Book SummaryLeadershift, by John C. Maxwell

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Leadershift

Leadership expert John C. Maxwell argues that today’s leaders must abandon traditional management practices and make leadershifts—changes in how they think, communicate, and act as leaders. In Leadershift, Maxwell shares lessons from a lifetime of leading organizations and coaching developing leaders, sharing common leadership mistakes, and providing guidance for becoming a transformative leader who can inspire great things from others. By making Maxwell’s...

Leadershift Summary Leadership in a Rapidly Changing World

Maxwell argues that today’s leaders must be dynamic, forward thinkers who understand the importance of change. In the business world of the 1970s, the management model of leadership thrived in stable, predictable work environments. However, in modern society, things change rapidly. To help your team and organization excel in a changing environment, you must stop thinking like a manager and become a leader who can encourage growth within your organization, connect with your team, and help people perform at...

Leadershift Summary Principle #1: Put Your Team First and Yourself Second

First, Maxwell writes that to be an effective leader, you must prioritize your team’s needs over your personal ambitions. Many leaders think in terms of what’s best for themselves and base their decisions on their personal goals and opinions. However, Maxwell suggests you consider how you can help your team perform and shine instead of how your team can help you achieve a certain objective. When you focus on supporting your team’s needs and leveraging each member’s strengths, you can harness the collective power of your team and achieve greater results.

(Shortform note: Maxwell’s principle of putting your team before yourself aligns with the philosophy of servant leadership proposed by Robert Greenleaf. In Servant Leadership, Greenleaf argues that the most impactful leaders are those who focus on serving others and making the world a better place. He believes such leaders are the solution to addressing the inefficacies of many American institutions, and he defines three elements of servant leadership: a goal that benefits the...

Leadershift Summary Principle #2: Be Committed to Growth and Improvement

Maxwell argues that leaders must make an active effort to grow and improve instead of just treating growth as a natural result of their experiences. You can do this by pursuing growth instead of achievement and by innovating instead of sticking to tradition.

Pursue Growth Instead of Achievement

Maxwell says leaders must stop focusing on achieving goals and instead prioritize continuous, long-term growth. He argues that when you pursue goals, you focus on external achievements and recognition. While goals may help you accomplish tasks, they don’t necessarily lead to significant personal development or lasting fulfillment. Conversely, when you focus on growth, you develop and challenge yourself, so you can become a more capable person and leader.

(Shortform note: While Maxwell suggests you pursue growth instead of goals, other experts argue that setting goals is invaluable for achieving great success. In The 10X Rule, Grant Cardone argues that highly ambitious goals motivate you to stretch your abilities and work harder, expanding your personal...

Leadershift Summary Principle #3: Unlock Your Team’s Potential

The first two leadership principles cover mindset changes you should make to lead more effectively. Next, we’ll explore management changes you can make to help your team operate at its highest level. Maxwell writes that leaders must: 1) understand instead of command, and 2) encourage diversity instead of uniformity.

Understand People’s Needs and Desires

First, Maxwell recommends you try to understand team members’ needs and desires instead of simply imposing orders without considering their perspectives. Teams achieve better results when the leader and team members are on the same page about what needs to be achieved and why. However, many leaders mistakenly assume they understand their team’s thoughts without asking them. As a result, team members may feel out of sync with the company’s goals and the tasks they’re assigned. They may complete their work but without full commitment, affecting its quality.

To learn about another person’s needs and desires, encourage people to share their thoughts by asking questions and then thoughtfully listening to their answers. This approach isn’t easy, Maxwell writes, because we can get caught up in thinking about how...

Leadershift Summary Principle #4: Gain Respect With Moral Authority

We’ve explored how leaders should shift their mindset and team management approach to lead effectively. However, as a leader you must also develop your influence over others. To do so, you must gain moral authority—respect and recognition for exemplary personal qualities, values, and actions. Having a leadership position may force people to follow you, but earning moral authority makes people want to follow you.

To develop moral authority, Maxwell suggests you:

1. Demonstrate excellence. Prove to your team members that you’re committed to producing excellent work even with the smallest of tasks. By regularly producing quality work, you’ll establish a reputation for competence and earn others’ confidence and esteem.

2. Be consistent in your actions and values. Be steady and reliable by living according to good character traits like integrity, authenticity, humility, and love. This shows people that you mean what you say, which builds trust and security within your team.

**3. Face...

Leadershift Summary Principle #5: Equip Others for Success

Maxwell writes that the hallmark of effective leadership in the modern era is not a leader's personal achievements, but rather their ability to inspire others to grow and become leaders in their own right. Maxwell suggests two ways to become a leader who inspires a new generation of leaders: 1) Focus on what makes people better, not what makes them happy, and 2) encourage others to make a positive difference.

Focus on What Makes People Better, Not What Makes Them Happy

A common misconception is that to be a good leader, you must please everyone and get them on board with your plans and ideas. However, Maxwell argues that effective leadership is about pushing people to reach their potential, which occasionally means making difficult decisions that might not please everyone. This can be hard because we like hearing affirmation and knowing that everyone is happy with our decisions.

To guide others to become their best, you must balance care with candor. Maxwell writes that leaders tend to either be too caring or too candid. If you’re too caring, you won’t initiate difficult conversations to help people grow. If you’re too candid, you’ll fail to connect with...

Shortform Exercise: Plan Your Leadershifts

Evaluate your current leadership approach and consider how to make Maxwell’s leadershifts to unlock your full potential and elevate your team and organization.

Maxwell argues that good leaders focus on helping their team perform well, rather than on achieving their own goals. What’s one way you can promote a collaborative work environment among your team members?