The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (Follow them and people will follow you) John C. Maxwell, America's expert on leadership, is found of the INJOY group, organizations dedicated to helping people maximize their personal and leadership potential. each year he influences the lives of more than one million people through his seminars books and tapes

At a recent conference a man in his late fifties came to me and said, "Learning leadership has changed my life. But I sure wish I had heard you twenty years ago" But I answered "Maybe you would have, but twenty years ago, I wouldn't have been able to teach them to you. It has taken me my entire lifetime to learn and apply the laws of leadership to my life"

Example sermon: Lifting people to higher level part1 part2

I focus my time and energy on doing what makes a positive impact in the lives of people. one of the most important truths I've learned over the years is this: Leadership is leadership. The true principles of leadership are constant.

1. The Law of The Lid

Leadership ability determines a person's level of effectiveness. Your leadership ability, for better or for worse, always determines your effectiveness and the potential impact of your organization.

The higher you want to climb, the more you need leadership. The greater the impact you want to make, the greater the impact you want to make, the greater your influence needs to be. Whatever you will accomplish is restricted by your ability to lead others.

To change the direction of the organization, change the leader. Personal and organizational effectiveness is proportionate to the strength of leadership.

2. The Law of Influence

The true measure of leadership is influence, nothing more nothing less. If you don't have influence you will never be able to lead others.

Five Myths About Leadership

1. The management myth. 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 they can't change it. to move people in a new direction, you need influence. 2. The entrepreneur myth. Frequently people assume that all salespeople and entrepreneurs are leaders. People may be busying what he has to sell but they are not following him 3. The knowledge myth. People naturally assume that those who posses knowledge and intelligence are leaders. Knowledge is not the essence of leadership. 4. The pioneer myth. People assumes that anyone who is out in front of the crowd is a leader. But being first isn't always the same as leader. 5. The position myth. The greatest misunderstanding about leadership is that people think it is based on position, but it is not. It is not the position that makes the leader. It is the leader that makes the position. -Stanley Huffty-

Bill Hybels said, the church is the most leadership-intensive enterprise in society. Positional leadership doesn't work in volunteer organizations. Because a leader doesn't have leverage or influence, he is ineffective.

The very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate.

He who thinks he leads but has no followers, is only taking a walk.

3. The Law of Process Leadership develops daily, not in a day.

Leadership is like investing. It compounds. What matters most is what youdo day by day over the long haul.

The Four phase of leadership Growth Phase 1. I don't know what I don't know. Most people fail to recognize the value of leadership. they have no idea of the opportunities they are passing up when they don't learn to lead. As long as a person doesn't know what he doesn't know, he doesn't grow. Phase 2. I know what I don't know. People realize that we need to learn how to lead. To be conscious that you are ignorant of the facts is a great step to knowledge. Phase 3.  I grow and know and it starts to show. when you recognize your lack of skill and begin the daily discipline of personal growth in leadership exciting things start to happen. Phase 4. I simply go because of what I know

To lead tomorrow, learn today. The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his time when it comes.

Fighting your way up. Champions don't become in the ring. They are merely recognized there.

4. The Law of Navigation

Anyone can steer the ship but it takes a leader to chart the course

Navigators see the trip ahead. A good leader remains focused... controlling your direction is better than being controlled by it. -Jack Welch-

A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others do. -Leroy Eims-

Realistic leaders are objective enough to minimize illusions. They understand that self-deception can cost them their vision. Sometimes it is difficult balancing optimism and realism, institution and planning, faith and fact. but that's what it takes to be effective as a navigating leader.

The secret to the law of navigation is preparation. when you prepare well you convey confidence and trust to the people. It is not the size of the project that determines its acceptance, support, and success. It is the size of the leader.

5. The Law of E. F. Hutton  When the real leader speaks people listen

E. F. Hutton. Financial service company. E. F. Hutton speaks people will listen

If you see a disparity between who's leading the meeting and who's leading the people, then the person running the meeting is not the real leader.

If you are starting in a new position and you are not the leader, don't let it bother you. the real test of leadership isn't where you start out. It's where you end up.

People listen to what someone has to say not necessarily because of the truth being communicated in the message, but because of their respect for the speaker.

Mother Teresa gave a speech at National Prayer Breakfast. She was probably the most respected person on the planet at that time. so everyone listened to what she had to say, even though many of them violently disagreed with it. why do people listen? because she is a real leader leader. when real leader speak people listened.

6.The Law of Solid Ground  Trust is the foundation of leadership

When trust is working with you, you will experience a great power. but you need to build that trust.

When it comes to leadership, you just can't take shortcuts, no matter how long you have been leading your people.

Trust is the foundation of leadership. To build trust, a leader must exemplify these qualities: competence, connection, and character. Character makes trust possible. and trust makes leadership possible. that is the law of solid ground.

