5 of 21 Irrefutable LAWS of Leadership

Have you ever worked with someone that makes you feel really bad about yourself? They make you feel like what you have to offer is not good enough. A true leader would never do that! John Maxwell explains it best in this LAW of Leadership.

The Law of Addition - Leaders Add Value by Serving Others

The bottom line in leadership isn't how far we advance ourselves, but how far we advance others. That is achieved by serving others and adding value to theif lives. The Law of Addition asks one simple question. Are you making things better for the people who follow you?

I follow four guidelines to help me add value to others.  Three of them are fundamental and can be used by anyone. The fourth is based  on my faith. We add value to others when we:

1. Truly Value Others - Servant leaders should be open, trusting, caring, offering their help, and willing to be vunerable. Leaders who add value by serving believe in their people before their people believe in themselves and serve others before they are served.

2. Make Ourselves More Valuable to Others - The whole idea of adding value to other people depends on the premise that they have something of value to add. The more intentional leaders are in growing personally, the more they will have to offer.

3. Know and Relate to What Others Value - Mature leaders listen to their people's stories., find out about their hopes and dreams, become aquainted with their aspirations, and pay attention to their emotions. And then they lead based upon what they've learned.

4. Do Things That God Values - For me this is a nonnegotiable. I believe that God desires us not only to treat people with respect, but also to actively reach out to them and serve them. The more power I have, the greater my impact on others --- for better or worse. And I always want to be someone who adds value to others, not someone who takes it away.

Do you add value to others or do you take it away?