Leadershift book cover

Leadershift by John C. Maxwell Summary

Leadershift
John C. Maxwell
4.26 (2652 Reviews)
Leadership
Self-growth
Business
Overview
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FAQs

Overview of Leadershift

In "Leadershift," leadership guru John Maxwell reveals 11 essential mindset shifts for navigating today's rapid changes. With over 30 million books sold globally, Maxwell's counterintuitive wisdom - like moving from soloist to conductor - has transformed how Fortune 500 executives and ministry leaders alike approach influence.

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Key takeaways

1

The Art of Pivoting: Leadership for a Rapidly Changing World

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Leadership isn't static-it's a dynamic dance that requires constant adjustment. In "Leadershift," John Maxwell distills five decades of leadership wisdom into a powerful framework for navigating change. Like cheetahs who succeed not merely through raw speed but through agility and quick directional changes, today's leaders must develop nimbleness in a world where planning horizons have compressed from ten years to just two. The most successful leaders don't merely react to change-they anticipate it, embrace it, and use it as fuel for growth. What exactly is a leadershift? It's the ability and willingness to make leadership changes that positively enhance both organizational and personal growth. Good leaders maintain their unique strengths while proactively adjusting to changing circumstances. They navigate the tension between stability that provides security and adaptability that creates opportunity. As Malcolm Gladwell observed, constantly updating your positions and occasionally contradicting yourself isn't inconsistency-it's essential to good thinking. To leadershift successfully, you must embrace continuous learning, value yesterday while living in today, rely on speed but thrive on timing, see the expanding big picture, think about tomorrow while living in today, move forward courageously amid uncertainty, and recognize that today's best will not meet tomorrow's challenges.

2

From Soloist to Conductor: The Power of Team Focus

3

From Goals to Growth: The Journey of Personal Development

4

From Perks to Price: The True Cost of Leadership

5

From Pleasing to Challenging: The Heart of True Leadership

6

From Maintaining to Creating: Finding Your Creative Zone

7

From Career to Calling: Discovering Your Life's Purpose

Explore Your Way of Learning
Leadershift isn't just a book — it's a masterclass in Leadership. To help you absorb its lessons in the way that works best for you, we offer five unique learning modes. Whether you're a deep thinker, a fast learner, or a story lover, there's a mode designed to fit your style.

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Break down key ideas from Leadershift into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.

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Flash Card Mode - Top 7 Insights from Leadershift in a Nutshell

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Top 7 Insights from Leadershift in a Nutshell

Distill Leadershift into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.

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Fun Mode - Leadershift Lessons Told Through 18-Min Stories

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Experience Leadershift through vivid storytelling that turns Pixar’s innovation lessons into moments you’ll remember and apply.

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@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
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117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
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star
star
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star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
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comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
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"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
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"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
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@OojasSalunke
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"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
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"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
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@Moemenn
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"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
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star
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star
star
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"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
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comments
201
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16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
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"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
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37
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"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
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