Thomas Paine is credited with the quote that I chose for the title of this book review. As one of our country’s founding fathers, Paine never got the opportunity to read any of John Maxwell’s work in the area of leadership, but I have a feeling he would have enjoyed them. Maxwell is widely recognized as America’s foremost expert on leadership and has produced an entire library of books, tapes and seminars. Having read some of his work, I was pleased to find Leadership 101 in an airport gift shop, giving me something of value to read on my flight (no offense to USA Today or People Magazine). Leadership 101 is a succinct collection of some of Maxwell’s lessons on leadership, based on some of his most famous works, including The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. It is the first in a series of books, which also include Relationships 101, Equipping 101, and Attitude 101. Each of these short reads were the result of Maxwell’s publisher urging him to produce valuable works that busy professionals could read in one sitting. Obviously these books are not as inclusive as Maxwell’s other 25 or so published works, nor are they meant to be. Leadership 101 is, however, packed with stories about leaders and tips on how you can become a more effective leader. Maxwell makes a compelling case for why leadership is important, provides tips on improving your leadership abilities, and discusses the importance of leaving a legacy of leaders to carry on after you’re gone. Regardless of whether you are trying to move up the corporate ladder, or you’re already standing on the top rung, this book can help you have a positive, effective and inspirational influence on those around you. For more info on Maxwell and his extensive collection of published works, please check out www.johnmaxwell.com.