What is a leader? According to John Maxwell, a leader is anyone who others follow and look to for guidance. There are many different types of leaders in this world. Some lead a family, friends, organizations, businesses, towns, states, or even countries. What is it that separates good leaders from great leaders? Why are some leaders merely tolerated while people zealously follow others? John Maxwell believes that the difference is what's on the inside of the man that makes him a great leader. In The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, Maxwell lists 21 qualities that all great leaders possess. This list includes: character, charisma, commitment, communication, competence, courage, discernment, focus, generosity, initiative, listening, passion, positive attitude, problem solving, relationships, responsibility, security, self-discipline, servant hood, teachability, & vision.
             Maxwell devotes one chapter to each of the 21 qualities that all great leaders possess. He urges his readers not to sit down and read the book from cover to cover, but instead to "live with this book for a while." He states that he has "written this book to help you recognize, develop, and refine the personal characteristics needed to be a truly effective leader, the kind people will want to follow." He encourages the reader to focus on one chapter at a time, and watch how others as well as yourself exhibit this quality. He challenges the reader to determine ways that this trait can be improved in his life, and to spend extra time developing this area before moving on to the next chapter.
             Maxwell insists that leadership is developed from the inside out, and takes time to mature and grow, he states "leadership develops daily, not in a day." If as a leader you do not change from the inside out, you will more than likely be crushed from the outside in. Your foundation of core qualities must be strong enou...