What do you think?
Rate this book
Developing the Leader Within You 2.0
In this thoroughly revised and updated 25th-anniversary edition of his now-classic work, John C. Maxwell reveals how to develop the vision, value, influence, and motivation required of successful leaders—now in paperback.
Twenty-five years ago, John Maxwell published the book that forever transformed how we think about leadership. Developing the Leader Within You revolutionized the way leaders are made and in the process sold more than one million copies. Now John Maxwell returns to his classic text to include the leadership insights and practices he’s learned in the decades since the book first appeared. Thoroughly revised and with two completely new chapters, this new edition updates the foundational principles for transformative leadership that Maxwell has used as a leader for more than 40 years. No matter what arena you are called to?family, church, business, nonprofit?the principles Maxwell shares will positively impact your own life and the lives of those around you. New readers as well as longtime fans of Maxwell and the original book won’t want to miss out on this one.
Twenty-five years ago, John Maxwell published the book that forever transformed how we think about leadership. Developing the Leader Within You revolutionized the way leaders are made and in the process sold more than one million copies. Now John Maxwell returns to his classic text to include the leadership insights and practices he’s learned in the decades since the book first appeared. Thoroughly revised and with two completely new chapters, this new edition updates the foundational principles for transformative leadership that Maxwell has used as a leader for more than 40 years. No matter what arena you are called to?family, church, business, nonprofit?the principles Maxwell shares will positively impact your own life and the lives of those around you. New readers as well as longtime fans of Maxwell and the original book won’t want to miss out on this one.
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2018
2090 people are currently reading
3033 people want to read
About the author
John C. Maxwell
1,000 books5,859 followersJohn Calvin Maxwell is an American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, primarily focusing on leadership. Titles include The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. Some of his books have been on the New York Times Best Seller List.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews
December 5, 2025
John Maxwell's tone is always very "can do" -- in the first chapter, he's clear that leaders are not "born", your title, seniority and experience won't make you a leader automatically. He's very clear that to become a leader requires a lot of work, but if you choose a path of self-awareness, selflessness and dedication to growth -- you can become a leader. It's a process, not a destination -- and leaders must always be open to learning and listening.
Maxwell's style is a bit different from other leadership books -- he's very practical about the process and provides very clear guidelines for self-inquiry, gaining input from others, and loads of comparison lists that provide both food for thought and a strong sense of where he's coming from in his thinking.
In the first chapter, for example, he offers a list of the differences between a "boss" and a "leader" in his discussion of positional leaders -- who have authority but who are not "leaders."
For example:
"Bosses drive workers; leaders coach them.
Bosses depend on authority; leaders depend on goodwill.
Bosses inspire fear; leaders inspire enthusiasm.
Bosses say, "I"; leaders say, "We."
Bosses fix the blame for any breakdown; leaders fix the breakdown.
Bosses know how it is done; leaders show how.
Bosses say, "Go"; leaders say "Let's go." (p16)
His levels of leadership are similar to many others: Position, Permission, Production, People Development, Pinnacle. However, it is possible to occupy different levels of leadership with different people or in different situations in your life at the same time.
Additionally - leadership is not like PacMan: you have to keep working to maintain the other levels that you've achieved, you can't just coast on reputation, for example.
Maxwell repeatedly stresses the importance of focus and clarity of vision -- Chapter 2 is dedicated to Priorities. Everyone who works in a corporate environment knows how hard it is to get work done when everything is a "high priority" - or when your boss keeps changing your priorities and then holds you accountable for dropped projects that s/he deprioritized weeks ago.
Maxwell's key principles here are of the common sense variety, but folks who are operating out of fear or ego lose sight of them: "smarter not harder" for higher returns or greater productivity; you really can't that you can't have it all; good is the enemy of best. Prioritizing is critical to progress toward a vision or goal.
"Proactive means choosing. Reactive means losing" -- another great comparison chart follows here:
Initiators: prepare, plan ahead, put priorities in their calendars, pick up the phone, etc
Reactors: repair, live in the moment, put other's requests in their calendars, wait for the phone to ring, etc
Another way to better prioritize work is to ask: what is required of me that nobody else can do? what will have the highest return/impact? what is most rewarding? The implication being that leaders need to learn to better delegate -- and a theme throughout the book is to work to your strengths, and to develop others around you. Being clear in your priorities, delegating allows a leader to offer opportunities to develop strengths of others.
But, at the big picture level: "Your long-term career goal should be to align the tasks that answer your requirement, return, and reward questions."
Another great recommendation is to build in time for transition between appointments -- this is something that is hard to enforce in some environments but critical, according to Maxwell, for improving self0-awareness, EQ and renewing your energy level.
Throughout this chapter he's very keen on the "80/20" principle -- and uses it as a general rule for exercises to increase focus and reduce clutter -- "What are 20 percent of people/possessions/activities that I get the most value out of?" and so on. It's simplistic but for those who haven't sat down to think in this way, it could be very useful.
Chapter 3 focuses on character and includes a great story about Pope Francis which surprised me. there are a ton of great questions about "Am I a healthy leader..." to help increase one's awareness of character. For example: "To what extent do I feel superior to those who work for me?" and so on.
