The Law of the Lid: It's all about the leader.

In this 21 part series based on John C. Maxwell's best-selling book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, I'll be quoting each law from John followed by my own related thoughts based on my personal experiences. As a Certified John Maxwell Team member, I'm happy to discuss complimentary on-site training on The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership for those who participate in my very popular Special-Offer.

Part 1 of 21: The Law of the Lid

The Law of the Lid: It's all about the leader.

"The Law of the Lid : Leadership ability determines a person's level of effectiveness." ~ John C. Maxwell

If the leader is fuzzy and unsure like the one in the image for this post, then the organization will at best be the same but usually will be worse. No one likes reporting to a fuzzy leader. The more clear and sure the leader becomes, the more clear and sure the organization will become. I’m not saying the leader has to have all the answers. They never do and never will. But, a high level leader knows when to ask the right questions to leverage the team to find the right answers.

When it comes right down to it, the top level leader (the lid) is always responsible for what is going on within the organization: business, community, family, team, etc. The organization cannot outperform the lid on the organization. There’s a natural leveling that takes place just below the leader’s level of effectiveness. If on a scale of 1 to 10 the leader (lid) is a 6, the organization can only grow to a 5.

How do you validate this law? You probably already have whether it was personally or through observation. What does it look like? If the lid is a 6 and there are leaders below the lid that have a higher leadership potential than the lid, they will do one of two things. They will either become frustrated when they begin to “bump” against the lid and stay with the organization because they haven’t developed other options. Or, if they have options, they will become frustrated and leave the organization to grow someplace else. Either way, the organization does not grow beyond the level of the lid.

The lid is either holding back the very best people or pushing them out of the organization. The lower the lid, the greater the blame. The higher the lid, the greater the team. I've seen the law of the lid in action many times throughout my career. Those that can take the organization where it wants to go are often the ones that are pushed out by their leaders. It doesn't make sense, unless, you understand the law of the lid.

In my 25+ years, I've seen many different types of leaders at many different levels in many different types of organizations. I've also noticed they all had a different view of what it meant to be responsible, to be the leader. Some accepted responsibility, but most transferred it. However, the top level leader is always responsible whether they accept it or not. What do I mean?

Three Things Leaders Are Always Doing

There are three things a leader is always doing. Not sometimes. Not when things are going great. Not when things are going wrong. But, all the time. The key is to understand higher-level leaders always accept more responsibility and lower-level leaders always transfer more responsibility.

Leaders are always doing some combination of these three things:

1. Making it happen – The leader definitely has the “rights” that come with their position to make good or bad things happen in their area of assigned responsibility. They can also build relationships with those that report to them and those that report to others. Based on relationships that are built on mutual respect and trust, the leader now has greater influence to make things happen. Whether directing and making decisions (low-level leadership) or influencing and facilitating decision-making (high-level leadership), the leader is making it happen.
2. Allowing it to happen – The leader can empower others and intentionally allow good or bad things. This is high-level leadership in action. The leader can also disengage and avoid taking responsibility while allowing bad things to happen that shouldn't be happening while blaming others for what has happened. This is low-level leadership.
3. Preventing it from happening – The leader can intentionally and unintentionally prevent effective and ineffective actions from happening. The combination of who the leader is (character) and what the leader knows (competency) will determine what the leader is preventing from happening.

• Stronger character and higher competency will lead to the prevention of ineffective actions (bad things) by the leader and the followers.
• Weaker character and lower competency will lead to the prevention of effective actions (good things) by the leader and the followers.

High-impact leaders tend to look in the mirror more often and take the blame when things go wrong. They also tend to look through the window more often and give the credit when things go right. They understand and accept the fact that they are ultimately responsible for all aspects of their team and their organization. These leaders earn respect and build trust at all levels of the organization.

Low-impact leaders tend to look in the mirror more often and take the credit when things go right. They also tend to look through the window more often and blame others when things go wrong. They focus on transferring responsibility instead of accepting responsibility. These leaders lose trust and create distrust at all levels of the organization.

Ultimately, there is only one lid on the organization. However, there are sub-lids throughout as well. Typically, as you go lower in the organization, the level of leadership will get lower at each subsequent level also because the law of the lid is in effect at each level. That’s why it is most critical for THE TOP level lid to grow and develop themselves in order to grow and develop the leaders reporting to them. And, in turn, they should be growing and developing their respective teams.

As a professional leadership trainer, speaker, and coach, I am most effective when I get to work with all levels, including the top leader and his leadership team. Unfortunately, I’m most often requested to work with those at lower levels. That’s great because everyone needs to grow their leadership ability. But, there’s a BIG problem with this lower level of thinking.

I call it getting the slack out of the chain. I always try to persuade the top leaders to participate in the training. But, they often don’t know what they don’t know. I know the lower level leaders are going to grow. And, grow. I've already explained what happens when they start bumping their head against the lid, when there is no more slack in the chain: they get frustrated and some leave. It always happens!

However, not all of them will grow. And, not all of those that grow will leave the organization, but the best ones will (if they outgrow their leaders). The best ones will grow the fastest and the most. I always tell the high level leaders that it’s my job to grow the team, and it’s your job to keep the team.

Those that have more potential but don’t want to pay the price to leave will remain, but they will now be frustrated because what they are learning often is not what is being modeled at the upper levels. Many times, the lid is frustrated by this outcome. That’s not what they wanted. It's definitely not what I wanted. Where’s the problem? It’s with the lid. When the lid thinks they know all they need to know and don’t have the time or desire to participate in the training, they are ensuring that the organization stays at the same level.

