Four of 21 Irrefutable LAWS of Leadership by John Maxwell

4 The Law of Navigation - Anyone Can Steer the Ship, but It Takes a Leader to Chart the Course

Before leaders take their people on a journey, they go through a process in order to give the trip the best chance of being a success:

1. Navigators Draw on Past Experience

- Most natural leaders are activists. They tend to look forward - not backward - make decisions, and move on. But for leaders to become good navigators, they need to take time to reflect and learn from their experiences.

2. Navigators Examine the Conditions Before Making Commitments

- Good navigators count the cost before making commitments for themselves and others. They examine not only measurable factors such as finances, resources, and talent, but also intangibles such as timing, morale, momentum, culture, and so on.

3. Navigators Listen to What Others Have to Say

- No matter how good at leading people are, they will not have all the answers. That's why top-notch navigators gather information from many sources.

4. Navigators Make Sure Their Conclusions Represent Both Faith and Fact

- Being able to navigate for others requires leaders to possess a positive attitude. They have to have faith that they can take their people all the way. On the other hand, they also have to be able to see the facts realistically. If they don't go in with their eyes wide open, they're going to get blindsided.

 Do you have faith you can take your people all the way?