If you aren't happy with your character, or things you've done in the past - you can start anew each day -- though he doesn't talk about neuroplasticity, he does have a strong belief in people being able to change their character through self-awareness, self-discipline and good decisions that support the development of others. Character is critical because it builds trustworthiness and you can't lead if people don't trust you.
Trust is something that is the leader's responsibility to develop -- and leaders take risks in both directions; every interaction is an opportunity to build trust.
To build character, Maxwell focuses on these four dimensions: authenticity, self-management, humility, and courage. "Character is not about intelligence - it's about making the right choices."
"You cannot manage others if you don't learn to manage yourself" is a concept that Maxwell reiterates throughout the book -- including a full chapter on Self-Discipline. From self-discipline, you can establish consistency, live according to your values and demonstrate that you are trustworthy to others -- and this increases your ability to lead others.
Courage is necessary to back up self-discipline -- so that you can make the right decisions in the face of fear, doubt or fatigue, or even pressure from those around you. Maxwell repeats throughout that developing character requires learning from and accepting your failures and drawing strength from your weaknesses (or "shadow self").
Maxwell repeatedly stresses utility -- it's no good learning about things if you don't put them to use and actually learn from them. This is the only way you can learn and get on the path of continual personal growth. People always feel awkward doing things differently -- he's got a great story about Wilt Chamberlin experimenting (successfully) with a different way to shoot baskets from the free throw line but giving up on it because he felt it looked silly!
Without calling it "change management" - he talks a bit about the subject, and stresses that people may feel alone when there are changes required of them, and it's best to look at it as a process rather than event and to allow time for people to adapt and accept the need for the change: Slow down, make the communication clear & simple, build in time for people to process & accept, then head into action to implement the change.
He recommends the "PLAN AHEAD" acronym which goes as follows:
Predetermine the change
Lay out steps
Adjust priorities
Notify your team
Allow time for acceptance
Head into action
Expect problems
Always point to successes
Daily review of progress
That's a really concise change management plan!
Problem solving is another key skill for leaders -- it's important to always believe there is a solution, and to self-manage so that you don't increase the magnitude of problems that need to be fixed (see also self-discipline/awareness and prioritization). Ask lots of questions to solve problems and learn to identify potential problems in advance ("Stitch in time, saves nine!"). He recommends creating a framework for solving problems and emphasizes the value of shared problem solving -- asking other others to gain their perspective (ie, "the Socratic method").
Always socialize the ideas to get feedback from the team -- and come up with more than one solution to any problem. Problem solving is often an evolutionary process that requires iterations and input to see incremental change. Finally, always look for lessons in problems -- leaders can learn about themselves and their teams from the way they handle problems.
The chapter on "Attitude" continues to reiterate concepts presented earlier about being proactive, engaged and having a plan. There's a bit of sermonizing about "kids these days" but it's a minor kvetch about nanny government that the author compensates for with a great anecdote about beating procrastination that aligns with much modern neuroplasticity research. Maxwell saw W. Clement Stone speak in 1967, who advised the audience to follow this regimen: for 30 days, repeat "Do it" before going to sleep and when waking up.
This kind of positive affirmation works for many people seeking to change some habit -- I love the idea of fixing procrastination like this. Other self-help fixes for attitude include expressing gratitude on a regular basis, especially in the face of adversity; quit whining - be proactive; learn from your mistakes and always seek to improve.
The "Serving Others" chapter encapsulates information shared earlier in the book -- essentially, don't rely on your position or title. Leaders have to work to connect with people, and serve them by taking an interest and developing them -- and they will reciprocate by following the leader's vision. Always be asking questions and try to see things from others' perspective -- especially how they see you, or your vision. Create a safe environment -- and measure your success not by "production" but by how you develop others.
As a leader, it's important to develop your vision -- share it with others and constantly refine that vision. Equally important is spending time with people who inspire you - and always be paying attention to opportunities and lessons from what you have tried: "Test -> Fail -> Learn -> Improve -> Reenter".
The final chapter on "Self-Discipline" repeats a lot of content from "Character" - but it's a pretty good pep talk that could stand on its own as an article with lots of positive, self-loving encouragement to focus on doing the right thing over and over for continued success. The author connects again with self-awareness and focusing on one's strengths to see the best results. Self-discipline allows you to build new habits based on decisions rather than convenience or emotion -- and it's the first step to being able to help others change their habits and thinking as well.
Maxwell again brings up environment as a critical factor for self-discipline -- surround yourself with people and situations that reinforce your decisions. If you want to get into shape - you hang out with people at the gym or hiking trail, not smokers who just want to "Netflix and chill" - same goes for leadership. Spend time with people who have positive attitudes and who are engaged in finding solutions instead of excuses.
He also encourages the reader to prioritize and focus -- and to rethink things so to spend more time on activities that are aligned with personal strengths and passions:
"Quit something you don't do well to do something you do well
Quit something you're not passionate about to do something that fills you with passion.
Quite something that doesn't make a difference to do something that does, and
Quit something that's not your dream to do something that is."
