Summary of “Developing the Leaders Around You” by John Maxwell
Developing other leaders is one of the greatest privileges and challenges of a leader. I recently read “Developing the Leaders Around You” by John Maxwell.
If you are looking for advice on developing other leaders in your team, I highly recommend this book.
Here are my highlights from the book.
1. The Leader’s Key Question: Am I Raising Up Potential Leaders?
Great leaders— the truly successful ones who are in the top 1 percent— all have one thing in common. They know that acquiring and keeping good people is a leader’s most important task.
You can’t do it alone. If you really want to be a successful leader, you must develop other leaders around you.
Those Closest to the Leader Will Determine the Success Level of That Leader
Are you developing them? Do you have a game plan for them? Are they growing? Have they been able to lift your load?
As a potential leader you are either an asset or a liability to the organization.
The strength of any organization is a direct result of the strength of its leaders. Weak leaders equal weak organizations. Strong leaders equal strong organizations.
Everything rises and falls on leadership.
Followers tell you what you want to hear. Leaders tell you what you need to hear.
Leaders create and inspire new leaders by instilling faith in their leadership abilities and helping them develop and hone leadership skills they don’t know they possess.
The difference between a good organization and a great one is leadership.
You usually had to pay leaders more. But such people were an invaluable asset. They attracted a higher quality of person; they were more productive; and they continued to add value to the organization.
“Most people produce only when they feel like it. Leaders produce even when they don’t feel like it.”
2. The Leader’s Toughest Challenge: Creating a Climate for Potential Leaders
The attitude of the leader, coupled with a positive atmosphere in the organization, can encourage people to accomplish great things.
For a flower to blossom, you need the right soil as well as the right seed.
“The speed of the boss is the speed of the team.”
A leader cannot demand of others what he does not demand of himself.
When a leader does not believe in us, success is very difficult for us to achieve.
Find the one thing that you believe is the potential leader’s greatest asset, and then give 101 percent encouragement in that area.
Drive, determination, and desire, not great natural talent, led to the extraordinary success of these individuals.
Traits of a leader
Positiveness: the ability to work with and see people and situations in a positive way
Servanthood: the willingness to submit, play team ball, and follow the leader
Growth potential: a hunger for personal growth and development; the ability to keep growing as the job expands
Follow- through: the determination to get the job done completely and with consistency
Loyalty: the willingness to always put the leader and the organization above personal desires Resiliency: the ability to bounce back when problems arise
Integrity: trustworthiness and solid character; consistent words and walk “Big picture” mind- set: the ability to see the whole organization and all of its needs
Discipline: the willingness to do what is required regardless of personal mood
Gratitude: an attitude of thankfulness that becomes a way of life
How to develop a leader
Expose the potential leader to people successful in his field.
Provide a secure environment where the potential leader is free to take risks.
Provide the potential leader with an experienced mentor.
Provide the potential leader with the tools and resources she needs. Spend the time and money to train the potential leader in his areas of need.
Most winners are made, not found.
Most employers agree that character and attitude are the most important factors in hiring a new employee. Skills can be taught.
Invest time and money in his potential leaders. Commit to promoting from within. Show employees that personal and professional growth within the organization are not only possible but also actual.
3. The Leader’s Primary Responsibility: Identifying Potential Leaders
To find out which leaders you need go through
Assessment of needs: What is needed?
Assets on hand: Who are the people already in the organization who are available?
Ability of candidates: Who is able?
Attitude of candidates: Who is willing?
Accomplishments of candidates: Who gets things done?
When I have an opportunity to hire someone who is exceptional— a superstar— I do it. Then I find a place for him or her.
Good people are hard to find, and there is always room for one more productive person in an organization.
Character The first thing to look for in any kind of leader or potential leader is strength of character.
Warning signs to watch for include: a person’s failure to take responsibility for his actions or circumstances unfulfilled promises or obligations failure to meet deadlines
Leadership is influence. Every leader has these two characteristics: (A) he is going somewhere and (B) he is able to persuade others to go with him.
Every leader must know where he is going. And every follower had better be sure he’s behind a leader who knows what he’s doing.
Positive Attitude A positive attitude is one of the most valuable assets a person can have in life.
Attitude sets the tone, not only for the leader with the attitude, but also for the people following him.
Excellent People Skills A leader without people skills soon has no followers.
Excellent people skills involve a genuine concern for others, the ability to understand people, and the decision to make positive interaction with others a primary concern.
Our behavior toward others determines their behavior toward us. A successful leader knows this.
Every person God creates has gifts.
