In the tradition of his million-seller The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, author John C. Maxwell provides a concise, accessible leadership book that helps readers become more effective leaders from the inside out. Daily readings highlight twenty-one essential leadership qualities and include Reflecting On It and Bringing It Home sections that help readers integrate and apply each days material.

Leadership expert, former preacher and prolific author John C. Maxwell asks readers to savor his chapters on the essential qualities of a leader a little at a time. He suggests reading one chapter a day like you are taking a vitamin, to give the lessons time to sink in with practice. Each of the 21 traits he cites stems from a basic value leaders can use to guide their actions. This follow-up to Maxwell’s useful 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is a thinner book in every way, though still nicely thoughtful. getAbstract recommends it as a source of inspiration for self-growth and reflection.

• The first person you lead is yourself.
• Followers are drawn to a leader’s character.
• If you work to develop your character, you will improve as a leader.
• Your vision inspires you and helps you inspire others.
• It’s easier to accomplish goals when you take yourself out of the equation. In other words, focus on others.
• Leaders work harder for longer periods.
• Leaders have the courage to blaze new paths.
• Leaders are more willing to take risks than most people. Of course, this means they’re likely to make more mistakes. Learn from your errors and move on.
• You will draw people who are like you. If you don’t like the people you’re attracting, work on your own character.
• Leadership skills evolve over time as the result of consistent effort.

1. “Character: Be a Piece of the Rock”

People are willing to follow leaders they believe have deep character. Bill Lear, inventor of the Lear corporate jet, is this kind of a leader. Just as his company was taking off (literally and figuratively), he discovered a dangerous defect in the aircraft and asked all the owners of new Lear jets to ground their planes. The delay was a big setback. Lear fixed the problem, but it took two years to rebuild the company. Another man might have been more cautious, but Lear sacrificed his success for the sake of his integrity. Like Bill Lear, you create your own character. A crisis such as Lear’s product defect often highlights a person’s character. In a bind, your actions will show if you are true to your intentions. Integrity emerges in what you do, not what you say. In fact, when talented people achieve phenomenal success and then break down, psychologist Steven Berglas says their fall is often due to the lack of a strong foundation of character. To build your character, beware of the “four A’s:” “arrogance, aloneness, adventure seeking and adultery.” Fend off weaknesses by distancing yourself from stress sources. Get professional help if needed. Face your character faults, so you can fix them.

2. “Charisma: The First Impression Can Seal the Deal”

You don’t need to be born with charisma; you can develop it. Become a person who embraces life – just like the kind of people you enjoy having around you. When you expect great things of others, usually they will rise to the occasion. If you can inspire others to hope, they will follow you willingly. The secret is to focus on them, not yourself. Then, the enemies of charisma – being conceited, lacking confidence, being pushed around by mood swings, demanding perfection and taking a cynical view – cannot undermine your personality.

3. “Commitment: It Separates Doers from Dreamers”

Michelangelo went to Rome to sculpt the papal tomb. Instead, the Pope asked him to paint the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo, who didn’t consider himself a painter, wanted to turn down the assignment, but he felt duty-bound to honor a request from the Pope. Once he committed to the work, he gave it his all, and created a lasting masterwork of colossal scale and beauty. It required lying on his back for four years and it permanently impaired his vision. Yet, the Sistine Chapel made him famous in his time and shaped the history of art. Michelangelo didn’t have to throw himself so whole-heartedly into this task, but once he agreed to it, his commitment was 100%. Commitment comes before accomplishment and is measured by what you achieve. Sometimes it is the only driving force you can rely on to press forward.

4. “Communication: Without It You Travel Alone”

To lead, communicate your ideas and your intentions succinctly. Convey a sense of excitement so people will follow you. Improve your communication skills by simplifying your message, focusing on your audience, speaking the truth, and asking for responses or actions. To focus on others, keep their concerns in mind. Determine what responses you want to elicit. Try to reach people on an emotional level with simplicity and clarity as your watchwords. Work to convey important ideas without making them complicated.

5. “Competence: If You Build It, They Will Come”

The biggest secret to becoming more competent is working at it every day. Aim for high quality in everything you do. To motivate others to adopt your goals, you must be capable and inspirational. Find ways to boost your performance levels and keep them high. Measure your ability to perform consistently at the top of your game.

6. “Courage: One Person with Courage Is a Majority”

A leader often must take greater risks than ordinary people, so you may have to do things that scare you. Leaders frequently struggle inwardly before facing an outward battle, but they must know where they stand – and when to stand firm. People always worry, whether they face big risks or small ones. What would you rather worry about: trivia or real achievement? If you’re worrying anyway, make it count. Face your fears. Build your courage. The more you do it, the more you will feel you can accomplish – and your courage will inspire others.

7. “Discernment: Put an End to Unsolved Mysteries”

Discernment allows a leader to wade through lots of data and get to the heart of an issue, but it requires rational thought and intuition. Thinking rationally can help you sort information so you begin to get a full picture, while intuition can fill the gaps in your understanding. Discernment helps you know when and where you need to show up; that’s how leaders create opportunities.

8. “Focus: The Sharper It Is, the Sharper You Are”

Consistency is a great benefit of focus. Boost your priorities by harnessing your concentration. Dwell on your strengths, not your weaknesses. Devote 70% of your time and resources to developing your current strengths, 25% to developing new strengths and 5% to improving any weaknesses. Stick to your strengths and delegate to cover your weak areas. Considering your priorities, determine how to take your strengths to the next level.

9. “Generosity: Your Candle Loses Nothing When It Lights Another”

Contentment begets generosity. To give, you must feel grateful for what you have. The crucial requirement for generosity is putting other people’s needs ahead of yours and fighting against the “desire to acquire.”

“Commitment always precedes achievement.”