Life is short -- you can always reframe what you're doing to see it as fitting into your passion or life's purpose but really -- don't hit your head against the wall. If you can identify something that you are good at and love to do -- that's going to make you happier and offer more opportunities to serve others as a leader.
You have to start somewhere -- and create a plan for incremental change and growth. Maxwell emphasizes the need to focus on personal growth daily -- so much of what he advocates is contrary to the goals of modern society which wants to capture your "eyeballs" and empty your pocketbook.
Maxwell practices what he preaches -- he's consistent -- and his message is strong and he reiterates key principles throughout the book. You could pick a single chapter and read it as a stand-alone and because of the thorough reiteration of principles, you would still find some inspiration and value in the chapter.
The book has a little bit of fluff -- there are a lot of repeats of stories of his youthful experiences as a leader and what happened to his first big congregation when he left (it collapsed), and a few other bits of random like a list of light bulb jokes that doesn't really add much. The book would be shorter but stronger if it focused specifically on the topics and exercises (some of which are really great!).
Quotes:
"Character makes you bigger on the inside than the outside"
"How far you can travel isn't the point; it's how far you are able to take your people. That's the purpose of leadership."
"Priorities never stay put."
"Self-discipline moves you from good intentions to good actions. That is what separates words and ideas from actual results."
"Self-discipline always needs fuel. The strongest fuel comes from inspiration and motivation, which are usually connected with your strengths. What you do well usually inspires you and others. And motivation is a by-product of your passion. If you love to do something, you're almost always motivated to do it." (p199)
Exercises include:
- Pick two people you want to influence, figure out which level of leadership you are currently at with that person and focus on using the guidelines at the end of Chapter 1 to begin earning the level above your current one and to strengthen your influencer at lower levels.
- Develop the prioritizer within you by answering the 5 key questions, and then think about the people on your team in a very analytical way (there's a spreadsheet) with their names and impact to the team, and a second worksheet on how you can develop those people. The "three Rs worksheet" also looks promising.
ORIGINAL URL: http://www.livegreenwearblack.com/201...
© Jennifer R Clark. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. You may share and adapt this content with proper attribution.
Maxwell's style is a bit different from other leadership books -- he's very practical about the process and provides very clear guidelines for self-inquiry, gaining input from others, and loads of comparison lists that provide both food for thought and a strong sense of where he's coming from in his thinking.
In the first chapter, for example, he offers a list of the differences between a "boss" and a "leader" in his discussion of positional leaders -- who have authority but who are not "leaders."
For example:
"Bosses drive workers; leaders coach them.
Bosses depend on authority; leaders depend on goodwill.
Bosses inspire fear; leaders inspire enthusiasm.
Bosses say, "I"; leaders say, "We."
Bosses fix the blame for any breakdown; leaders fix the breakdown.
Bosses know how it is done; leaders show how.
Bosses say, "Go"; leaders say "Let's go." (p16)
His levels of leadership are similar to many others: Position, Permission, Production, People Development, Pinnacle. However, it is possible to occupy different levels of leadership with different people or in different situations in your life at the same time.
Additionally - leadership is not like PacMan: you have to keep working to maintain the other levels that you've achieved, you can't just coast on reputation, for example.
Maxwell repeatedly stresses the importance of focus and clarity of vision -- Chapter 2 is dedicated to Priorities. Everyone who works in a corporate environment knows how hard it is to get work done when everything is a "high priority" - or when your boss keeps changing your priorities and then holds you accountable for dropped projects that s/he deprioritized weeks ago.
Maxwell's key principles here are of the common sense variety, but folks who are operating out of fear or ego lose sight of them: "smarter not harder" for higher returns or greater productivity; you really can't that you can't have it all; good is the enemy of best. Prioritizing is critical to progress toward a vision or goal.
"Proactive means choosing. Reactive means losing" -- another great comparison chart follows here:
Initiators: prepare, plan ahead, put priorities in their calendars, pick up the phone, etc
Reactors: repair, live in the moment, put other's requests in their calendars, wait for the phone to ring, etc
Another way to better prioritize work is to ask: what is required of me that nobody else can do? what will have the highest return/impact? what is most rewarding? The implication being that leaders need to learn to better delegate -- and a theme throughout the book is to work to your strengths, and to develop others around you. Being clear in your priorities, delegating allows a leader to offer opportunities to develop strengths of others.
But, at the big picture level: "Your long-term career goal should be to align the tasks that answer your requirement, return, and reward questions."
Another great recommendation is to build in time for transition between appointments -- this is something that is hard to enforce in some environments but critical, according to Maxwell, for improving self0-awareness, EQ and renewing your energy level.
Throughout this chapter he's very keen on the "80/20" principle -- and uses it as a general rule for exercises to increase focus and reduce clutter -- "What are 20 percent of people/possessions/activities that I get the most value out of?" and so on. It's simplistic but for those who haven't sat down to think in this way, it could be very useful.
Chapter 3 focuses on character and includes a great story about Pope Francis which surprised me. there are a ton of great questions about "Am I a healthy leader..." to help increase one's awareness of character. For example: "To what extent do I feel superior to those who work for me?" and so on.