"Humility is the foundation of growth while pride and ego prevent growth." ~ Mack Story

There’s a reason the organization is at the level it is. It’s because of the level of the lid. The law of the lid is as real as the law of gravity. You don’t have to believe in gravity to fall off a cliff. You just have to get too close to the edge.

Read and/or download the first 5 chapters from each of Mack's five Blue-Collar Leadership Series books and several others here.

Do you have a desire to change your culture? Discover how in Mack's book, Blue-Collar Leadership & Culture: The 5 Components for Building High Performance Teams

“We just can’t find any good people,” is a phrase Mack Story hears far too often as he speaks to and interacts with leaders all across the USA. If you or a member of your leadership team has ever spoken these words, this book was written specifically for you. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Blue-Collar Leadership? & Culture will help you understand why culture is the key to becoming a sought after employer of choice within your industry. Culture matters because those who work there will determine who wants to work there.

Becoming a sought after employer means, “People who don’t work at your organization have a strong desire to work there.”

Becoming an employer of choice means, “People who already work at your organization have a strong desire to continue working there.”

Mack wrote Blue-Collar Leadership? & Culture specifically for leaders who want to become THE sought after employer of choice within their industry and in their area of operations. Sought after employers of choice attract great people and don’t spend their time and resources constantly searching for good people.

Mack has logged over 11,000 hours leading leaders and their blue-collar teams through hundreds of kaizen events, process improvement, organizational change, and cultural transformation and speaks with his wife, Ria Story, on personal growth and leadership development throughout the USA as they help leaders transform their cultures and develop high performance teams.

Although leaders in all industries at all levels will benefit greatly from this book, Mack structured the content specifically for the top leader who has never led a cultural transformation but is curious to find out what will be required. He’ll help you not only discover why you should transform your culture, but also what to do and how to do it. Therefore, Mack includes many references and links to additional resources throughout the book that will support and accelerate your cultural transformation.

Blue-Collar Leadership? & Culture is intended to not only teach, but also to serve as a tool, a guide, and a transformational road map for leaders who want to create a high impact culture that will become their greatest competitive advantage. It’s a starting point for those who don’t know how to start or those who want to become more intentional and methodical as they take their team to the next level and beyond.

In Blue-Collar Leadership? & Culture, you’ll also discover how to leverage the components of The Transformation Equation to create a culture that will support, attract, and retain high performance team members. To learn more about The Transformation Equation, visit GetTheTransformationEquation.com

“My first words are, GET SIGNED UP! This training is not, and I stress, not your everyday leadership seminar! I have never been a part of anything like it. After 30 years in technology and two years in Concrete Construction, I have attended dozens and sent hundreds to the so-called ‘Leadership-Training’…while all of the courses, classes, webinars, and seminars, had good intentions, nothing can touch what Mack and Ria Story provide…100% of the team that attended said that they were ‘blown-away.’” ~ Sam McLamb, VP/COO

The rest of The 21 Irrefutable Law of Leadership Series:

• Law #2: The Law of Influence: It's all about who we are and what we know.
• Law #3: The Law of Process: It's all about continuous improvement (kaizen).
• Law #4: The Law of Navigation: It's all about knowing where you're going.
• Law #5: The Law of Addition: It’s all about serving not being served.
• Law #6: The Law of Solid Ground: It's all about building trust.
• Law #7: The Law of Respect: It's all about being respectable.
• Law #8: The Law of Intuition: It's all about being certain but not for sure.
• Law #9: The Law of Magnetism: You decide when you go and where you go.
• Law #10: The Law of Connection: It's not about you, but it begins with you.
• Law #11: The Law of the Inner Circle: Without the right team, it's just a dream.
• Law #12: The Law of Empowerment: It's all about releasing, not controlling.
• Law #13: The Law of the Picture: Who's watching you?
• Law #14: The Law of Buy-In: 5 Keys that allow you to lead with speed!
• Law #15: The Law of Victory: 10 proven tips to help your team win!
• Law #16: The Law of the Big Mo: Momentum doesn't show up at the party alone!
• Law #17: The Law of Priorities: 3 things that reveal our priorities.
• Law #18: The Law of Sacrifice: Without sacrifice, there is no improvement.
• Law #19: The Law of Timing: Have you considered the effect of timing on your...
• Law #20: The Law of Explosive Growth: 7 keys to high impact leadership.
• Law #21: The Law of Legacy: Are you going to settle for success?

Popular posts by Mack:

• The #1 Reason People Don't Reach Their True Potential
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• When Weak Leaders Choose to Follow Strong Followers
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Mack’s story is an amazing journey of personal and professional growth. He began his career in manufacturing on the front lines of a machine shop. He grew himself into upper management and found his niche in lean manufacturing and along with it, developed his passion for leadership. He understands that everything rises and falls on leadership.

Mack is the author of Blue-Collar Leadership, Blue-Collar Leadership & Supervision, Blue-Collar Leadership & Teamwork, Blue-Collar Leadership & Culture, Blue-Collar Kaizen, Defining Influence, 10 Foundational Elements of Intentional Transformation, Change Happens, Who's Buying You?, 10 Values of High Impact Leaders, MAXIMIZE Your Potential, and MAXIMIZE Your Leadership Potential.

Mack is an inspiration for people everywhere as an example of achievement, growth, and personal development. His passion inspires people all over the world!

Mack’s experience as a John Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach, Trainer, and Speaker includes an international training event in Guatemala with John in 2013 as part of the Cultural Transformation in Guatemala where more than 20,000 Guatemalan leaders were trained.

Contact Mack at 334-728-4143 or [email protected] for Keynote Speaking, Corporate Training, Professional Leadership Development, and Cultural Enhancement/Transformation.