People think that the more they own, the more they control their lives, but the obsession for possession is a corrupting illusion. Don’t hold money too tightly. It’s only as good as what it buys. Whether those purchases have value is up to you. Use your money for philanthropy and for accomplishing meaningful purposes.

10. “Initiative: You Won’t Leave Home Without It”

Leaders take immediate advantage of opportunity. They develop the skill to take quick action. In part, this comes from being sure of what they want. Since leaders are willing to take more risks, they also end up making more mistakes than those who take no chances. Leaders are willing to live with the discomfort of pushing themselves into new territory. If you have trouble initiating action, figure out why you hesitate. Address your issues. Focus on the full potential of your opportunity.

11. “Listening: To Connect with Their Hearts, Use Your Ears”

Oprah Winfrey is best known for talking, but her real talent is listening. Really listening to others is a prerequisite to making a meaningful connection. If your goals don’t resonate with others, they won’t follow you. Leaders care about their company’s customers and listen equally to positive or negative comments. Really hearing what your customers perceive may yield new opportunities, while listening to your competition will expand your knowledge. When you listen, go beyond facts. Try to hear the speaker’s feelings. Ask questions to find out who the customer is as an individual. Seek common ground to forge a sincere connection.

12. “Passion: Take This Life and Love It”

The greater your passion, the greater the results. You need passion to inspire others. Your passion will make your followers believe that your mission is achievable. Passion leads to accomplishment, boosts your determination, enables you to beat the odds and makes you more devoted to your goals. If you lack passion for your current work, consider going back to something you loved doing earlier in your life.

13. “Positive Attitude: If You Believe You Can, You Can”

A positive attitude can help you overcome life’s hurdles. Being positive is contagious and inspires others to have hope. Remember that no matter what’s happened to you in the past, you have the power to create whatever attitude you desire today. You will attract people who are like you. Be positive to draw positive people.

14. “Problem Solving: You Can’t Let Your Problems Be a Problem”

Sam Walton began his retail career in a small town, Bentonville, Arkansas. He opened his first Wal-Mart down the road from his home to compete with the new wave of discount stores that swept the country in the ’60s. He was really just solving a problem. As Wal-Mart grew, bigger problems presented themselves and Walton solved them innovatively. His ability made his store a successful model for discount retailers. At every juncture in its growth, Walton faced a “sink or swim” problem. His genius was his ability to keep swimming. The rest is history. Good leaders see problems coming. They face dilemmas by viewing them as accurately as possible and working for improvement. Keeping the big picture in mind, leaders focus on one solution at a time so they can make systematic progress toward their goals. Once committed to solving a problem, leaders are relentless, even when the going gets tough.

15. “Relationships: If You Get Along, They’ll Go Along”

Building good relationships starts with having common sense about human nature. For instance, people want to feel that they are special, so offer them specific, sincere compliments. People look to leaders for hope and guidance. If you can provide that, they will follow you. When you propose a course of action, illustrate how your plan addresses the issues that matter to others. Encourage those around you to persevere. If you want to be a leader, put the needs of others ahead of your own. Serve them.

16. “Responsibility: If You Won’t Carry the Ball, You Can’t Lead the Team”

Leaders embrace responsibility. They know that, no matter what, the buck stops with them. Successful people are hard working. They work diligently. They labor toward excellence and don’t stop until they achieve it. Following through to the last detail is crucial.

17. “Security: Competence Never Compensates for Insecurity”

Your followers want – and need – you to offer them a sense of security. If you are insecure, you cannot make them feel secure. Insecure people constantly look for approval, so they find it hard to reassure others. Good leaders aren’t afraid to share power, but insecure people are. In fact, someone who is insecure may prevent others from shining. Improve your sense of confidence by practicing ways to give credit away and uplift others.

18. “Self-Discipline: The First Person You Lead Is You”

Establish habits that help you meet your daily priorities. Develop discipline related to your goals. Self-discipline helps you stick with good habits, making them part of everyday life. It helps you focus on the rewards of your efforts, not the difficulty of the path.

19. “Servanthood: To Get Ahead, Put Others First”

During the Vietnam War, General H. Norman Schwartzkopf routinely went by helicopter to any place where a soldier got injured to check on the wounded man personally and helicopter him back out.

“You’ve got to love your people more than your position.”

During one trip, a soldier accidentally triggered a land mine near the General’s helicopter. The man fell, flailing, hurt and scared. Schwartzkopf realized that the soldier probably could be saved, but only if he could stop moving. The general walked carefully through the mine-laden field, and lay down atop the soldier until he got him to be still. In that moment, he defined his leadership by using his body to calm the terrified soldier. When you put others first, you serve without expecting a reward.

20. “Teachability: To Keep Leading, Keep Learning”

The actions that made you successful are not necessarily the ones that will keep you on top. Once you reach a goal, don’t rest on your laurels. Determine how you need to grow to reach your next goal. There are no shortcuts to knowledge. You must learn things for yourself, so you have the information to make up your own mind. The more you grow and accomplish, the more mistakes you may make. It’s only natural. Don’t dwell on your mistakes. Don’t let them stop you, just remember the lesson so you never repeat the same mistake.

21. “Vision: You Can Seize Only What You Can See”

Vision inspires a leader to inspire others. A vision comes from within. If you don’t have a vision, find a leader whose goals you trust or seek the advice of a mentor with experience that is germane to your quest. A deep, clear vision adds value to the lives of those you serve. Listen to your inner voice. Follow your dreams and pay attention to what really matters in your life. That’s where vision comes from, but you have to hear it, see it and act on it.

Former preacher John C. Maxwell is a leadership expert and the founder of a leadership consulting company. He lectures on leadership principles and is the author of several leadership bestsellers, including 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.