The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
Week 19: Law 18 — The Law of Sacrifice
Read Chapter 18 of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Key concept: a leader must give up to go up.
Previewing Week 19 of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
Read 3 of 6 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 23-week guide when you’re ready.
Every other law in this book describes what a leader does — this one describes what a leader gives up, and Maxwell argues that the willingness to sacrifice is what separates leaders who plateau from leaders who keep climbing.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Maxwell's principle: "A leader must give up to go up." What have you given up — rights, comforts, freedoms, relationships, preferences, or status — in order to lead well? Looking back, do you think those sacrifices were worth it?
2.Maxwell makes the point that the higher you go as a leader, the more you must sacrifice — and the sacrifices become more personal, not less. Have you encountered this reality? How have the sacrifices at your current level of leadership differed from those at earlier levels?
3.Maxwell uses the example of his own decision to leave a large, successful church to take a smaller, more strategic role — a move that looked like a step down but opened enormous new doors. Have you ever made (or considered) a sacrifice that looked like a step backward but had the potential to produce greater long-term impact?
a.What was the hardest part of that decision?
b.How did it turn out, or how are you still waiting to see?