I recently began reading The 21 Most Powerful Minutes In A Leader’s Day by John Maxwell. For the next few months my Friday posts will highlight some of the lessons I’ve learned from Maxwell during the week. 

The Law of the Lid.

Lids are the challenges to your leadership potential and ability. Using a comparison between King Saul and David, Maxwell describes what your life can become if you don’t address your lids (Saul) or the influence you can have if your lids are lifted (David).

Age, experience (or the lack thereof), an ineffective predecessor, and lust were just a few of David’s lids. David could address some of these lids on his own. For others David needed the help of “lid lifters” like Jonathan and Nathan.

I’ve been thinking about my lids. The ones I struggle with the most are the one I am reluctant to have someone else help me with. I could use a few lid lifters but when they appear I have to be willing to receive their assistance. Maybe you’re like me and have refused to let others help you because your pride got in the way. Maxwell states that without the help of others there are some lids we will never be able to lift.

Maxwell ends his teaching for this week with a challenge to make 3 lists:

1. Lids you can lift.

2. Lids others can lift.

3. Facts of life – things you cannot change.

What lids in your life challenge you the most?