A proven leader always has a proven track record.
People will not follow a leader who does not have confidence in himself.
Confidence is characteristic of a positive attitude.
A good leader has the ability to instill within his people confidence in himself. A great leader has the ability to instill within his people confidence in themselves.
Great leaders always have self- discipline— without exception.
Effective leaders recognize that their emotional reactions are their own responsibility.
“No person is free who is not master of himself.”
3 things that characterize disciplined leaders:
They have identified specific long- and short- term goals for themselves.
They have a plan for achieving those goals.
They have a desire that motivates them to continue working to accomplish those goals.
A leader is not capable of reaching his potential without effective communication skills.
Liking people is the beginning of the ability to communicate.
When people sense that you have a concern for them, they are willing to listen to what you have to say.
Poor communicators are focused on themselves and their own opinions.
The fastest way to open the lines of communication is to smile.
I expect a person to lead, I must also expect him to be able to communicate.
A leader who loves the status quo soon becomes a follower.
Seek people who seek solutions.
4. The Leader’s Crucial Task: Nurturing Potential Leaders
Successful organizations take a different approach. In exchange for the work a person gives, he receives not only his paycheck, but also nurturing from the people for whom he works. And nurturing has the ability to transform people’s lives.
How to nurture employees (B.E.S.T)
B elieve in them.
E ncourage them.
S hare with them.
T rust them.
“People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy.” We leaders must provide ourselves as models to copy.
Trust implies accountability, predictability, and reliability.
Trust must be built day by day. It calls for consistency. Some of the ways a leader can betray trust include: breaking promises, gossiping, withholding information, and being two- faced.
Trust is built on many things:
T ime. Take time to listen and give feedback on performance.
R espect. Give the potential leader respect and he will return it with trust.
U nconditional Positive Regard. Show acceptance of the person.
S ensitivity. Anticipate the feelings and needs of the potential leader.
T ouch. Give encouragement— a handshake, high five, or pat on the back.
Time spent with a potential leader is an investment.
Believe In People When you believe in people, you motivate them and release their potential.
People always grow toward a leader’s expectations, not his criticism and examinations.
Encouragement helps them reach their potential; it empowers them by giving them energy to continue when they make mistakes.
Hold Hope. High Hope is one of the greatest gifts leaders can give to those around them.
People will continue working, struggling, and trying if they have hope. Hope lifts morale. It improves self- image. It reenergizes people. It raises their expectations. It is the leader’s job to hold hope high, to instill it in the people he leads.
“There are no hopeless situations: there are only men who have grown hopeless about them.”
People want significance. It is the leader’s job to add significance to the lives of the people he leads:
A potential leader who feels secure is more likely to take risks, try to excel, break new ground, and succeed.
If you want your people to produce, then you must reward production.
Emotional Support Provide a “yes you can” atmosphere.
Skills Training One of the fastest ways to build people up is to train them. People
Money Stingy leaders produce stingy workers.
Invest money in people; it always yields the highest return on your investment.
Personnel Provide the people needed to get the job done. And provide good people.
Spend 80 percent of your time on the most promising 20 percent of the potential leaders around you.
When you nurture the people around you, everyone wins.
5. The Leader’s Daily Requirement: Equipping Potential Leaders
The equipper is a model— a leader who does the job, does it well, does it right, and does it with consistency.
The equipper is a mentor— an advisor who has the vision of the organization and can communicate it to others. He or she has experience to draw upon.
The equipper is an empowerer— one who can instill in the potential leader the desire and ability to do the work. He or she is able to lead, teach, and assess the progress of the person being equipped.
Am I willing to pour my life into others? Giving to potential leaders is a way of life for the best leaders.
Am I committed to an equipping organization? Equipping requires commitment. It takes time and effort on the part of an organization’s leadership.
Doing it yourself is a short- term solution. The longer, harder road of equipping others pays in the long run, but it requires commitment from everyone in the organization.
Am I effective in the areas I need to equip? This is a tough question that requires an honest answer. If the answer is “no,” the leader must locate a person, inside or outside the organization, effective in those areas who can do some of the training.
Have I developed a prospect list of potential leaders?
You always begin with the best people you can. As you nurture them, a group of people with the most potential will emerge. From that group, draw up a prospect list of potential leaders to be considered for equipping and development.
What assumptions have I made that need to be changed? People often get a false first impression of other people.
Is this person compatible philosophically with the organization and my leadership? If the answer is no, don’t even consider equipping or mentoring this person.
