Myths that limit our growth

 Myth #1: The Influence Myth ­ If I were on top, then people would follow me   Maxwell tells the story of a housekeeper who worked for President Woodrow Wilson. When she heard that the Secretary for Labour had resigned she suggested that her husband would be a good replacement - he worked hard and understood labour! Wilson pointed out that the cabinet position required someone of influence, to which she replied that if her husband was the Secretary for Labour then he would be influential! While few people would go as far as this woman, the idea that influence comes with position is commonly held. "You may be able to grant someone a position, but you cannot grant him real leadership. Influence must be earned". Being given a position may give you an opportunity to establish some influence, but this will depend on how well you lead. A good leader's influence will stretch beyond that conferred by the position. Conversely, a weak leader will end up with even less influence than their position would suggest. "[A] position doesn't make a leader, but a leader can make the position". 

  Myth #2: The Inexperience Myth ­ When I get to the top, I'll be in control    

Maxwell notes that many people in any organisation will double-guess the leadership: "If I were in charge, we wouldn't have done this... Things sure would be different around here if I were the boss". He notes that there is a positive aspect to such thinking - it demonstrates a desire to improve things, and is indicative of a leaning towards leadership. He quotes Andy Stanley on this issue: "If you're a leader and leaders work for you, they think they can do a better job than you... And that's not wrong; that's just leadership". However, there is also a negative aspect to such thoughts, as they are highly unrealistic. In practice, one often has less control, rather than more, as one ascends the organisational ladder. This is due to the numerous factors that potentially impact on the organisation, many of which are outside of any leader's control. Having real influence (rather than a title or position) is essential. As an example of this principle at work, he mentions Carly Fiorina, who was a very successful leader at Lucent, before being hired as the CEO of Hewlett-Packard. While at H-P, she managed the merger with Compaq, which was meant to put H-P in a strong position to compete with Dell. However, the promise of the merger was not realised, and ultimately Fiorina was asked to leave. Although, she had the top position, she was not in control of the market factors that impacted on the merged company or, ultimately, of her own destiny.  

 Myth #3: The Potential Myth ­ I can't reach my potential if I'm not the top leader   

Maxwell starts this chapter by asking how many children set their career sights on being the Deputy President, or a middle manager! People's natural inclination is to want to be the top dog. (Apparently, an Internet recruiting company ran an ad campaign that poked fun at this by showing small children making statements like "When I grow up, I want to file all day long"!). "Yet the reality is that most people will never be the top leader in an organization. They will spend their careers somewhere in the middle". Maxwell then asks if it is OK to accept this, or whether one should strive to reach the top position. His answer is that people should try to be the best that they can be in their position, rather than reaching for the top post. As an example of this, he mentions the career of Dick Cheney. Cheney has had a long career in politics: chief-of-staff to Gerald Ford, secretary of defense for the first President Bush, and Vice President for the second. "He possesses all the credentials one would need to run for president... Yet he knows that the top position is not his best role". Cheney appears to be content having realised his potential as an effective deputy