Craig T. Owens

I always love John Maxwell’s insights into leadership. JumpStart Your Leadership is a great learning book for leaders at any level. You can read my book review by clicking here. Below are a few quotes from John Maxwell that I especially appreciated.

“Too often people associate leadership advancement with their career path. That’s the wrong paradigm. What you should be thinking about is your own leadership development! The sign of good leadership isn’t personal advancement. It’s the advancement of your team. When others succeed and your team gets better, it’s a sign that your leadership is improving.”

“Good leadership begins with leaders knowing who they are. Successful leaders know their own strengths and weaknesses. They understand their temperament. They know what personal experiences serve them well. As a result, they have developed successful work habits and understand their daily, monthly, and seasonal rhythms. They have a sense of where they are going and how they want to get there. They don’t pretend to be something they’re not. Instead they admit their shortcomings and harness their strengths. As a result, they know what they’re capable of doing, and their leadership is strong.”

“Success demands more than most people are willing to offer, but not more than they are capable of giving. The thing that often makes the difference is good leadership.”

“Let a vision for making a difference in the lives of the people you lead lift you and your people above the confines of job descriptions and petty rules.”

“The path to leadership growth requires that one stops trying to impress others to maintain their position and starts developing trust to maintain their relationships.”

“Good leaders understand that the heart of leadership is dealing with people and working with the good, the bad, and the ugly in everyone. They are able to look at hard truths, see people’s flaws, face reality, and do it in a spirit of grace and truth. They don’t avoid problems; they solve them. Leaders who build relationships understand that conflict is a part of progress.”

“Knowing what to do isn’t enough to make someone a good leader. Just because something is right doesn’t necessarily mean that people will let you do it. Good leaders take that into account, then they think and plan accordingly. And to accomplish this, you must exhibit a consistent mood, maintain an optimistic attitude, possess a listening ear, and present to others your authentic self.”

“What makes a family great isn’t what makes a team great. Families value community over contribution. Businesses value contribution over community. The best teams strike a balance.”

“Care without candor creates dysfunctional relationships. Candor without care creates distant relationships. But care balanced with candor creates developing relationships.”

“People are any organization’s most appreciable asset. Good leaders invest their time, energy, money, and thinking into growing others as leaders. They look at every person and try to gauge his or her potential for growth and lead—regardless of the individual’s title, position, age, or experience.”