“EVERYONE is a Leader because LEADERSHIP is influence!” These are the powerful words from the legend himself, John Maxwell! If you already are or WANT to become a LEADER in your business, in your family, community, or faith, THIS interview will give you the principles YOU NEED to succeed! Do you want to become a better person?  Do you want to become a better leader? Do you want to unlock your potential to add value to the lives of others? If you said YES to any of these questions, get your notepad ready as we divulge the TOP business leadership strategies, tips, and actionable steps to become a leader right where you are. THIS is truly one of the only interviews I've done so far that actually had me NERVOUS beforehand! I’ve read every single one of John Maxwell’s books, and he is someone I look up to not only as an incredible human but an extraordinary businessman and man of faith. With that said, it is my GREAT honor and privilege to bring you this interview with THE EXPERT ON BUSINESS LEADERSHIP, John Maxwell.  We're going to share with you everything from why you need to start before you have all the answers to what it takes to get in the top 5%. Then we'll cover how to handle the leadership pedestal with humility and why it’s critical that you embrace change and help those around you do the same. Finally, we’ll wrap this show up with the ONE THING anyone who wants to #MAXOUT their life needs to do TODAY!  This insanely value-packed interview will not disappoint you. My conversation with John didn’t just meet my expectations. It far surpassed them. And the things he shares are backed by so much KNOWLEDGE and proven EXPERIENCE that I guarantee will motivate you to #MAXOUT!

Who Is John Maxwell?

John Maxwell’s passion in life is growing and equipping others to do remarkable things and lead meaningful and fulfilled lives. He believes that there is no higher goal than to help others realize their significance and potential. So he has dedicated his life to combining this purpose with what he does best: teach.  He’s written more than 100 books that have been translated into 50 languages and sold more than 30 MILLION COPIES. In 2014, Inc. Magazine named him the #1 leadership expert in the world!  While he is a giant in the world of business and leadership training and development, he actually started as a Pastor. After authoring several books, he had a meeting with his publishers who said the business community purchased most of his. That day John made a plan to transition out of full-time ministry to serve the business and leadership community. Since then, he has been drawing proven leadership principles from the Bible and empowering individuals to transform their worlds. So hang with us, and hopefully, you’ll get some mind-blowing nuggets and principles that can help you be a better person, a better leader, and add value to others!

Why Good Leaders Start Before They Have All the Answers

Often, people think they need to know every step they need to take to get to their ultimate vision before they start. But getting to your goals in life doesn’t work that way. The path to reaching your goals and achieving your dreams will reveal itself as you go. It’s not handed to you — it’s revealed to you. John Maxwell put it this way, “I am only responsible for moving on what I see today,” and he described it as the lights on a car: 

“If I go to the parking lot at night, turn on the lights and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I can't go home because I don't see my house.’ Well, no. Get the car started and move in that direction. And guess what? You only get about 300 feet of light, right? You don't get seven miles. You don't get to see your house. You've got to utilize the light. [You’ve got enough] to get you where you want to go. And so many people are uncomfortable with that because it's, well, it's not long enough. [They can’t see] what's around the corner.” - John Maxwell

If you want to know what’s around the corner, you have to actually go around the corner. That’s how answers in business, life, and relationships work. The answers are there, but you have to get to them to have them. It’s a lot like you’re earning them. Take action necessary to need the next answer, and then it will reveal itself. If you’re not willing to start before you have all the answers, John said you’re never going to experience your fullest potential:

“I believe a lot of leaders fall short because they're unwilling to take what they know now and act on it. And so, therefore, they never get to know what they could know.” - John Maxwell

When I’m coaching, the number one thing I see stopping people in their tracks is their unwillingness to act now on what they know. They want to know three to five steps down the road before they start. They’re waiting for answers while the answers are waiting for them to start moving! I’m telling you — and I’ve been doing this leadership, personal development thing long enough to know — if you want to #MAXOUT your life, start before you have all the answers!

What You Need to Do to Get in the Top 5%

To build something epic, you have to be in an environment that involves a TEAM because NO ONE wins alone. But just because you have a team doesn’t mean you’re going to win. If you want to win and MAXOUT, you need to be in the right place. And that goes for anyone who is on your team, too — they need to be in the correct position. John calls this finding your sweet spot.

”No matter how gifted you are, no matter how committed you are, if you're out of position, you're not going to be successful. That's why everybody needs to find their sweet spot. … If you want to be highly successful, you've got to get into what I call the top 5%. … [and you can] only get to the top five if you're in your sweet spot. You can't get to the top five working on weaknesses.” - John Maxwell

Instead of obsessing over your weaknesses, figure out what you’re good at and get even better. Be the absolute best at what you’re naturally good at, and you’ll be in the top 5%. 

