegation and empowerment?
A. Delegation: On the first missionary journey when Paul led Timothy to Christ, the delegation would have been for Paul to send Timothy to a church like Ephesus.
B. Empowerment: Only after Paul instructed and modeled (Acts 16), gave Timothy some experience and accountability (Acts 18:5) did Paul send Timothy to his greatest assignment in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:1-3).
LAW # 13: The Law of Reproduction
It Takes a Leader to Raise Up a Leader
“God buries His workers, but His work goes on” but not automatically. God’s work goes on because God’s people reproduce themselves. Joshua is an example (1:1, 2). Joshua duplicated much of Moses’ life (Joshua1:5; 17). Joshua learned from Moses’ mistake (Joshua 2:1). Compare Joshua 3:5 with Ex. 19:10. Read Joshua 3:7. Compare Joshua 3:17 with Ex.14:29. Read Joshua 4:14. Compare Joshua 4:23, 24 with Ex.14:30, 31. Compare Joshua 5:15 with Ex. 3:5. Compare Joshua 8:18 with Ex. 14:16. Moses was a leader who raised up a leader.
We must be committed to 2 Tim. 2:2. How can we reproduce leaders?
1. Always be growing as a leader
2. Formally develop leaders (Classes, one on one or one on twelve mentoring, sending to seminars, budgeting money for leadership training, etc.).
3. Informally develop leaders (Never do ministry alone i.e., always take someone with you to do ministry.
LAW # 14: The Law of Buy-in
People Buy Into the Leader, Then the Vision
Usually, we win people to ourselves before we win them to Christ or His mission (1 Thess. 1: 5, 6).
LAW # 15: The Law of Victory
Leaders Find a Way for the Team to Win
In his farewell speech to the American Congress, April 19, 1951, Gen. Douglas MacArthur said, “In war there is no substitute for victory.” John put it this way: “This is the victory that overcomes the world even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
Joshua is a book of Victory
1. Victory in Securing the Land. chs. 1-12 (in 7 years, Joshua and his army defeated 31 Canaanite armies)
2. Victory in Settling the Land chs. 13-24 (in 18 years, Joshua and his army partitioned the land among 12 tribes)
The Law of Victory is in Joshua 6:16, 20. Do leaders experience defeat? (2 Cor. 4:8, 9), yes but they learn from their defeat.
LAW # 16: The Law of Big Mo
Momentum Is a Leader’s Best Friend
Momentum is easier to steer than to start Gen. 24:27. Momentum can be either negative or positive.
1. Negative momentum must be stopped (Identify the causes and confront 1 Cor. 3:1-4).
2. Positive momentum is almost unstoppable (Act 5).
Momentum is different from Status Quo
Momentum Thinking vs. Status Quo Thinking
1. Expectation (Rom.1:11, 12) 1. Familiarity Thinking
2. Forward Thinking 2. Traditional Thinking
(Focus is on the future) (Focus is on the past)
3. Can do it attitude 3. Why does it attitude
4. We are a team working together 4. It is what I want that matters
Momentum is created by leaders
Momentum Breakers are found in Ezra 3:10, 11; 4:24. Momentum Makers in Ezra 5:1; Haggai 2:1-9; Ezra 6:15.
LAW # 17: The Law of Priorities
Leaders Understand That Activity Is Not Necessarily Accomplishment
Priorities are Biblical. Here are some leaders with priorities: Joshua 24:14, 15; Elijah in 1 Kgs.18:21; Christ in Mark 6:31, and Paul in Phil. 3:13.
“If you do not set your priorities, someone else will” e.g. Paul in Acts 21
Personal Priorities
Col. 3:15-17 God
Col. 3:18-21 Family
Col. 3:22-4:1 Work
If a leader can not prioritize his or her life, the leader can not prioritize his or her organization or ministry (Acts 6).
Professional Priorities
Here are some questions to ask to set professional priorities. What must I do? What can I delegate? What am I doing that brings the greatest results to my team? What do I enjoy doing more than anything else?
The Pareto Principle or the 20/80 law
20% of your people do 80% of the work
20% of your people (leaders) need 80% of your work
The top 20% of your priorities should get 80% of your time
LAW # 18: The Law of Sacrifice
A Leader Must Give Up to Go Up
Leaders give up to go up. Here are examples of leaders who humbled themselves before they were exalted by God: Christ: Mt.23:12; Phil. 2:5-11 and Paul: Phil.3:7.
Leaders to stay up must give up more:
This myth: “The older I get and the higher I climb the easier life will get” is shown not to be true by Christ: (Mt. 8:20) and Paul (Phil. 4:12; 2 Tim. 1:15; 4:6)
LAW # 19: The Law of Timing
When to Lead Is As Important As What to Do and Where to Go
The right action at the wrong time brings resistance (Acts 16:6-19:1)
The right action at the right time results in success (Gal. 4:4; Eph. 5:16)
Lincoln: “I will prepare and perhaps my day will come. ”David in private prepared (1 Sam. 16) and his day came (1 Sam. 17).
LAW # 20: The Law of Explosive Growth
To Add Growth, Lead Followers—
To Multiply, Lead Leaders
LAW # 21: The Law of Legacy
A Leader’s Lasting Value Is Measured by Succession
“Leaders lead followers. Great leaders lead leaders” Henry Blackaby
“There is on success without a successor” Peter Drucker
____________ succeeded Moses
____________ succeeded Elijah
____________ succeeded Paul
____________ succeeded Jesus (John 14:12)