John C. Maxwell's Blog, page 11

The Influence of a Father

This Sunday being Father’s Day, my team requested that I write a blog post on the word “father.”

While that may seem like an obvious idea, there’s a deeper meaning to that word for me personally—since 2017, the word “father” has been my life word.

You see, for years—decades, really—I have prayed for and selected a word that would lead me to live intentionally throughout the calendar year. I’ve chosen words or phrases that would spur my thinking and my actions to be in alignment with the kind...

Mark Cole: The Beginner’s Mindset

Is any leader really comfortable being known as a beginner? I don’t think so.

I’ve observed that most leaders have a natural desire to become an expert. But this doesn’t always lead to success in leadership—as John Wooden said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

To continually grow and learn, you must approach as many things as you can as a beginner, not an expert.

Looking back on myself as a young leader, most of my goals and aspirations revolved around becoming an e...

Five Ways Leaders Change Lives for the Better

Did you know that we’re in a global leadership crisis?

That thought has popped in the news a lot lately. There have been breathless editorials from all angles about the decline of leadership in government, education, entertainment, religion, business, art, and the family. We’re not as strong as we used to be seems to be the common refrain, and our world is on the verge of collapse because of it.

Suddenly, leadership is a hot-button issue. A must-have skill set.

It’s become a popular field of...

Mark Cole: Give Hope

Photo by Hillie Chan on Unsplash

In John Maxwell’s first book, Think on These Things, hewrote an entire chapter on hope. There’s one line that has stuck with me since I read it 25 years ago: “Hope dares to give when no one is sharing.”

Hope gives—I love that! Even when no one believes, hope gives. Even when the circumstances seem too far-gone, hope gives. Even when you have hit the bottom with no plan for getting out, hope gives.

What does it give?

Hope gives the motivation and courage need...

The Relentless Pursuit of Improvement

Photo by Anton Shuvalov on Unsplash

Over the past few weeks, as my work has carried me everywhere from Peru to Paraguay to a weekend away with Margaret to celebrate 50 years of marriage, I’ve been reflecting on my personal journey of improvement.

It’s no secret that I believe growth is the only guarantee that tomorrow will be better. It’s no mystery that I think personal growth is the steppingstone to success for any leader. If you or I want to stay in front of the curve and lead others, th...

Mark Cole: A Leader’s Most Damaging Expression

Photo by Aneta Foubíková on Unsplash

Last week on the John Maxwell Leadership Podcast, I asked John how he stays fresh and remains excited while doing things he’s already done.

This is a question I consider a lot when it comes to John and his career. Think about it: after 106 books and 31 million copies sold, after traveling the world to meet with top leaders to literally help transform entire countries, don’t you think it would be easy for him to say “been there, done that”?

So, when I pos...

Want Better Relationships? Be Relatable!

Photo by JuniperPhoton on Unsplash

I like people.

When I get out of bed in the morning, one of the first thoughts to go through my head is “Who will I help today?” I am motivated by the interactions that I have with others, and I find great joy in meeting and helping people day after day.

Is it because I’m some sort of saint? No, far from it.

Is it because I’m interested in some sort of quid pro quo? Not at all.

I wake up thinking about people because, as the poet John Andrew Holmes said, “...

Mark Cole: Pride Goes Before a Fall

Growing up, my mom tirelessly reminded me of a popular verse from the book of Proverbs:

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

The longer I live, the more I understand why she made sure I learned this lesson. Pride is a big problem for any leader.

Here’s why:

Pride Leads to Blaming Others

Prideful people always look for someone to blame instead of taking responsibility. If things aren’t working out for them, they automatically assume it is someone else’s fault....

Five Steps for Connecting with Others

I usually start a blog with a story or some sort of introductory idea to get your brain moving in the right direction.

But I’m not doing that with this post. Instead, I want to jump right in and give you five steps for connecting with others.

Connection is a critical part of leadership, because you can’t lead if no one will follow. You have to connect with others in order to be a leader.

With that in mind, I want to share the following five steps for connecting with anyone. It can be a someo...

Mark Cole: Time To Move On?

When is the right time for a successful leader to move on to a new position?

Leaders often get restless. The more ambitious and entrepreneurial the leader, the shorter their attention span tends to be.

But restlessness is not necessarily a problem. The key to knowing whether it’s time to transition is recognizing there are two types of restlessness: positive and negative.

Positive restlessness is constructive. It pulls you toward improvement. It comes from your desire to grow, to make a grea...