Billy Graham. He lives out his values every day. He never makes a commitment unless he is going to keep it. and he goes out of his way to personify integrity.

No man can climb out beyond the limitation of his own character. -John Morley-

No leader can break trust with his people and expect to keep influencing them. Trust is the foundation of leadership. Violate the Law of Solid Ground and you are through as a leader.

7. The Law of Respect   People naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves

Harriet Tubman, who saved a lot of slave out of South. When people respect someone as a person, they admire her. When they respect her as a friend, they love her. when they respect her as a leader, they follow her.

The more leadership ability a person has, the more quickly he recognizes leadership or its lack, in others.

Dean Smith, Basketball team head coach of the University of North Carolina.

The greatest test of respect comes when a leader creates major change in an organization. People who are 9s and 10s don't follow a7. That's just the way leadership works. That's the secret of the law of respect.

8.The Law of Intuition Leaders evaluate everything with a leadership bias

The law of intuition is based on fact plus instinct and other intangible factors. and the reality is that leadership intuition is often the factor that separates the greatest leaders from the merely good ones.

The best leaders read and respond.  The great ones can see things others can't, make changes, and move forward before others know what's happening.

A leader has to read the situation and know instinctively what play to call. It was a leader's job to put the coaching staff's intuition into action in an instant.

Some people are born with great leadership intuition. others have to work hard to develop and hone it. but either way it evolves, the result is a combination of natural ability and learned skills. this informed intuition causes leadership issues to jump out.

Intuition helps leaders become reader of the numerous intangibles of leadership.

A major difference between achievers and leaders is the way they see resources. Successful individuals think in terms of what they can do. successful leaders, on the other hand, see every situation in terms of available resource. Leaders who want to succeed maximize every asset and resource they have for the benefit of their organization.

President Lyndon Johnson once said, when you walk into a room, if you can't tell who's for you and who's against you, you don't belong in politics.

What you see results from who you are. How you see the world around you is determined by who you are. 

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9. The Law of Magnetism Who you are is who you attract

What will determine whether the people you want are the people you get, whether they will possess the qualities you desire? who you get is not determined by what you want. It is determined by who you are.

People like you will seek you out. It is possible for a leader to go out and recruit people unlike himself, but those are not the people he will naturally attract. People who are different will not naturally be attracted to you. Leaders draw people who are like themselves.

A team should be an extension of the coach's personality. Teams cannot be anything but an extension of the coach's personality. If you think your people are negative, then you better check your attitude.

Whatever character you possess you will likely find in the people who follow you.

Anytime I speak to a new audience, I can tell within thirty seconds what kind of speaker they are used to hearing. If they regularly listen to gifted and energetic communicator, they are a sharp and responsive audience. you can see it in their faces. their sense of expectation is high, their body language is positive and when you get ready they have paper and pencil ready to take notes. but if people are used to a poor communicator I find that they just check out mentally.

10. The Law of Connection  Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand

Effective leaders know that you first have to touch people's hearts before you ask them for a hand. that's the law of connection. You can't move people to action unless you first move them with emotion. The heart comes before the head.

The stronger the relationship and connection between individuals the more likely the follower will want to help the leader.

A key to connection with others is recognizing that even in a group, you have to relate to people as individuals. When I stand up in front of large group of people, I don't try to talk to thousand. I focus on talking to one person. That's the only way to connect with people.

Successful leaders who obey the law of connection are always initiators. They take the first step with others and then make the effort to continue building relationships. a leader has to do first. It's the leader's job to initiate connection with the people.

To lead yourself, use your head. To lead other, use your heart. That's the nature of the law of connection. Always touch a person's heart before you ask him or a hand.

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11. The Law of Inner Circle  A Leader's potential is determined by those closest to him

It is lonely at the top, so you had better know why you are there. when you are out front, you can be an easy target. so seek for your inner circle people who help you improve. "As iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the minds of each other"

Learning to work through others. Hire the best staff you can find, develop them as much as you can, and hand off everything you possibly can to them.

Lee Iacocca says that success comes not from what you know but from who you know and how you present yourself to each of those people

12. The Law of Empowerment  only secure leaders give power to others

Henry Ford who invented auto industry, but he didn't embrace the law of empowerment. For almost twenty years the Ford Motor Company offered only one design, the Model T, which Ford had personally developed.

The people's capacity to achieve is determined by their leader's ability to empower. Only empowered people can reach their potential. only secure leaders give power to others

When a leader can't or won't empower others, he creates barriers within the organization that people cannot overcome. If the barriers remain long enough, then the people give up or they move to another organization where they can maximize their potential.

Mark Twain, great things can happen when you don't care who gets the credit, But you can take that a step farther. I believe the greatest things happen only when you give others the credit.

