High Road Leadership Summary of Key Ideas and Review | John C. Maxwell

Everyone loves a win-win situation, right? Well, when it comes to leadership, the only win-win situation is to be a leader with good skills and strong values. If you’re lacking in either, it’s going to be a losing situation for you, the organization, or both.

But if you’re strong in both departments, then you’re what’s known as a high-road leader.

So, what kind of values are we talking about? First, and perhaps most important, is the genuine willingness to put others first. This is what the high road is all about.

People who take the low road are only in it for themselves, which is pretty much the opposite of being a leader. Those who take the middle road enter into a transactional approach – an I’ll-scratch-your-back-if-you-scratch-mine leadership style.

The high road, on the other hand, is about putting others first. High-road leaders give without expecting anything in return. They accept that life isn’t always fair. They treat everyone with respect, regardless of how they are treated in return, and strive to make the world a better place by maintaining a balance in others’ favor.

When you focus on collective benefit over personal advantage, you avoid a lot of traps that people fall into when they take the low or middle roads. But there are barriers that people can hit when they try to embark on the high road.

These days people have a hard time realizing the virtues of seeking common ground and collaboration. Instead, it’s common to view those who disagree with us as being disagreeable and not worth listening to. When we start to question someone’s motives, trust erodes, making collaboration difficult.

High-road leaders rise above this mindset, fostering a strong bias toward collaboration. They work to understand different perspectives and are committed to finding the best solutions – even if those come from opposing views. This approach is essential in any setting, whether it’s a workplace, community, or broader society.

This brings us to the second characteristic of the high-road leader: you must value all people. This begins with recognizing everyone’s inherent worth and treating them with dignity. It’s not enough to see people’s potential; you must also appreciate and act on it. This includes acknowledging others with kindness, finding common ground, recognizing their value, and treating them with dignity.

By being humble and valuing others, you can build a culture of mutual respect and collaboration, paving the way for a united and thriving community.

If you can’t engage with people who disagree with you, your leadership potential remains stunted. Successful leaders know that cooperation with everyone, not just their allies, is crucial for progress. Blaming “the other side” for your problems misses the point. To create a better culture and world, you must reflect on your contributions to division and strive to bridge gaps. This means taking the high road.