Maxwell's 12th Law: The Law of Empowerment

Maxwell says, "Only secure leaders give power to others." A leader's potential is determined by those closest to him," is John C. Maxwell's 12th Law, from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Follow Them and People Will Follow You (Nelson Books, 1998), p. 121.

He gives a quote from Theodore Roosevelt on p. 125:

The best executive is one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.

Unfortunately, "empowerment" has come to take on a nasty meaning: cutting people lose and letting them sink or swim by their own wits. This is not what a leader does. The leader allows people to take initiative on something, then steps back and makes sure that those they've empowered have the resources to do what they want.

What do you think of this? The goal is to produce more, skilled entrepreneurs. Is this helpful? Post a comment. I'd like to know.

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Entrepreneurship informs all of my professional activities. Entrepreneurial ideas are their life's blood. For my ideas on entrepreneurial real estate go to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog.

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