A key to empowering others is high belief in people. The truth is that empowerment is powerful, not only for the person being developed, but also for the mentor. Enlarging others makes you larger.

13. The Law of Reproduction   It takes a leader to raise up a leader

People cannot give to others what they themselves do not posses. Followers simply cannot develop leaders. It takes a leader to raise up a leader.

We teach what we know, we produce what we are. I have sought out great leaders to mentor me so that I can keep learning. spend time with the best leaders you can find.

Ross Perot said, Leaders don't flock. You have to find then one at a time.

14. The Law of Buy-In  People buy into the leader, then the vision

Mahatma Gandhi said, nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man. People embraced his vision and then they followed him faithfully.

The leader finds the dream and then the people. The people find the leader and then the dream.

If someone ask, "do you think my people will buy into my vision" then my response is always the same: "First tell me this. do your people buy into you". People don't at first follow worthy causes. They follow worthy leaders who promotes worthwhile causes. People buy into the leader first, then the leader's vision.

If a leader has not built credibility with his people, It really doesn't matter how great a vision he has.

You are the message. Every message that people receive is filtered through the messenger who delivers it. People buy Nike shoes because they have bought into Michael Jordan, not necessarily because of the quality of the shoes.

Once people have bought into someone, they are willing to give his vision a chance. People want to go along with people they get along with.

As a leader, you don't earn any points for failing in a noble cause. you don't get credit for being "right". Your success is measured by your ability to actually take the people where they need to go. But you can do that only if the people first buy into you as a leader.

15. The Law of Victory  Leaders find a way for the team to win

Victorious leaders feel the alternatives to winning is totally unacceptable, so they figure out what must be done to achieve victory, and then they go after it with everything at their disposal

Great leaders find a way to win. when the pressure is on, great leaders are at their best. Whatever is inside them comes to the surface and works for or against them

Leaders who practice the law of victory have no plan B. that keeps them fighting

16. The Law of Big Mo Momentum is a leader's best friend.

Just as every sailor knows that you can't steer a ship that isn't moving forward, strong leaders understand that to change direction.

Only a leader can create momentum. It takes a leader to create momentum. Follows catch it. and managers are able to continue it once it has begun. But creating it requires someone who can motivate others, not who needs to be motivated.

If your desire is to do great things with your organization, never overlook the power of momentum. It truly is the leader's best friend. If you can develop it, you can do almost anything. Keep momentum alive. once it is gone, it is more difficult to make it happen again.

17. The Law of Priorities

Leadership understand that activity is not necessarily accomplishment

A leader is the one who climbs the tallest tree, surveys the entire situation, and yell "wrong jungle" -Stephen Covey-

Successful leaders live according to the law of priorities. They recognize that activity is not necessarily accomplishment. but the best leaders seems to be able to get the law of priorities to work for them by satisfying multiple priorities with each activity. This actually enables them to increase their focus while reducing their number of action.

Jack Welch, he never mistook activity for accomplishment. He knew that the greatest success comes only when you focus your people on what really matters.

18. The Law of Sacrifice  A leader must give up to go up

Lee Iacocca. In 1970, he became the president of the Ford Motor Company, the highest leadership position possible under Chairman Henry Ford 2. But he left in 1978, and the company was earning record profits. the president of Chrysler offered him CEO and he accepted at his age 54.

He reduced his own salary to one dollar a year. and said, leadership means setting an example. when you find yourself in a position of leadership, people follow your every move.

You've got to give up to go up. when you become a leader, you lose the right to think about yourself. Leadership means sacrifice.

If leaders have to give up to go up, then they have to give up even more to stay up. The only way to stay up is to give up even more. Leadership success requires continual change, improvement, and sacrifice.

19. The Law of Timing When to lead is as important as what to do and where to go.

Jimmy Carter. Timing is everything. Great leaders recognize that when to lead is as important as what to do and where to go. 

It is one thing to figure out what needs to be done. It is another to understand when to make a move.

20. The Law of Explosive Growth

To add growth, lead followers, to multiply, lead leaders. any leaders who practice the law of explosive growth makes the shift from follower's math to leader's math

It is my job to build the people who are going to build the company. -Papa John's Pizza-

21. The Law of Legacy A Leader's lasting value is measured by succession.

Roberto Goizueta. Cuban-born and raised as the son of a sugar cane grower, Roberto Goizueta has become the chief executive officer of one of the world's largest corporations--Coca-Cola. He became assistant vice president for research in 1964 and the CEO in 1981

Success is not measured by what you are leaving to, but by what you are leaving behind.

Succession is one of the key responsibilities of leadership.

A legacy is created only when a person puts his organization into the position to do great things without him.

You will be judged by how well your people and your organization did after you were gone. Your lasting values will be measured by succession.