Lessons for Your Neighborhood from John Maxwell's "21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader"
John Maxwell wrote a book called The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. It’s full of lessons about being a good leader. But these lessons are not just for leaders in business or big organizations—they also apply to our neighborhoods!
Imagine a neighborhood where each neighbor as part of a team. It is a place where people trust and respect each other, where problems are solved together, and where everyone feels welcome.
It is a powerful idea, and the book (and workbook if you choose to use it) offers a powerful opportunity for self reflection and personal improvement.
In 2020, shortly after Missouri went into a lockdown due to COVID, I gathered some of my co-workers with MU Extension to teach all 21 chapters out of the book. We had nearly 100 individuals register join us online for the 21-session study. Links to the 30-minute class videos are linked in the heading of each quality or characteristic.
Let's look at the important lessons from the book, and how they can help us make our neighborhood a better place.
1. Character Matters
Good character means being honest, kind, and doing what’s right. In a neighborhood, this could mean keeping promises to shovel snow for a neighbor or always telling the truth when there’s a disagreement. When everyone acts with integrity, trust grows.
2. Leaders Need Charisma
Charisma is the ability to draw people to you. People enjoy leaders who enjoy life. Charisma is about being friendly and uplifting. For example, smiling and greeting neighbors by name makes everyone feel welcome. Being positive encourages others to enjoy being part of the community. (Charisma can also be abused for bad intentions.)
Some early editions of the book use the word "caring" here instead, and note that leaders care about others. Maxwell talks about how important it is to put others first. In a neighborhood, this could mean checking on an elderly neighbor, helping someone carry groceries, or simply being friendly. Caring about each other builds trust and makes everyone feel like they belong.
3. Be Committed
Commitment means sticking with something, even when it’s tough. If you help organize a park cleanup day, staying until the work is done shows commitment. Others may join because they see how much you care.
4. Good Communication
Maxwell says leaders need to communicate well. Good communication is about listening and sharing ideas clearly. For instance, if the streetlights need fixing, organizing a meeting and hearing everyone’s concerns helps find solutions. Clear communication keeps everyone on the same page. Listening to what others have to say is just as important as sharing your ideas.
5. Leaders Need Competence
Leaders with competence show up and come ready every day. Competence means being dependable and prepared. If you start a neighborhood watch, showing up consistently and knowing what to do makes everyone feel safer. Performing at a high level of excellence is always a choice, an act of will. Highly competent people always go the extra mile.
6. Leaders Need Courage
Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s doing what you are afraid to do. Courage is having the power to let go of the familiar and forge ahead into new territory. Your dedication to potential must remain stronger than your desire to appease others. Courage means standing up for what’s right. If there’s an unsafe crossing for kids, speaking up at a city council meeting might be scary, but it’s necessary to make changes.
7. Leaders Need Discernment
Discernment is the ability to find the root of the matter, and it relies on intuition as well as rational thought. Leaders need discernment because they often must make decisions with incomplete information. Discernment is the ability to understand what’s important. For example, if there’s a conflict about parking, focusing on fairness instead of small details can help solve the issue faster.
8. Leaders Need Focus
Staying focused means putting energy into what matters most. Focus 70% of your time and energy developing your strengths. Focus 25% on growing and trying new things. Focus 5% on improving areas of weakness. If you want to build a community garden, concentrate on getting support and resources rather than worrying about minor setbacks.
9. Leaders Need Generosity
Generosity is about giving time and resources. Lending a tool to a neighbor or sharing extra vegetables from your garden are small acts of generosity. Generosity builds strong connections between neighbors.
You can’t be generous until you are content and thankful for what you have. That is why some versions of this book talk about the power of gratitude as the ninth quality. In a neighborhood, this means saying thank you to those who help out, appreciating acts of kindness, and being thankful for the community you have. Gratitude spreads happiness and makes everyone feel appreciated.