If you aren't happy with your character, or things you've done in the past - you can start anew each day -- though he doesn't talk about neuroplasticity, he does have a strong belief in people being able to change their character through self-awareness, self-discipline and good decisions that support the development of others. Character is critical because it builds trustworthiness and you can't lead if people don't trust you.
Trust is something that is the leader's responsibility to develop -- and leaders take risks in both directions; every interaction is an opportunity to build trust.
To build character, Maxwell focuses on these four dimensions: authenticity, self-management, humility, and courage. "Character is not about intelligence - it's about making the right choices."
"You cannot manage others if you don't learn to manage yourself" is a concept that Maxwell reiterates throughout the book -- including a full chapter on Self-Discipline. From self-discipline, you can establish consistency, live according to your values and demonstrate that you are trustworthy to others -- and this increases your ability to lead others.
Courage is necessary to back up self-discipline -- so that you can make the right decisions in the face of fear, doubt or fatigue, or even pressure from those around you. Maxwell repeats throughout that developing character requires learning from and accepting your failures and drawing strength from your weaknesses (or "shadow self").
Maxwell repeatedly stresses utility -- it's no good learning about things if you don't put them to use and actually learn from them. This is the only way you can learn and get on the path of continual personal growth. People always feel awkward doing things differently -- he's got a great story about Wilt Chamberlin experimenting (successfully) with a different way to shoot baskets from the free throw line but giving up on it because he felt it looked silly!
Without calling it "change management" - he talks a bit about the subject, and stresses that people may feel alone when there are changes required of them, and it's best to look at it as a process rather than event and to allow time for people to adapt and accept the need for the change: Slow down, make the communication clear & simple, build in time for people to process & accept, then head into action to implement the change.
He recommends the "PLAN AHEAD" acronym which goes as follows:
Predetermine the change
Lay out steps
Adjust priorities
Notify your team
Allow time for acceptance
Head into action
Expect problems
Always point to successes
Daily review of progress
That's a really concise change management plan!
Problem solving is another key skill for leaders -- it's important to always believe there is a solution, and to self-manage so that you don't increase the magnitude of problems that need to be fixed (see also self-discipline/awareness and prioritization). Ask lots of questions to solve problems and learn to identify potential problems in advance ("Stitch in time, saves nine!"). He recommends creating a framework for solving problems and emphasizes the value of shared problem solving -- asking other others to gain their perspective (ie, "the Socratic method").
Always socialize the ideas to get feedback from the team -- and come up with more than one solution to any problem. Problem solving is often an evolutionary process that requires iterations and input to see incremental change. Finally, always look for lessons in problems -- leaders can learn about themselves and their teams from the way they handle problems.
The chapter on "Attitude" continues to reiterate concepts presented earlier about being proactive, engaged and having a plan. There's a bit of sermonizing about "kids these days" but it's a minor kvetch about nanny government that the author compensates for with a great anecdote about beating procrastination that aligns with much modern neuroplasticity research. Maxwell saw W. Clement Stone speak in 1967, who advised the audience to follow this regimen: for 30 days, repeat "Do it" before going to sleep and when waking up.
This kind of positive affirmation works for many people seeking to change some habit -- I love the idea of fixing procrastination like this. Other self-help fixes for attitude include expressing gratitude on a regular basis, especially in the face of adversity; quit whining - be proactive; learn from your mistakes and always seek to improve.
The "Serving Others" chapter encapsulates information shared earlier in the book -- essentially, don't rely on your position or title. Leaders have to work to connect with people, and serve them by taking an interest and developing them -- and they will reciprocate by following the leader's vision. Always be asking questions and try to see things from others' perspective -- especially how they see you, or your vision. Create a safe environment -- and measure your success not by "production" but by how you develop others.
As a leader, it's important to develop your vision -- share it with others and constantly refine that vision. Equally important is spending time with people who inspire you - and always be paying attention to opportunities and lessons from what you have tried: "Test -> Fail -> Learn -> Improve -> Reenter".
The final chapter on "Self-Discipline" repeats a lot of content from "Character" - but it's a pretty good pep talk that could stand on its own as an article with lots of positive, self-loving encouragement to focus on doing the right thing over and over for continued success. The author connects again with self-awareness and focusing on one's strengths to see the best results. Self-discipline allows you to build new habits based on decisions rather than convenience or emotion -- and it's the first step to being able to help others change their habits and thinking as well.
Maxwell again brings up environment as a critical factor for self-discipline -- surround yourself with people and situations that reinforce your decisions. If you want to get into shape - you hang out with people at the gym or hiking trail, not smokers who just want to "Netflix and chill" - same goes for leadership. Spend time with people who have positive attitudes and who are engaged in finding solutions instead of excuses.
He also encourages the reader to prioritize and focus -- and to rethink things so to spend more time on activities that are aligned with personal strengths and passions:
"Quit something you don't do well to do something you do well
Quit something you're not passionate about to do something that fills you with passion.
Quite something that doesn't make a difference to do something that does, and
Quit something that's not your dream to do something that is."
Life is short -- you can always reframe what you're doing to see it as fitting into your passion or life's purpose but really -- don't hit your head against the wall. If you can identify something that you are good at and love to do -- that's going to make you happier and offer more opportunities to serve others as a leader.
