“A visionary company is like a great work of art. Think of Michelangelo’s scenes from Genesis on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or his statue of David. Think of a great and enduring novel like Huckleberry Finn or Crime and Punishment. Think of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony or Shakespeare’s Henry V. Think of a beautifully designed building, like the masterpieces of Frank Lloyd Wright or Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. You can’t point to any one single item that makes the whole thing work; it’s the entire work—all the pieces working together to create an overall effect—that leads to enduring greatness.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“A dream is an inspiring picture of the future that energizes your mind, will, and emotions, empowering you to do everything you can to achieve it.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“There comes a special moment in everyone’s life, a moment for which that person was born.… When he seizes it… it is his finest hour.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“A problem is something you can do something about. If you can't do something about it, then it's not a problem. It's a predicament. That means it's something that must be coped with, endured.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“A leader with great passion and few skills always outperforms a leader with great skills and no passion.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“How do I identify the top 20 percent influencers/producers in my organization?” I suggest that you make a list of everyone in your company or department. Then ask yourself this question about each individual: “If this person takes a negative action against me or withdraws his or her support from me, what will the impact likely be?”
―
John C. Maxwell
“be sure your communication goes beyond words. How can you do that? By connecting on four levels: visually, intellectually, emotionally, and verbally.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Ninety percent of all those who fail are not actually defeated. They simply quit.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Great leaders always seem to embody two seemingly disparate qualities. They are both highly visionary and highly practical.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“How do I fit in my area or department? • How do all the departments fit into the organization? • Where does our organization fit in the market? • How is our market related to other industries and the economy?”
―
John C. Maxwell
“A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“One of the reasons people don’t achieve their dreams is that they desire to change their results without changing their thinking.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Sociologists tell us that even the most introverted individual will influence ten thousand other people during his or her lifetime! This amazing statistic was shared with me by my associate Tim Elmore.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“There is no life as empty as the self-centered life. There is no life as centered as the self-empty life.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“If I wanted to make a difference… Wishing for things to change wouldn’t make them change. Hoping for improvements wouldn’t bring them. Dreaming wouldn’t provide all the answers I needed. Vision wouldn’t be enough to bring transformation to me or others. Only by managing my thinking and shifting my thoughts from desire to deeds would I be able to bring about positive change. I needed to go from wanting to doing.”
―
John C. Maxwell