10. Leaders have Initiative
Maxwell says good leaders don’t wait for someone else to act—they take initiative. In a neighborhood, this might mean painting over graffiti, organizing a community event, or fixing a small problem before it becomes a big one. If you’re going to be an effective leader, you’ve got to know what you want. Proactive people are willing to take risks.
11. Need Listening Skills
Listening is one of the most important leadership skills. Listening helps you understand others’ needs. By listening, you show respect and can work together to find solutions. If a neighbor is worried about speeding cars, listening to their concerns helps you work together on solutions.
12. Be Passionate
Passion is showing excitement and care. For example, being enthusiastic about making the neighborhood cleaner can inspire others to join cleanup events. In a neighborhood, this could mean being excited about making your community a better place.
We always have the power to choose our attitude. Your attitude determines how you’ll act and who you will attract. A positive attitude spreads quickly. If a project faces setbacks, like an initial setback on getting potholes filled in your neighborhood, staying optimistic helps everyone keep trying instead of giving up.
14. Be a Problem Solver
Maxwell says leaders focus on finding solutions, not just pointing out problems. In a neighborhood, this might mean helping find a way to fix a streetlight or starting a plan to keep kids safe while playing outside. Problem solvers make things better for everyone.
15. Leaders Need Relationships
Good leaders know they can’t do everything alone—they need a team. Strong relationships make teamwork easier. Hosting a potluck dinner helps neighbors get to know each other, making it easier to work together on community projects. Whether it’s planting trees or organizing a safety patrol, teamwork makes things easier and more fun.
16. Take Responsibility
Good leaders never embrace a victim mentality. Taking responsibility means owning up to your actions. If you promised to lead a recycling drive but forgot, admitting it and rescheduling shows accountability. Leaders bounce back when things go wrong. In a neighborhood, this could mean staying strong after a storm damages homes or not giving up when a project doesn’t go as planned.
17. Leaders Need Security and Demonstrate It
Maxwell says competence never compensates for insecurity. Insecure leaders constantly seek validation, acknowledgement and love. They are takers, not givers. Insecure leaders can’t celebrate their people’s victories. They limit their success and recognition. Secure leaders believe in others because they believe in themselves. They don’t feel threatened by someone else’s accomplishments. Confidence helps others feel secure. If you encourage someone else’s idea for a new event, it shows you’re focused on success, not competition.
18. Leaders Need Self-Discipline
Maxwell says leaders need self-discipline to stay focused and finish what they start even when it is hard. In a neighborhood, this might mean keeping your yard clean, showing up to meetings on time, or staying patient when solving a problem takes longer than expected. There is a saying that the first person to lead is yourself. You will never reach your maximum potential without self-discipline. Self-discipline isn’t a one-and-done event. It’s a lifestyle.
19. Leaders Practice Servanthood
Servanthood is not about position or skill. It’s about attitude. Put others ahead of your own agenda. Show me someone who thinks he is too important to serve, and I’ll show you someone who is basically insecure. Servanthood is fueled by love. It has no other hidden agendas. For example, volunteering to babysit during a neighbor’s emergency without expecting anything in return shows true leadership..
20. Leaders Must be Teachable
Being teachable means being open to learning. For example, if someone suggests a new way to run the block watch, listening and adapting helps improve the group. In a neighborhood, this could mean learning more about your neighbors, understanding local issues, or finding new ways to improve your community. The more you know, the more you can help. It’s impossible to be prideful and teachable at the same time.
21. Leaders Need Vision
Finally, Maxwell says leaders need a vision—a clear idea of what they want to achieve. Vision means imagining what’s possible. Dreaming of a safer, friendlier neighborhood gives everyone a goal to work toward, like planting trees or setting up a new playground. Having a vision gives you and your neighbors something to work toward together.
Bringing It All Together
The lessons in The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader show us that anyone anyone can be a leader in their community. Whether it’s by showing kindness, taking action, or inspiring others, we can all make our neighborhoods stronger and happier places to live.
MORE INFORMATION
Have you taken the Engaged Neighbor pledge? The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge online at http://engagedneighbor.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special privileges and get invited to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton at dburton541@yahoo.com.
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