The Brutal Law of the Lid

This is such a brutal law by Maxwell. It means that if you can't find good leaders to serve with you, it's probably... gulp... your own fault. Great leaders don't follow good leaders. And good leaders don't follow bad leaders. At least, not for very long. Doesn't mean you have to be better at what they do than they are. Most def not. In fact, if you're leading well, you'll be surrounded by talented specialists. But an indicator of your leadership ability is who is standing around you.

Comments

[Ken]

Ben, I have read this a lot from Maxwell and others. But I have some questions about this.

The first thought that comes to my mind, "Then who is doing all the work these 'great' leaders come up with?"

I mean leaders usually want to do their own thing. Therefore they go do that and do not follow other leaders. What I see in leaders is that they usually attract followers who will carry out the leaders ideas or tasks, or am I totally missing it?

Leaders may run around with each other as friends, but... not sure I see leaders on the same team a lot. Too many chiefs and not enough Indians idea. Or maybe I am mixing the idea of entrepeneurs with mangers idea???

[Ben Arment]

Ken, you must be an entrepreneur because the masses tend to not think this way. I would guess that the majority of people are looking to join better leaders, not do their own thing.

[daniel d]

The Law of the Lid, to me, has a lot to do with ego, control and the insecurities of a leader. If the leader can’t get over those issues then the Lid snaps down.