John C. Maxwell's Blog, page 19

What You Say Before You Say a Word

Last week, I wrote about what I believe is the key to effective problem-solving. In fact, I called it solving the problem before the problem. That key is attitude. I believe that a positive attitude in the face of a problem affects how you approach it, which can set you up for a positive solution.Today, to continue the conversation, I want to discuss another area where attitude makes a huge difference: communication.As a communicator, I spend a lot of time thinking about what I’m going to say...

Problem-Solving 101: Solve the Problem before the Problem

Do you know the number-one mistake most people make when encountering a problem?They don’t solve the problem before the problem.Now, you may be asking yourself, What’s John talking about? How can there be a problem before my problem? My friend, I assure you that there is, and I’m going to tell you what it is and how to solve it.The problem you must solve before your problem is one of attitude. Whenever you encounter a challenging situation, you have a choice: What attitude will you have about...

Novel Change vs Needed Change

From the day you are born until the day you die, there is one constant throughout your life: CHANGE. From your physical appearance to your intelligence, from your emotional awareness to your spiritual well-being, you are constantly in a state of flux. You are changing.Many of these changes come without effort on your part. You don’t make your hair grow - or turn gray. You don’t wake up in the morning and grow your fingernails. You may do things that impact those changes, like eat healthy or t...

The World’s Most Important Building

One of the most stunning buildings in the world stands in the middle of the New York City skyline. At 1,776 feet tall, it draws people from all over the world to remind them of the tireless spirit of the American people. It is One World Trade Center, and it grew from the ashes of the fallen Twin Towers.No one needs reminding that this Sunday, September 11th, will mark 15 years since the two buildings of the World Trade Center fell. In fact, if you were alive that day, the chances are pretty g...

The 5 Levels of Leadership

A business executive. A softball coach. A classroom teacher. A volunteer coordinator. A parent.Whether you’re one of these things or all of these things, one thing remains true:You are a leader.But where are you on your leadership journey, and where do you go from here? Over my years of teaching about leadership, that question exists at the heart of so many leaders. Everyone wants to know where they stand and how to get to the next level. And you are probably no different!That’s why I develop...

Building Integrity in an Age of Image

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Fake it ‘til you make it.” It’s actually one of my least favorite sayings. It’s a catchy but destructive idea that does more harm than good, and here’s why:You can’t truly “make it” if you don’t have integrity.And integrity is the opposite of fake. It literally means being whole and undivided – being the same on the inside as you are on the outside. If “fake it ‘til you make it” is a philosophy that you live by, then you’re setting yourself up for failure in...

Turning Pressure into Production

Like most of the world, I’ve had my eye on the Olympics for the last week or so. While I’ve not caught every event, I’ve certainly enjoyed stealing as much time as I can to watch as the world’s greatest athletes take their place on the global stage. And as I watch each event, from swimming and gymnastics to basketball and judo, I can’t help thinking of one question:How do these athletes handle the pressure?Now, I’m no stranger to pressure. I live with it every day as a leader. I’m sure you do...

Making the Most of Influence in Motion

As a leader, you’re already aware that your ability to positively influence another person is the central component of your leadership. So you understand that influence matters to leaders.But how do you measure your influence? By the number of people who work for you? By the number of followers you have on Twitter? By the number of likes you get on Facebook?While there is some validity to those numbers, chances are that you’re missing something if you measure influence only in that way. Becau...

Consistency: A Wise Investment of Time

Have you ever considered the time investment in some of the world’s greatest achievements?· It took 26 months to build the Eiffel Tower.· It took Da Vinci 4 years to paint the Mona Lisa.· It took Michelangelo 4 years to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.· It took Leo Tolstoy over 6 years to write War and Peace.· It took around 30 years to build the Great Pyramid.· It took over 40 years before Beethoven’s Fur Elise was performed.· It took Noah 100 years to build the ark.And I get impatie...

Developing a Powerful Positive Perspective

Over the past few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of perspective. In fact, one of the greatest assets any leader can have is a powerful positive perspective – the ability to see the good in any circumstance.It’s like the young boy who was playing baseball in his front yard. The lad announced to his mother, who was watching from the window, “I’m the greatest hitter in all of baseball!” And he threw his ball into the air and took a mighty swing with his bat.He missed. “That’s s...