You have to start somewhere -- and create a plan for incremental change and growth. Maxwell emphasizes the need to focus on personal growth daily -- so much of what he advocates is contrary to the goals of modern society which wants to capture your "eyeballs" and empty your pocketbook.
Maxwell practices what he preaches -- he's consistent -- and his message is strong and he reiterates key principles throughout the book. You could pick a single chapter and read it as a stand-alone and because of the thorough reiteration of principles, you would still find some inspiration and value in the chapter.
The book has a little bit of fluff -- there are a lot of repeats of stories of his youthful experiences as a leader and what happened to his first big congregation when he left (it collapsed), and a few other bits of random like a list of light bulb jokes that doesn't really add much. The book would be shorter but stronger if it focused specifically on the topics and exercises (some of which are really great!).
Quotes:
"Character makes you bigger on the inside than the outside"
"How far you can travel isn't the point; it's how far you are able to take your people. That's the purpose of leadership."
"Priorities never stay put."
"Self-discipline moves you from good intentions to good actions. That is what separates words and ideas from actual results."
"Self-discipline always needs fuel. The strongest fuel comes from inspiration and motivation, which are usually connected with your strengths. What you do well usually inspires you and others. And motivation is a by-product of your passion. If you love to do something, you're almost always motivated to do it." (p199)
Exercises include:
- Pick two people you want to influence, figure out which level of leadership you are currently at with that person and focus on using the guidelines at the end of Chapter 1 to begin earning the level above your current one and to strengthen your influencer at lower levels.
- Develop the prioritizer within you by answering the 5 key questions, and then think about the people on your team in a very analytical way (there's a spreadsheet) with their names and impact to the team, and a second worksheet on how you can develop those people. The "three Rs worksheet" also looks promising.
ORIGINAL URL: http://www.livegreenwearblack.com/201...
© Jennifer R Clark. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. You may share and adapt this content with proper attribution.
April 10, 2023
I listened to this book on audio and when I finished, immediately listened to it again.
I want to say I did that because it was so mind-blowing I needed to fully absorb it. But it was more like...I wanted to make sure I hadn't missed some secret profundity?
This is a practical book about leadership, no doubt about it. But it is also very much a business/self-help book. It makes practical, useful points and then places them side by side with pithy stories and Dad jokes. It keeps the buzz words and acronyms to a minimum, which is a major plus. And it obviously comes from a place of experience which is always good to learn from.
But...I just can't help feeling that outside of the few personal takeaways I gleaned, I'm going to forget this book pretty fast if I don't intentionally come back.
I want to say I did that because it was so mind-blowing I needed to fully absorb it. But it was more like...I wanted to make sure I hadn't missed some secret profundity?
This is a practical book about leadership, no doubt about it. But it is also very much a business/self-help book. It makes practical, useful points and then places them side by side with pithy stories and Dad jokes. It keeps the buzz words and acronyms to a minimum, which is a major plus. And it obviously comes from a place of experience which is always good to learn from.
But...I just can't help feeling that outside of the few personal takeaways I gleaned, I'm going to forget this book pretty fast if I don't intentionally come back.
April 15, 2018
There are some great insights and comments in this book that I've noted for myself to remember in future. I also really appreciated that while the author is a religious leader, he really takes care not to push the religious facets of his views on readers who don't have the same philosophy. The only reason I don't rate this book higher is because I personally really didn't care for the writing style - the book felt too choppy with too many short segments, and there were a lot of sections that had long quotes or lists of questions that just didn't quite appeal to how I prefer to learn from reading.
June 14, 2018
As I've read a lot of books and have listened to some great speakers on leadership, I'm not sure this book included a lot that I didn't already know. But, it was nice to have it all in one place for easy reference. Priorities, character, problem-solving skills, attitude, servant's heart, vision, self-discipline, and personal growth--none are topics for the weak of heart, but then strong leaders are also not weak of heart.
Throughout the book, Mr. Maxwell writes with his characteristic casual, friendly style, and he provides a plethora of examples throughout each chapter--almost too many examples for me. But his points were all well considered and appropriately made.
Throughout the book, Mr. Maxwell writes with his characteristic casual, friendly style, and he provides a plethora of examples throughout each chapter--almost too many examples for me. But his points were all well considered and appropriately made.
January 14, 2021
While it did have some good points, the entire book could have been distilled into a 2,000 word essay. It read like a typical self-help book in which the same basic concepts were repeated and rephrased a hundred different ways in order to fill up pages.
March 12, 2022
Are you a "self-made" man/woman? If yes, then that's sad to know!
If you've done it all alone, chances are you haven't done much! because "one" is too small of a number to achieve greatness.
As Steve Jobs once said: "Great things in business are never done by one person, they are done by a team of talented people”.
Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.
The law of inner-circle says: A leader's potential is determined by those closest to him.
The next question that arises is how can we attract those talented group of people and keep them working on our grand vision?
The answer is: through leadership.
If you know what it takes to become a great leader, and you are working towards that, you have a good chance of finding, convincing and keeping those talented individuals to notice you, join you and keep working alongside you to achieve your vision.
"Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. The person with the most influence, at any given time, for any give reason, in any given group, is the leader of the pack."
"Everything raises and falls on leadership. Leaders are responsible for the success and failure of their organization."
John C. Maxwell is a legend when it comes to leadership. He has written 100+ books and sold ~25-30 million books on the subject. He has taught and trained millions of leaders world wide.
His most popular work is called: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
Here is a link to a playlist which he teach that book. Don't miss this:
https://lnkd.in/dvNExtug
I attended many of his courses on leadership and teamwork and read several of his books.
I re-read this one just as reminder of what it takes to become a leader.
What do you think about leadership? are you developing your leadership skills? What it takes to become a leader?
Happy reading!
If you've done it all alone, chances are you haven't done much! because "one" is too small of a number to achieve greatness.
As Steve Jobs once said: "Great things in business are never done by one person, they are done by a team of talented people”.
Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.
The law of inner-circle says: A leader's potential is determined by those closest to him.
The next question that arises is how can we attract those talented group of people and keep them working on our grand vision?
The answer is: through leadership.
If you know what it takes to become a great leader, and you are working towards that, you have a good chance of finding, convincing and keeping those talented individuals to notice you, join you and keep working alongside you to achieve your vision.
"Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. The person with the most influence, at any given time, for any give reason, in any given group, is the leader of the pack."
"Everything raises and falls on leadership. Leaders are responsible for the success and failure of their organization."
John C. Maxwell is a legend when it comes to leadership. He has written 100+ books and sold ~25-30 million books on the subject. He has taught and trained millions of leaders world wide.
His most popular work is called: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
Here is a link to a playlist which he teach that book. Don't miss this:
https://lnkd.in/dvNExtug
I attended many of his courses on leadership and teamwork and read several of his books.
I re-read this one just as reminder of what it takes to become a leader.
What do you think about leadership? are you developing your leadership skills? What it takes to become a leader?
Happy reading!
February 1, 2018
I am a dedicated reader of John Maxwell's book. I try to get my hands on as much of his material as I can. So, when the opportunity to review his latest book arose, Developing the Leader Within You 2.0, I was excited. Plus, it was an update of a book that has had an impact on my life. I could not wait.
I was surprised to see how much of this book was Maxwell simply using material from other books that he has written in the last decade or so. If you have read anything from Maxwell during that time period then most of what is in this book will be a retelling of that material. While I am not disappointed, I was a bit let down as I was hoping for some new material.
That said, this book is a compiling of works Maxwell has written in the last 10 years and for those who are not familiar with Maxwell's leadership knowledge this book is a great place to begin. For those who are familiar, it is a bit of the same old, same old.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I was surprised to see how much of this book was Maxwell simply using material from other books that he has written in the last decade or so. If you have read anything from Maxwell during that time period then most of what is in this book will be a retelling of that material. While I am not disappointed, I was a bit let down as I was hoping for some new material.
That said, this book is a compiling of works Maxwell has written in the last 10 years and for those who are not familiar with Maxwell's leadership knowledge this book is a great place to begin. For those who are familiar, it is a bit of the same old, same old.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
December 11, 2023
When the author said “my life was about to change after reading this book” I almost believed him, but should have known better.
Here we are again - another privileged religious white man who says all the things we already know, with cute rhyming phrases I’m sure he gets royalties for. Lead with your heart? Care about your employees? Leaders need followers? No shit. His examples aren’t even real life examples. No wonder his advice seems to work perfectly in his teletubby lala land. Sounds just like the 2.0 version of the author who wrote “seven habits” except it’s much shorter - thank goodness. I wouldn’t be surprised if version 3.0 is a combo book written by him and Joel Osteen
Here we are again - another privileged religious white man who says all the things we already know, with cute rhyming phrases I’m sure he gets royalties for. Lead with your heart? Care about your employees? Leaders need followers? No shit. His examples aren’t even real life examples. No wonder his advice seems to work perfectly in his teletubby lala land. Sounds just like the 2.0 version of the author who wrote “seven habits” except it’s much shorter - thank goodness. I wouldn’t be surprised if version 3.0 is a combo book written by him and Joel Osteen
September 24, 2019
This is the 3rd book pick in our Leadership Book Club. This is Version "2.0" of his "Developing the Leader Within You" book, which he wrote 25 years ago, and although I have not read the first one, I already know how much this one is better, because I know he has included lessons he has learned throughout the years, and much of his experiences into this.
If you are not familiar with who John Maxwell is, in a nutshell, he is one of the most prominent stewards of leadership out there -- he is an author, speaker, and coach who has written around 22 books and has spoken to millions of audiences around the world, primarily leaders. He has started his career since the 1970's. His passion includes mentoring and sharing his wisdom to leaders, whom he knows could also help others, which fuels his desire to help and reach as much people as he can. This is why he has written several books in addition to speaking, because he knows his influence can span outward even more and can reach a wider audience, more people than who he can talk to in a given room.
I loved reading this book. It is easy to understand, straight to the point, and summarized well with his recommendations. There are practical and useful steps and ways to apply what you're learning. I find myself nodding and agreeing to things he has shared and written, and I know I'll be coming back to this for reference in how I'd like to change how I lead. This is his most recent book, so most of the lessons he shared apply to both young leaders starting out, and experienced leaders who long to grow. And he encourages growth -- he dedicated one full chapter on it in this book.
