John C. Maxwell's Blog, page 33

The 10-80-10 Principle: The Key to Maximizing Your Time and Effort

People ask me all the time how I get so much done. First, I tell them that a lot of it is thanks to my high energy mixed with low IQ. I just don’t know any better. But that’s not really the key to my success at achieving a variety of goals. The secret is something I’ve been practicing for many years, but haven’t really taught that much: The 10-80-10 Principle.If you know me, you’re already aware that I’m a big fan of delegation. I delegate almost everything. But there are right ways and wrong...

Look Out Below! Searching for a Better Way to Delegate

In the classic cartoon series created by Warner Bros., Wile E. Coyote is determined to catch the Road Runner and tirelessly chases after the fast-running, ground-bound bird. However, the coyote experiences a number of comical misfortunes that prevent him from cornering his prey. Perhaps the most common is that, just as the Road Runner finally appears within reach, a giant anvil inexplicably falls from the sky and flattens Wile E. Coyote.When it comes to delegation, many employees identify wit...

Modeling REAL Success

One of my favorite teachings from John Maxwell is his principles on How to be a REAL Success. The foundation of this teaching came from John realizing critical components for success that were not overtly taught in the educational system. Through reflection, John realized that successful people excelled in four areas:• Relationships• Equipping• Attitude• LeadershipI have had 16 years and Mark Cole, CEO, has had 14 years in having a front row seat in watching John Maxwell excel at being a REAL...

Who’s the Best? Putting Talent to the Test

What do Peyton Manning, LeBron James, and Lionel Messi have in common?Second-place finishes. Manning’s Broncos were crushed 43-8 in the Super Bowl, the San Antonio Spurs handily defeated Lebron James and the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, and Argentina, led by Messi, lost 1-0 to Germany in the World Cup Final.Each athlete is also arguably the best player on the planet at his sport. Manning won the NFL MVP award last year. James has won four of the past six MVP trophies given by the NBA. From 2...

Making the Tough Call When Everyone’s Eyes Are on You

Entire countries come to a standstill during the World Cup soccer tournament, as people pause from their daily routine to tune into the action. Part of the excitement comes from the fact that games are often decided by a single goal. One well-timed kick can make all the difference.With such a small margin separating victory and defeat, the decisions made by referees play a significant role in determining the outcome of a match. This is particularly true when two players collide within the pen...

Is Your Environment Holding you Back?

When I was much younger, I found myself in a job situation where the environment wasn’t conducive to growth. This frustrated and discouraged me. I had always been focused on growth and improvement. From basketball as a kid to speaking professionally, I was always looking for ways to get better at what I was doing. I might not have always had an official plan for growth, but I was continually pursuing growth. Now I found myself in a place where growth was not just ignored; the environment disc...

Are These Four Things Keeping You from Reaching Your Potential?

Wilma Rudolph, the Olympic track and field champion of the 1960s, said, “Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” Like Wilma, I believe that we all have potential. God has designed each of us to do something great.But why do so few people actually realize all of their success potential? It’s a question that I’ve asked often over the years. If success is a hot-air bal...

Insecurity: An Explosive Quality in the Life of a Leader

Insecure leaders are like fireworks with a lit fuse. It’s only a matter of time until they explode, and when they do, they hurt everyone close to them.During a time when Americans celebrate the Fourth of July, it seems fitting to examine the drawbacks of insecurity through the life of a brilliant, yet flawed, American leader—Alexander Hamilton.Hamilton had an ingenious mind, and he was a forceful, persuasive communicator. Unfortunately, Hamilton was also deeply insecure. He obsessed over his...

The King of the Forest Can Still Be a Cowardly Lion

In the classic film, the Wizard of Oz, the Cowardly Lion famously lacks courage. He’s scared of his own tail, and skittish at the slightest sign of danger. His companions constantly have to encourage him to keep going on their journey.In one scene, the Cowardly Lion imagines how much better his life would be as king of the forest.Dorothy: If you were king, you wouldn't be afraid of anything?Cowardly Lion: Not nobody! Not nohow!Tin Man: Not even a rhinoceros?Cowardly Lion: Imposerous!Dorothy:...

Comedy or Tragedy, How Do You View Life?

For comedian Stephen Colbert, the date September 11th carries even deeper significance than it does for most Americans of his generation. On that day, when Colbert was ten years old, Eastern Airlines Flight 212 crashed into a muddy cornfield outside of Charlotte, NC, skidding for hundreds of feet before bursting into flames. 72 of the 82 passengers died, including Colbert’s father and two of his older brothers.The tragedy marked Colbert, and as a child he internalized the pain of the experien...