Why Good Leaders Are Masters at Adjusting and Being Flexible

One of the things that makes leadership a challenge is that it requires you to implement change. On the other hand, management is a little simpler because you’re following and repeating a predetermined system. John said that in the 1980s, all the business books were about management but then technology started speeding up. All of the sudden, running a business, team, and marketing campaign didn't make you a winner anymore. If you wanted to be a winner, you had to get ahead of the GAME.  To get ahead of the game, you have to be able to make changes quickly, and that’s what John said leadership is all about:

“If leadership is about anything, it's about adjusting and being flexible. … Leadership is all about being in front. Well, if you're in front, one of the first things you know is, you don't know everything. So the issue is not knowing everything. The issue is when you know something, [adjust] as quickly as you possibly can. Because, if we don't adjust quickly, we miss it. … The only people that are going to win are people that can make leader-shifts and adjust quickly.” - John Maxwell

Change feels scary to many people. It’s even more frightening to most people in a business setting because they see change as a possible loss of income, promotion, or even their job. John says that, in these circumstances, a good leader reminds their team that there’s something better for them on the other side of change:

“People don't like change. So when the leader is resistant to change, he or she will get into this leadership gravity pool that's going to go down every time. Because you're not going to have the people behind you saying, ‘Come on. Let's make some more changes. Let's make some more adjustments.’ No, no, remember, they're wanting to hold on to what they have. So your job as a leader is to say, ‘There's something better. If you'll just let this go, there's something better for you here tomorrow.’ And that's what the good leaders do.” - John Maxwell

If you want to be a #MAXOUT leader, it is crucial for you to look ahead, see the changes that need to be made, and help your team embrace those changes. 

What Good Leaders Know That Keeps Them Humble

The leadership pedestal can be uncomfortable. Expectations are high, and people look up to you, but at the end of the day, you’re human. You make mistakes, and you’re figuring out things like the rest of the world. John and I get it. We both get uncomfortable with the leadership pedestal at times.  In his early 30s, John was already leading the 10th largest church in America. Around that time, a mentor took him to lunch after one of his sermons and gave him a piece of life-altering advice. This advice has helped John navigate his success and the pedestal of leadership with strength and humility. Here’s how John explained it: 

“What [my mentor] told me was, ‘Your gifts are greater than you.’ And he said, ‘You have these amazing gifts, so people are attracted to what you're doing. ... When people tell you you're amazing, always understand that they're confused. You're not amazing at all. You're human. You're a sinner. You're prone to mess up and make mistakes. There's nothing amazing about you, John. What they’re really seeing is your giftedness. ... There's nothing that sets you apart from anyone else except your giftedness. … So when they're on their feet and giving you a standing ovation, smile, wave to them, but understand they're applauding your gifts.’” - John Maxwell

Something beautiful happens when you realize that your gifts are what makes you exceptional. It might sound kind of weird, but when you know people are attracted to your gifts, it’s easier to develop your gifts and use them to their fullest potential. It no longer becomes about your ego. It reminds you that your greatness isn’t all about you. It’s all about the One who gave you your gifts.  If you really want to MAXOUT as a leader, be a good steward of your gifts — identify them, develop them, and use them to add value to others. When people applaud you and ask for your autograph, be gracious and remember that they’re admiring your giftedness. And just like any other gift, it was given, and it can be taken away. 

#MAXOUT with John Maxwell

When it comes to being a leader, the first person you need to lead is yourself. So, I asked John what his advice would be to someone who wants to transform their life. And I want to wrap up today’s message with his response:  “If you really want to be transformed, you have to live an intentional life. ... Most people don't lead their life. They accept their life. And when you accept your life, you are living on things that are not worthy of your time and effort and energy. … Everything worthwhile is uphill. The reason I want you to understand this is that to go uphill, you have to be intentional. Nobody ever went uphill by accident. You've never read a book on accidental achievements. You have to be intentional with what you do and who you are. And so I would just say to you, find your strengths, become very intentional, and commit every day of your life to go uphill.” - John Maxwell Guys, there you have it. If you want to #MAXOUT your life in any area, BE INTENTIONAL. Decide what you want your life to be like and pursue it. Don’t get discouraged when it’s hard. Going uphill isn’t easy. So, don’t expect your life to be easy. If anything, take the challenge as confirmation that you’re going the right way and doing something epic with your life! I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am that you joined me for today’s message. Just because this interview is over doesn’t mean you have to stop learning for John. In fact, do yourself a favor and buy his newest book, Leadershifts, right now. It covers 11 shifts MAXOUT leaders need to make to keep up with the rate things are changing and influence others to reach their fullest potential. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and be sure to check out everything he has to offer on his website. If you got anything out of this interview, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts — it goes a long way to helping new people find us and me being able to invite more epic guests to share their genius with you! Also, please share this episode on Instagram by posting a screenshot and tagging me @edmylett and @johncmaxwell so that we can get this message into the hands of more people!  If you don’t know yet, every day on Instagram, I run the two-minute drill. That means everyone who comments within the first two minutes of my post, Monday through Friday, is entered into a drawing. We pick a winner EVERY DAY. Winners can receive anything from John's book, coaching calls with me, MAXOUT gear, to a flight on my jet. So make sure your notifications are turned on, and you’re staying engaged in the MAXOUT community! Now, go lead with intention this week and #MAXOUT your life!