“What do the people closest to you value? Make a list of the most important people in your life-from home, work, church, hobbies, and so on. After making the list, write what each person values most. Then rate yourself on a scale of 1 (poorly) to 10 (excellently) on how well you relate to that person's values. If you can't articulate what someone values or you score lower than an 8 in relating to that person, spend more time with him or her to improve.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“It is true: most people are more satisfied with old problems than committed to finding new solutions.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“One of my favorite stories is about a newly hired traveling salesman who sent his first sales report to the home office. It stunned the brass in the sales department because it was obvious that the new salesman was ignorant! This is what he wrote: “I seen this outfit which they ain’t never bot a dim’s worth of nothin from us and I sole them some goods. I’m now goin to Chicawgo.” Before the man could be given the heave-ho by the sales manager, along came this letter from Chicago: “I cum hear and sole them haff a millyon.” Fearful if he did, and afraid if he didn’t fire the ignorant salesman, the sales manager dumped the problem in the lap of the president. The following morning, the ivory-towered sales department members were amazed to see posted on the bulletin board above the two letters written by the ignorant salesman this memo from the president: “We ben spendin two much time trying to spel instead of trying to sel. Let’s watch those sails. I want everybody should read these letters from Gooch who is on the rode doin a grate job for us and you should go out and do like he done.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“If your perception of and response to failure were changed, what would you attempt to achieve?”
―
John C. Maxwell
“The road to the next level is always uphill, and if a team isn’t intentionally fighting to move up, then it inevitably slides down.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Every message that people receive is filtered through the messenger who delivers it.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“People don’t remember what we think is important; they remember what they think is important.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Have you ever had to communicate someone else’s vision? It’s very difficult to do, isn’t it?”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Where success is concerned, people are not measured in inches, or pounds, or college degrees, or family background; they are measured by the size of their thinking.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“The measure of a leader is not the number of people who serve him but the number of people he serves.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“I love the story of the salesman who sat looking through the window of a hotel restaurant. Outside raged a blinding snowstorm. “Do you think the roads will be clear enough in the morning to travel?” he asked his waiter. “That depends,” the waiter replied. “Are you on salary or commission?”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Good thinking will improve your life. It will help you to become an achiever.”
―
John C. Maxwell
“Most careers involve other people. You can have great academic intelligence and still lack social intelligence—the ability to be a good listener, to be sensitive toward others, to give and take criticism well.”
―
John C. Maxwell
