The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork: Embrace Them and Empower Your Team
by John C. Maxwell

Known as America’s expert on leadership, John C. Maxwell has authored more than 25 books including bestsellers The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Developing the Leader Within You, Failing Forward, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. Those of you who are familiar with this author can look forward to another inspirational masterpiece that will leave you eager to dive into and enjoy the process of team-building.

It had to happen sooner or later. The author offers a companion website, designed to go hand-in-hand with his book in order to enhance and complete our learning experience. You simply read a chapter, apply what you learn by following the suggestions at the end of that chapter, and then log on to the free interactive assessment. It will help you gauge your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to teamwork. There you will also find recommendations for ways to further your personal and professional development.

The format of the book will be familiar to those who have read Dr. Maxwell’s excellent leadership books. In this case, there are 17 laws, with each one being comprised of additional elements. Each law has one or two overriding examples, and then many small examples … usually one for each subpoint. At the end of each law’s section, you have questions to answer and assignments to do. This aspect of the book is like having a workbook to help you begin to apply the lessons to your own situation.

In his trademark, easy-to-get-it approach, Dr. Maxwell demystifies the process of building a winning team, making it simple to grasp, retain, and put into practice. He’s invested a great deal of time and effort to identify these 17 Laws of Teamwork. He says: “The wonderful thing about a law is that you can depend on it. No matter who you are, what your background is, or what circumstances you face, you can take these laws to the bank.” You’ll enjoy this one, it’s going to become a classic. Be sure to share it with others on your team.

(This book review was originally published in 2001 as one of the Top 10 Books – Edition 8.)