Several individuals occupy a position of leadership but few truly earn the right to lead. A title means nothing if we do not address the heart of the issue. True leadership begins with character and requires courage to pursue. In his book “The Right to Lead,” John Maxwell gives helpful insight through brief glimpses into the lives of influential men and women throughout history who earned the right to lead. He brings into focus seven indispensable characteristics of worthy leaders: Action, Vision, Sacrifice, Risk, Determination, Service, and Integrity . Each point is brought to life through these different historical personalities who personified these key aspects of leadership.
Effective leaders must learn to, “Rely on the rock of discipline, not the shifting sand of emotion.” Our obsession with positions, popularity, and self-immage cripple us in our endeavor to actually lead others effectively. We must lead in a way that will help others succeed in life, we cannot allow ourselves to fall into the trap of using the people below us to advance ourselves and to help us to selfishly climb the ladder of success. In order to earn the right to lead other, “You’ve got to love your people more than your position.”
“The right to Lead” is a quick read but definitely worth adding to your personal library. It would also be an excellent gift for anyone you may know who is in a position of leadership or simply desiring to live a life worth imitation. The world needs more leaders who are true men and women of character and courage. The principles addressed in this book are absolutely vital in a generation with a plethora of people in leadership positions but few who are truly worthy of followers.
