What is the Law of Process? What do you think is more important when it comes to leadership—inherent talent or purposeful practice?
Everything in life goes through a process. Since birth, you will see the change process from your physical body and everything outside. So the only question we should ask is whether I have control over all the natural changes I will experience in life.
I am passionate about leadership. Is there a process to grow my leadership skills, or can I be passive and allow the experience in life to take its course to develop my skills. Dr. John C. Maxwell, a leadership guru, said, “experience is not the best teacher, evaluated experience is.” What does this mean to me? To grow my leadership skills, I have to be aware that I have to go through a process.
The Law of Process in leadership refers to the idea that effective leadership is not a one-time event but rather a continuous process of growth and development over time. Therefore, becoming a successful leader requires ongoing learning, experience, and refinement of one’s skills and abilities.
According to John Maxwell, in the Law of Process, leadership is not something that can be achieved overnight, but rather it is the result of a gradual and intentional process of personal and professional growth. It involves continuous learning, practice, and feedback, as well as developing new skills and refining existing ones.
Leaders who understand the Law of Process are committed to personal growth and development and willing to invest time, effort, and resources into becoming better leaders. They recognize that leadership is not a destination but rather a journey and that their ability to lead effectively will continue to evolve and improve over time.
In summary, the Law of Process emphasizes that effective leadership requires ongoing effort, growth, and development and that successful leaders are committed to this process of continuous improvement.
The question is how? Here are some principles to understand which I learned from the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, authored by John C. Maxwell; leadership process means:
1. Leadership requires time to mature.
2. Leadership is strengthened by trials and hardship.
3. Leadership will have a positive impact when it is blessed by God. (I don’t mean to offend anyone- but this is a personal belief)
I personally believe all these, and I have experienced it myself.
After learning the Law of the Process, I have been growing as a leader.
I work in a people and business community-building business. I joined an organization called BNI. Its mission is to help BNI Members increase their business through a structured, positive and professional referral marketing program that enables them to develop long-term, meaningful relationships with quality business professionals. I was tasked to grow the community, which requires me to grow as a leader, so I can grow and develop others.
From this principle, I grew as a leader. Now my community, which I started with 67 members, has grown to almost 200 in 3 years. I created a community where members can expand their business through referrals. In 2019, the business referrals shared by its members were only Php111M. Now they have achieved Php530M worth of referrals. I now have established leaders who are currently developing leaders themselves and are growing through the process. Our slogan in the Region is “when I help one business owner at a time, I also help one family for a lifetime.” That feeling of fulfillment of being able to help is priceless!
What should be your attitude while embracing the law of process? What should you ask yourselves as you go through the process?
Assess where you are in your growth through these phases of development:
Phase 1 – I don’t know what I don’t know. (Unconscious Competent level)
Phase 2 – I know what I don’t know. (Conscious Incompetent level)
Phase 3 – I grow and understand, and it’s starting to show. (Conscious Competent level)
Phase 4 – I simply go because of what I know. (Unconscious Competent Level)
Today, I hope that you become a life-long learner. Embrace the idea that leadership growth is a process. When you learn to lead, you become an influencer of positive change. Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. Everything rises and falls on leadership.
Acknowledgment: Principles and concepts on this blog were a product of the study and mentorship of the John Maxwell Team and its founder, Dr. John C. Maxwell. Join me and be part of the Maxwell Certified Leadership Team.