Book of the Month - July 2023
Self Aware Leader
John Maxwell - ISBN: 978-0-7852-6664-8 - 2021
Author:
John Maxwell
John C. Maxwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, coach, and speaker who has sold more than 33 million books in fifty languages. He has been identified as the #1 leader in business and the most influential leadership expert in the world. His organizations - the John Maxwell Company, The John Maxwell Team, EQUIP, and the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation - have translated his teachings into seventy languages and used them to train millions of leaders from every country of the world. A recipient of the Horatio Alger Award, as well as the Mother Teresa Prize for Global Peace and Leadership from the Luminary Leadership Network, Dr. Maxwell influences Fortune 500 CEOs, the presidents of nations, and entrepreneurs worldwide. For more information about him visit JohnMaxwell.com.
Brief Synopsis:
Lack of self-awareness is the single greatest obstacle leaders face in their development, effectiveness, and advancement. Dr. John C. Maxwell will help any leader become more self-aware, focused, and confident.
With fifty years of leading and teaching experience, influential leadership expert and speaker John C. Maxwell can help you become your best leadership self.
In The Self-Aware Leader, Maxwell teaches you how to:
gauge your effectiveness as a leader,
make better choices that lead to success,
discover and correct your own mistakes,
improve your leadership with the team, and
make the right trades in your career.
Self-awareness is key for new and seasoned leaders who want to avoid micro-managing, handle criticism with grace, and give others the credit they deserve. Maxwell also aims to help current and new managers looking to identify their strengths, become better learners, and improve their listening skills.
When leaders don’t see themselves clearly, understand their strengths and weaknesses, or recognize their negative interactions with their team, they limit their influence and undermine their own effectiveness. What’s the solution? Become a self-aware leader.
Insights:
“Leadership is a trust, not a right. For that reason, we must “fix” ourselves earlier than others may be required to. We must always seek to do what’s right, no matter how high we rise or how powerful we become. It’s a struggle we never outgrow.” - pg. 11
When we hear without really listening, our leadership is bound to suffer—and so will our followers. That’s why my advice to leaders is to listen, learn, and then lead.” - pg. 56
“I realized that success would be mine only if others helped me, and I helped them. Your team will never get ahead until your people are behind you, and that won’t happen if you take all the credit.” - pg. 150
Should I read it or skip it?
At 155 pages, this book is one of John Maxwell’s lighter books. I have read several and always get something out of them when I read them. This book helped me to see things about myself I wouldn’t normally explore. I would suggest reading this book with a group of other leaders so you can get the full benefit of reading and getting feedback from other leaders about how you may or may not exhibit certain behaviors. I would not skip it but I would bring people along for the journey.
