In honor of August 26th being my 10th anniversary as an employee of Injoy Stewardship Solutions, I wanted to reflect on the Top 10 Leadership Lessons I Learned From Previous Owner Dr. John Maxwell. One for each year. To read the first five lessons, click here.
Now for the remaining five lessons:
- A Constant Commitment To Personal Growth – A phrase I have heard John say many times is, “Yesterday ended last night.” What this meant was always keep getting better. Keep reading. Keep learning. Keep hanging around people bigger, stronger, and faster than you are. Keep meeting new people and going to new places. “Been there, done that” is not a statement great leaders make. John taught that leaders should say, “I’m going there and doing that.” Always keep growing.
- Truly Great Leaders Reproduce Great Leaders – What do the names Dan Reiland, Tim Elmore, Brad Lomenick, Gabe Lyons, Kevin Small, and Ken Coleman among others have in common? They are all extraordinarily successful and they all worked for John. During my time at ISS, ten individuals who were hired under John’s ownership have become presidents and/or started their own stewardship companies. John Maxwell attracted great leaders, who after working for him, went on to even greater things. Leaders became better leaders because they worked for John.Â
- The Importance Of Loyalty – John taught me that being loyal alone does not make you a leader but being disloyal disqualifies you from being one. I would say the primary reason I have lasted 10 years at ISS has been my loyalty to the brand.
- Genius Is Simplicity – Genius is making the complicated simple, not the simple complicated. John has taken the complex issue of leadership and packaged it in language and concepts that anyone can use. Great leaders “place the cookies on the bottom shelf” so everyone can enjoy them. Â
- Always Take The High Road – When you are a public figure like John, it is not surprising that he has not always been treated well by some employees, church partners, or people in the public square. Because he is personally secure and knows who he is, John taught me that I do not have to defend myself, use my position, or declare my rights. God honors taking the high road. Â
In conclusion, I cannot say enough great things about John Maxwell. He exemplifies total class. John has been the quintessential voice of the Christian community on the subject of leadership for a generation. And he has stewarded that responsibility with excellence.Â
Working for him was one of the great privileges of my life. If John or any member of his team ever need anything, just call and it’s done!  All I can say in closing is, “Thank you Dr. Maxwell.  Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. My wife also asked me to thank you on her behalf. It was truly a pleasure serving you.”
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