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“A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame, and a little less than his share of the credit.” – John Maxwell

Have you heard this leadership quote from John Maxwell?

John Maxwell is an American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, including “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”, selling millions of copies around the world.

Often, Good Leadership is Quiet

Here’s an interesting fact – in Jim Collins’ book “Good to Great” he studied the best performing companies over a long period of time – spanning more than fifteen years. What he found at the top of every single outperforming company was a leader who wasn’t “showy” or “full of bravado”. Instead they were quiet, reserved, and disciplined. They knew what had to be done but they didn’t make a big song-and-dance about it. He called them Level Five leaders.

And most often – even though their quality of leadership was found at every outperforming company – they deferred the success and winnings of their company to the people and the teams within it.

These top level leaders took a little more than their share of the blame when things went wrong, and gave a lot more than their share of the credit when things went right.

John Maxwell has studied leadership for more than forty years, and he has found the same truths as Jim Collins. He has found that the really great leaders – ones that can also be measured in terms of an outstanding financial return for their company – took the blame so they could improve themselves and the process to make things better.

You see, when you pass the blame to someone else, you’re also giving your power away.

You’re saying “It’s their fault,” which may sound nice to you in the short-term, but in reality it also means you don’t have to change or improve, and you also don’t have the power to change or improve because it’s that other guy’s fault.

Taking the blame when things go wrong means you also take responsibility for the improvements, and it is that mindset that build the most top-level leaders and gave the most top-level returns.

– David McLachlan

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