It is true that most people assume that leaders are the only ones with the titles and positions, but the truth is, we all can become leaders, if we really want to develop ourselves and our potential -- especially if you know within your heart that you want to make a difference in this world. It starts with that spark. "Leadership is influence. . . . You have influence in this world, but realizing your potential as a leader is your responsibility."
He talks about the definition of leadership and its five stages, how to prioritize, developing character and self-respect, creating positive change, solving problems, having the right attitude, being open to failure and challenges, serving people, having a vision, the importance of cultivating self-discipline and good habits, and the desire for personal growth.
There is a lot to absorb, knowing that there is a lot for me to learn. I know I have to continue to develop and change for the better, and feed myself with good lessons, both in my working life and in my personal journey. I'll be reading more of his other books for sure in the near future. "If you want to grow as a person and as a leader, you must be willing to surrender feeling right so that you can find what actually is right."
And if you are one to feel like it's too late for you or you're not one to be in a position of leadership, think again. It is never too late, and there is no stopping you and what you want to accomplish. "Though you cannot go back and make a brand-new start, my friend, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new end."
If you are not familiar with who John Maxwell is, in a nutshell, he is one of the most prominent stewards of leadership out there -- he is an author, speaker, and coach who has written around 22 books and has spoken to millions of audiences around the world, primarily leaders. He has started his career since the 1970's. His passion includes mentoring and sharing his wisdom to leaders, whom he knows could also help others, which fuels his desire to help and reach as much people as he can. This is why he has written several books in addition to speaking, because he knows his influence can span outward even more and can reach a wider audience, more people than who he can talk to in a given room.
I loved reading this book. It is easy to understand, straight to the point, and summarized well with his recommendations. There are practical and useful steps and ways to apply what you're learning. I find myself nodding and agreeing to things he has shared and written, and I know I'll be coming back to this for reference in how I'd like to change how I lead. This is his most recent book, so most of the lessons he shared apply to both young leaders starting out, and experienced leaders who long to grow. And he encourages growth -- he dedicated one full chapter on it in this book.
It is true that most people assume that leaders are the only ones with the titles and positions, but the truth is, we all can become leaders, if we really want to develop ourselves and our potential -- especially if you know within your heart that you want to make a difference in this world. It starts with that spark. "Leadership is influence. . . . You have influence in this world, but realizing your potential as a leader is your responsibility."
He talks about the definition of leadership and its five stages, how to prioritize, developing character and self-respect, creating positive change, solving problems, having the right attitude, being open to failure and challenges, serving people, having a vision, the importance of cultivating self-discipline and good habits, and the desire for personal growth.
There is a lot to absorb, knowing that there is a lot for me to learn. I know I have to continue to develop and change for the better, and feed myself with good lessons, both in my working life and in my personal journey. I'll be reading more of his other books for sure in the near future. "If you want to grow as a person and as a leader, you must be willing to surrender feeling right so that you can find what actually is right."
And if you are one to feel like it's too late for you or you're not one to be in a position of leadership, think again. It is never too late, and there is no stopping you and what you want to accomplish. "Though you cannot go back and make a brand-new start, my friend, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new end."
July 8, 2019
Para todos que necesiten adentrarse en el liderazgo.
Segundo libro que leo de este excelente autor. Desarrolla los capítulos de forma genial y habla de cómo ha logrado desarrollar el liderazgo en su persona. Super recomendado...
Segundo libro que leo de este excelente autor. Desarrolla los capítulos de forma genial y habla de cómo ha logrado desarrollar el liderazgo en su persona. Super recomendado...
February 18, 2023
Learned alot and wasn't to complicated so that was nice.
December 7, 2022
Tiene algunos puntos interesantes para poner en práctica, sobre todo la parte de servir a los demás.
March 20, 2021
Very good practical leadership insight. There’s a lot of things that I’m going to practice after reading this book
April 15, 2022
Lots of great material on how great a leader John Maxwell is having followed the John Maxwell school of management and completed several of the John Maxwell leadership courses and read all of the many great John Maxwell books…
I jest ever so slightly. The 5 levels idea is genuinely novel and helpful but a lot of the rest felt in need of further editing.
I jest ever so slightly. The 5 levels idea is genuinely novel and helpful but a lot of the rest felt in need of further editing.
May 13, 2019
Considering the notoriety of the author, I expected much more from this book. I am an avid reader of any type of self motivating text I can get my hands on. From the start of the first chapter I felt the information was generalized and shortened. I thought perhaps it was just the intro for the more in depth message to come but to my dismay the entire book is written like this. There are a few good quotes and it’s always good to read little reminders but If you already understand the importance of good character and have a firm grasp of not wasting your precious time, then this book will bore you.
February 7, 2020
John Maxwell is an incredible leader and so many have learned from his valuable insights. Whether you have read any of his other materials or not, this book is a must read for anyone in leadership- or anyone who wants to be. He continues to take risks, to learn and to grow and he shares his priceless experiences here.