Does this person show a potential for growth? Potential for growth does not guarantee growth, but a lack of growth potential guarantees no growth will occur.
If the person does not appear to have the desire and the ability to grow, look for another candidate.
Are there lingering questions I have about this person? The time to have lingering questions answered is before the person is selected for equipping. Take time to interview, then do follow- up interviews to answer other questions that occur to you later.
A person should be spending 80 percent of his time doing things that require his greatest gifts and abilities. This will help keep him fulfilled.
The addition of a new team member always changes the chemistry of the team.
Develop a Personal Relationship with the People you Equip
As your people get to know and like you, their desire to follow your direction and learn from you will increase.
To build relationships, begin by listening to people’s life stories, their journeys so far. Your genuine interest in them will mean a lot to them.
All good mentoring relationships begin with a personal relationship.
If you first find their hearts, they’ll be glad to give you their hands.
Commitment is the one quality above all others that enables a potential leader to become a successful leader. Without commitment, there can be no success.
Be sure not to undersell the job— let them know what it’s going to take.
It’s the goal that shapes the plan; It is the plan that sets the action; it is the action that achieves the result; and it is the result that brings the success.
You can’t turn people loose without structure, but you also want to give them enough freedom to be creative.
Authority is not something we buy, are born with, or even have delegated to us by our superiors. It is something we earn— and we earn it from our subordinates.
No manager has any real authority over his people until he has proved himself worthy of it— in the eyes of his people— not his own, nor those of his superiors.
Leaders must earn authority with each new group of people.
The leader’s part of accountability involves taking the time to review the new leader’s work and give honest, constructive criticism.
It is crucial that the leader be supportive but honest.
Discuss feelings.
Measure progress. Together,
Give feedback.
Give encouragement.
“The greatest leader is willing to train people and develop them to the point that they eventually surpass him or her in knowledge and ability.”
6. The Leader’s Lifelong Commitment: Developing Potential Leaders
Build into them, to bring out their best qualities, to develop their character, and to help them discover and reach their potential.
Growth begins with motivation.
What Do They Want?
Everyone wants something. Even the person who appears not to be motivated has desires.
Do They Have a Way of Getting What They Want?
Whenever people want something but see no way to get it, they will not be motivated.
Will They Be Rewarded if Successful?
Sometimes even people who have goals and see ways of achieving them lack motivation. Why? Because they don’t believe the rewards will outweigh the work required to achieve them.
When you listen to their ideas and opinions, especially before you make decisions, you give them a chance to increase their contribution.
Never criticize the person making a suggestion, even if it’s a poor one.
Every idea is a good idea until you’ve settled on the best idea.
Growth is not automatic; it does not necessarily come with experience, nor simply as a result of gathering information. Personal growth must be deliberate, planned, and consistent.
It takes time for people to adapt to new situations. 4 stages of adpatation
Visually Most people are visual. They usually have to see something new in order to understand it.
Emotionally After people see something new, then they respond to it emotionally. Give them time to work through their emotions before going on to the next phase.
Experientially Once people understand something and have accepted it emotionally, they are ready to give it a try. Experience enables them to reach the final phase.
Convictionally After people see something, accept it emotionally, and experience it positively, it becomes truly a part of their thinking, their belief systems.
Give rewards to staff members to indicate they were meeting or exceeding expectations.
Think of confrontation as a chance to help and develop your people.
And never confront in anger or out of a desire to show power. Do it with respect and the other person’s best interest at heart.
You can’t force a person to keep growing to the highest level. You have to make the hard decision of leaving that person on his own plateau. It’s difficult, but it’s a price worth paying in order to develop people.
7. The Leader’s Highest Return: Forming a Dream Team of Leaders
Being a part of a successful team can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life.
What is a team? They have
Common goal,
Cooperation,
Communication—there is no team without communication.
The Team Members Care for One Another - All great teams begin with this quality.
Teams that don’t bond can’t build.
When a team member cares about no one but himself, the whole team suffers.
Anyone who doesn’t know what’s important to the team not only fails to contribute to the team, but actually prevents the team from achieving success.
In an organization, it is the team leader’s responsibility to orchestrate the team’s growth. He must make sure his people grow both personally and professionally. And he must ensure that their growth happens together— as a team.
Above all, they must learn to trust each other. It is trust that makes it possible for them to rely on one another. It allows them to make up for each other’s weaknesses instead of trying to exploit
Personal sacrifice must be encouraged and then rewarded— by the team leader and the other members of the team.
The important thing is that all the team members take a role that fits the goals and needs of the organization as well as their own personal talents and abilities. When any role is not filled, the whole team suffers.
