To continually develop as leaders, we must remain active learners! Bill Johnson once said, “If you’re not growing, you’re dead.” We are designed to continually experience growth in our lives as God takes us from “glory to glory” (II Corinthians 3:18 NKJV). One way we can develop our leadership aptitudes individually and within a team is to utilize resources that offer sound wisdom and practical application of leadership principles.
If you are pursuing growth as a leader or within your school leadership team, our SPD staff recommends The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John C. Maxwell. In his work, Maxwell describes principles to create a highly successful team as both a leader and team member. We encourage you to check out this resources that can help you transform the culture of your leadership team!
Book Overview
Drawing from his years of experience leading and building highly successful organizations, Maxwell describes the culture or values that drive successful teamwork in 17 bite-size laws (chapter by chapter). His book provides “how-to’s” and attitudes for building a successful team. Through organic, practical teaching, he addresses how efficiency is dependent upon several factors such as an individual’s and a team’s vision, attitudes, roles, identity, communication and more.
For example, in a chapter titled The Law of Niche, Maxwell describes the importance of helping a team’s members find the place where they add the most value. Their niche is the place that will draw out their gifting and skills. Furthermore, it is the place that will challenge them to grow, without displacing them from their strengths. In this chapter, Maxwell encourages leaders, “To help people reach their potential and maximize their effectiveness, stretch them out of their comfort zones, but never out out their gift zones” (Maxwell, p. 41).
In order to empower individuals to operate in their full potential and maximum effectiveness, we must become leaders who understand how to operate in our potential and gifting. As we grow to recognize our own “niche,” we can better support the members of our team to find their own. Studying this leadership principle and many more can help you develop a leadership culture and set of strategies to maximize the effectiveness of your team!
SPD Staff Review
While reading this book, I discovered an area of weakness for me as a leader in the chapter titled the Law of the Catalyst. There are several characteristics that reflect the nature of a catalyst. Some of these include communicative, passionate, initiating and influential. As one who does not naturally take the spotlight (as Maxwell put it), I have to intentionally develop my charisma by taking more opportunities to express my passion and message as a leader.
Desiring to become a more catalytic leader who can rally my team, I am pursuing Maxwell’s suggestions to pursue mentorship, a growth plan and finding opportunities to get out of my comfort zone. Adding such fuel to my leadership is crucial for my team’s success because it spurs a corporate passion and a sense of purpose towards accomplishing our goals.
Source: Maxwell, John C. The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork. Nashville: Maxwell Motivation, Inc. 2001. 41. Print.
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