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Book Review

 

 

21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

Thomas Nelson Word Publishers – 1998 (233 pages in hardback)

Author John C. Maxwell

ISBN 0-7852-7431-6

 

 

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is one of those books that ends too soon and makes you want to read more. The hallmark of this publication is the discussion of 21 common sense principles that apply to everyday leadership situations. John Maxwell has a ministerial background and has also started numerous organizations. This book is a reflection of his over 30-years of personal experiences, observation of great leaders and the qualities that set them apart from others. Some business consultants and academics have shied away from this book because of the religious background of Maxwell and the publisher. It is a sad loss because this is a book for everyone and is not a religious work. It is true that Maxwell regularly mentions his personal experience as a Protestant minister. However, except for one biblical reference, Maxwell skillfully mixes in numerous secular resources and examples like McDonalds, Lady Diana, GE/Jack Welch, Henry Ford and many others.  21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership offers straightforward principles that can apply to virtually everyone from a housewife to a Harvard graduate.

 

All of these principles or laws have been taught and discussed in previous books and by other authors.  Yet, Maxwell innovatively labels each law with some creative terms. For example, the “Law of the Lid” is another way of saying that one needs to constantly grow and expand their leadership qualities to go beyond their present personal limitations. This is true because your present leadership ability determines your level of effectiveness. Another quality that makes this book a delight to read is its energetic and uncomplicated style. However, a stylistic weakness appears in later portions of the book when Maxwell redundantly mentions his ministerial background experiences after they had been mentioned previously in the book. One thing is for sure, 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is a joy to read with a practical message you can appreciate. You will only wish that Maxwell had spent a little more time emphasizing and reinforcing each law!

 

 

 

 

weLEAD rating highly recommended

 

 

 

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