The publisher provided an ARC through Netgalley. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts
The publisher provided an ARC through Netgalley. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts
August 11, 2020
Was required reading at work since I was in management. Altogether cliched and stale. Note that the author is a pastor and religion, though the author denies, creeps into many chapters.
Not recommended reading for the 21st Century
Not recommended reading for the 21st Century
September 16, 2020
John Maxwell drops gems on how to lead and build teams, practical steps, and principles based on years of research and studies on how to become better and excel as a leader.
February 11, 2022
John Maxwell is one of the original leadership business gurus and this is one of his classic works. Inspiring and insightful, Maxwell describes what it means to be a leader and how one can develop these characteristics to succeed in life and business. Written in a down to earth practical style - at once accessible and simple- but also thoughtful and inspiring of reflection. With two new chapters added., the 25th anniversary edition includes exercises and worksheets. Maxwell expertly adds and updates his classic with what he had learned in the past 25 years! Enlightening and educational for all leaders whether in the kitchen or on Wall Street!
May 21, 2025
No flow.
Are there some good points? Sure.
Are there lessons to learn? Sure.
Could it all have been an essay, blog, or email? Please.
The content is fine to good. That's not my issue. My issue is with how Maxwell (and all of his peons) write. There's no real storytelling; no real movement. He's not taking us on a journey. He's giving us a checklist. Each chapter is one idea that has eight main points, each of which has four subpoints. It's all so formulaic. So much so that he has his team come up with a quote or illustration for, literally, every. single. point. It's all just tedious.
Basically...
Good content.
Bad book.
Are there some good points? Sure.
Are there lessons to learn? Sure.
Could it all have been an essay, blog, or email? Please.
The content is fine to good. That's not my issue. My issue is with how Maxwell (and all of his peons) write. There's no real storytelling; no real movement. He's not taking us on a journey. He's giving us a checklist. Each chapter is one idea that has eight main points, each of which has four subpoints. It's all so formulaic. So much so that he has his team come up with a quote or illustration for, literally, every. single. point. It's all just tedious.
Basically...
Good content.
Bad book.
November 15, 2025
For me, this book was a nothingburger. Is it full of pablum for C-level executives, who probably get excited when discussing how to be better leaders. It is full of overly vague strategies, peppered with somewhat witty quotes.
Did I get anything out of this? Yes, actually. I think it is important to reflect and reset. But, this kind of book is definitely not my thing.
Cheerleadering doesn't win the game. The players do, because they're the ones playing. I guess I approach the concept of leadership similarly. But, everyone is going to go through different processes to improve, and this is why I don't enjoy reading self-improvement books. Without anything concrete this book taught me nothing I didn't already know.
Did I get anything out of this? Yes, actually. I think it is important to reflect and reset. But, this kind of book is definitely not my thing.
Cheerleadering doesn't win the game. The players do, because they're the ones playing. I guess I approach the concept of leadership similarly. But, everyone is going to go through different processes to improve, and this is why I don't enjoy reading self-improvement books. Without anything concrete this book taught me nothing I didn't already know.
September 18, 2020
A very good book on becoming a better me. I had the honor of reading this and then doing a discussion with 8 of my friends. It is a great book to read but and even better study with a group. Do yourself a favor, grab a few people, and read it together. Do the exercises and ask yourself a few questions. This book can change your outlook as well as your life for the better.
July 2, 2023
Un buen libro de Maxwell, aunque quizá me tardé en leerlo porque ya he leído bastante de liderazgo, un libro tras otro.
De cualquier forma, es un buen libro sobre liderazgo, con ideas que adopté (o sonaron bastante sensatas para mí debido a su planteamiento).
Un buen libro si buscas algo sobre liderazgo (probablemente lo mejor que he leído de Maxwell hasta ahora).
De cualquier forma, es un buen libro sobre liderazgo, con ideas que adopté (o sonaron bastante sensatas para mí debido a su planteamiento).
Un buen libro si buscas algo sobre liderazgo (probablemente lo mejor que he leído de Maxwell hasta ahora).
June 29, 2024
This book is filled with pearls of wisdom and inspirational stories. Anyone who wants to be a good leader will realize that it's not that complicated. Good leaders look out for the people they lead. If you're not a good leader, it's either because you don't know the people very well (e.g., lack of communication) or because you're not dealing with problems effectively (e.g., conflict management).
April 24, 2019
I haven't read a John Maxwell book I DIDN'T draw something from. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I'll be buying this in hardcopy to digest a bit more, take notes, journal, and share with others in my leadership circles.
March 8, 2021
This is a good consolidation of leadership principles but does not add much to the field IMO.
August 22, 2021
Great applicational tools for becoming a better and more affective leader.
January 5, 2023
John maxwell writes solid books on leadership.
March 27, 2023
Learned a ton! Read this one with a notepad nearby. And now I have a whole list of books the author referenced to check out!
August 30, 2023
Loved all the ideas in this book. Not only do the topics address how to develop yourself as a leader, but they also apply to just how to live a better and more fulfilling life. I’m not totally in love with all the anecdotes and overall chattiness, but it adds great voice and character to the writing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews