The single most impactful book I ever read was “21 Laws of Leadership” by John C. Maxwell. It was given to me because of a recent failing – and taught me some of the most formative lessons that I still rely on today, including “Iron sharpens Iron.”
#TwoMinuteMondays
Transcript
You can learn a lot from failure – if you embrace it.
I was a not a good first-time manager when I was promoted to lead a team that I’d been part of. I came from an authoritarian background, and it showed. After several months, I was stepped back down. But then, the growth started:
One of my peers, Peter, gave me a book that changed my life – the 21 Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell. Peter offered me a 1:1 book club for 21 weeks, where we’d each read one chapter, 7-10 pages covering one of those 21 laws, and then talk about applying each one to our current circumstances. I got several learnings out of that experience, starting with:
- Humility about myself and my understanding of what it means to be a leader.
- I became a life-long disciple of John Maxwell’s books on servant leadership – and later discovered Andy Stanley and other authors whose perspectives were grounded in serving others.
- I became an avid reader for learning – something I never picked up back when I “had to” open a book.
- I discovered the power of common taxonomy. There are thousands of books on leadership, on personal strengths, on working better within teams. Some books ARE better than others, but one huge key is to read the same book – so that everyone is using the same terms and mindset when looking at a situation.
- I learned the importance of accountability, like a book club, where there is an external expectation for you to read, whether you feel like it this week or not.
But the most surprising lesson … was the power of peer-based mentoring.
I’d always assumed that mentoring was Batman to Robin … Senior to Junior. Certainly, Paul to Timothy mentorships are powerful for the mentee – and they are just as beneficial for the mentor, in different ways. That said, there is something special about being a Barnabas – a peer – when we embrace the proverb that “Iron Sharpens Iron”.
Two peers investing in each other can be absolutely transformative. In the workplace (regardless of titles), this includes everything from helping improve skills or watching each other’s blind spots, to simply being a safe place to vent and seek perspective. Imagine looking beside you and saying “I’m on a journey that seems similar to yours – how about we walk together and help each other as we go?”
No matter where you are in your career (or life), you ought to have at least one mentor AND be looking for at least one mentee. But don’t forget to also seek out someone whom you can bidirectionally learn from and grow with. See ya next Monday.
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