When we see a role not being filled, we must make adjustments to the team to make sure the job gets done.
Having a pool of good players able to play different roles gives the team leader great flexibility in any situation.
A good bench is a requirement for a successful team because it provides a place for a weary player to rest.
This is possibly the finest quality of teamwork— the willingness of one player to step up his level of play and go the extra mile for his teammate in a time of need.
All the team members are informed of where the team stands, they are in a better position to know what it is going to take for the team to succeed.
Without each person’s conviction that the cause is worth the price, the battle will never be won, and the team will not succeed. There must be commitment.
Teamwork for a worthwhile vision makes it possible for common people to attain uncommon results.
8. The Leader’s Greatest Joy: Coaching a Dream Team of Leaders
“The person who figures out how to harness the collective genius of the people in his or her organization is going to blow the competition away!”
A Dream Team Coach Chooses Players Well
If you start with the right people, you won’t have problems later on. If you hire the wrong people, for whatever reason, you’re in serious trouble and all the revolutionary management techniques in the world won’t bail you out.”
If you want to give yourself a chance to win, start by picking winners.
A Dream Team Coach Constantly Communicates the Game Plan
Tell them what you expect of them.
Give them an opportunity to perform.
Let them know how they’re getting along.
Instruct and empower them when they need it.
Reward them according to their contribution.
A Dream Team Coach Takes the Time to Huddle
When a team huddles, it recalls the game plan and how it is to be implemented.
Focus. No matter how often or well a coach communicates the game plan, it never hurts to use huddle time to get people to refocus on what’s important.
An opportunity to listen. When the team gets together, all the players and coaches have a chance to exchange information.
Dream Team Coach Knows what his or her Players Prefer
Three things employees most valued were:
Appreciation for a job well done
A feeling that they’re “in” on things
Management understanding of their personal problems
A Dream Team Coach Excels in Problem Solving
Problems almost always create opportunities— to learn, grow, and improve.
When morale is low, so is production. Good coaches keep their players’ attitudes positive.
Good coaches also recognize that they may need to make reactionary decisions— decisions that should be made quickly then communicated clearly and immediately.
A Dream Team Coach Provides the Support Needed for Success
Facilitators: Push decisions down line. Involve others as much as possible in key decisions and give people space to make those decisions.
View truth and wisdom as being accessible to everyone throughout the organization.
Let those responsible decide how the jobs will be done.
Serve everyone’s interest by developing people.
Give to the organization.
When a team gets a few wins under its belt, it creates a positive attitude and momentum. When it gets a few seasons of wins under its belt, it has a tradition.
Dream Team Coach Commands the Respect of the Players
Dream Team Coach does not Treat Everyone the Same
Coaches are hired to win— not to make everyone happy or give everyone equal time, money, or resources.
Give opportunities, resources, and playing time according to players’ past performance.
Reward the unrewarded. Every team has unsung heroes— people who were underappreciated for their contribution to the team’s success. Find those people and reward them with praise, money, and further opportunities.
Delegation is the most powerful tool leaders have; it increases their individual productivity as well as the productivity of their department or organization. Leaders who can’t or won’t delegate create a bottleneck to productivity.
Leaders will make mistakes in delegation, and the people to whom they delegate will make mistakes. But that is when learning takes place.
Successful delegators cannot simply dump tasks on their people without preparing them for the tasks.
The leader should focus on performing tasks no one else can do, not simply on doing tasks he or she enjoys.
Not having enough time to teach another person to do a job is probably the most common reason people give for not delegating. And not delegating is probably the most common reason people don’t have enough time.
True delegation includes handing over the rights and responsibilities to determine what work must be done, how it will be approached, and who will do it.
9. The Leader’s Finest Hour: Realizing Value to and from Leaders
We always benefit ourselves as well when we assist others.
You set the pace of the organization. You never ask for more than you are willing to give yourself.
Believe in people, and they will rise to fulfill that belief.
People almost always rise to meet your level of expectations. Believe in them, and they will rise to fulfill that belief.
People become empowered when you provide them with three things:
opportunity
freedom
security.
10. The Leader’s Lasting Contribution: Reproducing Generations of Leaders
The ability to become a leader begins with desire.
Relational skills are the most important abilities in leadership.
Leaders are abstract thinkers. They think in terms of intangibles like timing, morale, attitude, momentum, and atmosphere.
Where a leader must slow down to develop followers, stop to develop managers, and backtrack to change the style of misguided leaders, he can actually speed up as he strengthens good leaders.