Week 7: Law 6 — The Law of Solid Ground

1.Maxwell writes, "Trust is the foundation of leadership. Violate it and your leadership is finished." Can you think of a public or historical leader whose leadership collapsed specifically because trust was broken? What was the nature of the violation, and how quickly did the fallout occur?

2.Maxwell uses the example of Robert McNamara and the Vietnam War to illustrate how a leader's credibility erodes when his people discover he has been less than fully honest with them. What were the long-term consequences — for the war effort, for McNamara's leadership, and for America's trust in its leaders? What parallels do you see in modern organizations?

3.Maxwell argues that trust is built through consistent competence, connection, and character — and that character is the most foundational of the three. Why is character more foundational than competence? What happens to competence when character fails?