Posts by The John Maxwell Company
Connectors Keep it Simple
William Henry Harrison gave the longest inaugural address of any U.S. President, taking two hours to plod through a whopping 8,445-word speech. Even though the speech was delivered outdoors on a frigid and rainy day, the President stubbornly refused to wear an overcoat or hat. As a result, he caught a cold that developed into…
Read MoreNot Planning to Stop
By their 60th birthday, a majority of leaders have begun to contemplate retirement. By age 70, most have bid farewell to the working world. Past 80 years of age, no one is expected to work, and it’s virtually unheard of for a leader to remain at the pinnacle of his or her profession. Don’t mention…
Read MoreLeaders Cannot Afford to Neglect Planning
“Good planning always costs less than good reacting.” ~ Wayne Schmidt In October 2010 the most expensive public works project in America, ARC, officially met its demise. The project would have constructed two tunnels beneath the Hudson River to add much-needed railways between New Jersey and Manhattan. However, poor planning led to wasteful spending and…
Read MoreIt’s the Network
There’s no denying that we’ve fallen into precarious economic times. The United States shed 2.6 million jobs in 2008. More of the same continued in January 2009, a month during which corporations announced 65,000 layoffs in a single day. No matter how penniless you feel right now, there’s one investment you can’t afford to overlook.…
Read MoreA Dream that Passed the Test
President Barack Obama’s inauguration symbolized, in part, fulfillment of one of America’s noblest dreams – the dream of racial equality. Fittingly, President Obama took the oath of office at the same site where Martin Luther King, Jr. had given his legendary “I Have a Dream” speech almost 45 years earlier. An estimated 1.9 million onlookers…
Read MoreFrom Class Dunce to World-Class Neurosurgeon: A Story of Empowerment
Ben Carson vividly remembers a playground conversation during which his fifth grade schoolmates selected him as the dumbest kid in their grade. In fact, after some debate, his classmates decided he was probably the dumbest kid in the world. Looking back from his vantage point as a world-renowned neurosurgeon, Dr. Carson can laugh at the…
Read MoreLeadership Lessons from the Life of Saint Patrick
Lost in the midst of shamrocks, green-clad partygoers, and leprechauns there is a story of a tremendous leader – Saint Patrick. That we celebrate a holiday bearing his name 1,500 years after his death attests to the greatness of Ireland’s patron saint. Saint Patrick’s life teaches valuable lessons about the power of forgiveness. THE LIFE…
Read MorePoised for Success
The 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry is equipped to deploy anywhere in the world within 36 hours to capture or destroy enemy fighters. The men and women of the 2-327th represent some of the fiercest warriors in the United States military. In spite of its reputation for power and ferocity, the 2-327th Infantry produced a hero…
Read MoreA Dream that Passed the Test
President Barack Obama’s inauguration symbolized, in part, fulfillment of one of America’s noblest dreams – the dream of racial equality. Fittingly, President Obama took the oath of office at the same site where Martin Luther King, Jr. had given his legendary “I Have a Dream” speech almost 45 years earlier. An estimated 1.9 million onlookers…
Read MoreThe Dilution Dilemma: Making Your Messages Matter
As a leader, do you ever feel your important messages fall on deaf ears? Are your carefully constructed and communicated strategies always getting implemented? Are you often frustrated by the difference between the results you ask of others and what you actually get? Leaders agonize when developing vision, mission and strategy. They carefully choose words…
Read More