John C. Maxwell People Quotations

Whenever a high-profile leader dies, people immediately attempt to summarize that person's life in a sentence. Often, critics and commentators get caught up looking at the leader's style, or which political or philosophical camp they represented.

Most people want to avoid pain, and discipline is usually painful.

In the end, people are persuaded not by what we say, but by what they understand.

The best way a mentor can prepare another leader is to expose him or her to other great people.

Everyone has the potential to become an encourager. You don't have to be rich. You don't have to be a genius. You don't have to have it all together. All you have to do is care about people and initiate.

People who add value to others do so intentionally. I say that because to add value, leaders must give of themselves, and that rarely occurs by accident.

The best leaders are readers of people. They have the intuitive ability to understand others by discerning how they feel and recognizing what they sense.

How do leaders serve their people? They may pay good wages and treat employees with respect.

People who use time wisely spend it on activities that advance their overall purpose in life.

All of the people in my life whom I consider to be close friends or colleagues are good thinkers.

For more than a decade, I led an organization that put on an elaborate Christmas program each December. It was a big production, with over 250 people participating in more than 20 performances. By the end of the season, everyone who participated was exhausted.

All good leaders are connectors. They relate well and make people feel confident about themselves and their leader.

Positional leaders ignore the fact that every person has hopes, dreams, desires, and goals of his own. And leaders must bring their vision and the aspirations of the people they lead together in a way that benefits everyone.

Most people don't like change. They revolt against it unless they can clearly see the advantage it brings. For that reason, when good leaders prepare to take action or make changes, they take people through a process to get them ready for it.

When you believe in people, you motivate them and release their potential.

It is the leaders job to add significance to the lives of the people he leads.

An organization cannot increase its productivity-but people can!

A great leader has the ability to instill within his people confidence in themselves.

People will not follow a leader who does not have confidence in himself.

Seek people who seek solutions.

People today are desperate for leaders, but they want to be influenced only by individuals they can trust, persons of good character.

The more people see that they are being understood, they become more motivated to understand your point of view.

Nurturing has the ability to transform people's lives.

Understanding people certainly impacts your ability to communicate with others.

The ability to understand people is one of the greatest assets anyone can ever have.

If you show people how much you care and ask questions in a non threatening way, you'll be amazed by how much they'll tell you.

When you nurture people and add value to them without expecting anything in return, they feel significant.

Faith in people is an essential quality of an influencer when working with others, yet it is a scarce commodity today.

To really become motivated to succeed, people need to believe they can win.

People of influence understand the incredible value of becoming a good listener.

Followers are always watching what you do. And people do what people see! If you are a leader seeking to make your vision come alive, then there is no better way to accomplish this than by living it: Modeling your expectations, setting the example by your actions, and showing the way through leading. Your followers, who are watching, will see in you the living picture of the vision, and you will produce the energy, motivation and passion to keep it going.

People go farther than they thought they could when someone else thinks they can.

Connecting is vital for any person who wants to achieve success. It is essential for anyone who wants to build great relationships. You will only be able to reach your potential-regar dless of your profession or chosen path-when you learn to connect with other people.

By the time I went to the pulpit, the vision was never on the same level as when God first gave it to me; it was clearer and bigger. It was better because the body of Christ complemented what God had given me. So when I gave the vision to the congregation, the influencers already bought it. Then after the people have heard my message, and migrate to the influencers, these influencers are already my allies and help me communicate the vision to the congregation.

The secret to success can be found in people's daily agendas. If they do something intentional to grow every day, they move closer to reaching their potential. If they don't, their potential slowly slips away over the course of their lifetime.

The more that people know how they fit on a team, the more they will desire to properly make the most of their fit and maximize their contribution.

My leadership began to take flight when I allowed myself to press people to change-whether they thanked me or cursed me.

Leaders need to remember that the point of leading is not to cross the finish line first. It's to take people across the finish line with you. For that reason, leaders must deliberately slow their pace, stay connected to their people, enlist others to help fulfill the vision, and keep people going. You can't do that if you're running too far ahead of your people.

Talented performers flock to the best and brightest leaders, and these leaders in turn lift the lids off their people and uncork the latent talent inside of them.

Many times we ask people to march outwardly, when we haven't yet spent the needed time inwardly.

There is something to be said about a pastor and a church that develop a missions statement and the people take ownership of it. They get their identity, purpose, and energy from the unique place their church is to be in that community.

When pastors ask me if their people will buy this vision, I ask them two questions: "Have they bought into your leadership?" If they haven't, don't ever try to pass on a vision. Second, "Have you processed this vision correctly?"

Successful people reject rejection.

You can't move people to action unless you first move them with emotion. The heart comes before the head.

Thank God for the tough times. They are the reason you are there - to be the leader. If everything was going well, the people wouldn't need you!

If we treat people as who they can become, they will be inspired to rise to the level of our expectations.

People change when they hurt enough that they have to change, learn enough that they want to change, receive enough that they are able to change.

I do a lot of conferences, a lot of leadership training. For about six or seven years I've been making this statement - every time I make it, I can see people just kind of - it's just one of those light bulb moments.

Others are ahead of me. I am continually challenged. My focus is forward. The atmosphere is affirming. I am often out of my comfort zone. I wake up excited. Failure is not my enemy. Others are growing. People desire change. Growth is modeled and expected.

All visions begin with relationships. My relationship with God is where I receive the vision; my relationship with my people is where I give the vision. If those relationships aren't what they could be or should be, on either side, the receiving or the giving out, the vision is going to be aborted.

Your goal as a leader isn't to be indispensable to the people you lead; it is to leave your people something that is indispensable to them.

Needless to say, you can love people without leading them, but you cannot lead people without loving them.

I keep telling people that the secret of their success is discovered in their daily agenda. What they do daily is going to determine their success.

Dreams require down payments. Dreams are free, but the journey isn't. There is a price to pay. When you find your why you'll find your way. When you develop your will you will embark on your way. Many people start; few people finish. Many people have a dream; few people achieve their dreams.

The better you are at surrounding yourself with people of high potential, the greater your chance for success.

People naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves.

Leaders have two characteristics: first they are going somewhere, and second they are able to persuade other people to go with them.

When I had something I thought God was talking to me about, the first thing I did, before I ever talked to the congregation, was to sit down with the major influencers of the church and share with them what I thought God was speaking to me. I gave them time for input or questions. Many times they would ask questions and I would reply, "I need to spend more time on this. I'm not sure I'm thinking clearly there." Other times they added value and helped make this vision better or more accessible to the people.

People's purpose in life is always connected to their giftedness.

Successful people make right decisions early and manage those decisions daily.

Many times when people leave churches we think it's a doctrinal issue, but most of the time it's a leadership issue.

People will summarize your life in one sentence - Pick it now.

People are never able to outperform their self-image.

The rallying call to people is to give them hope. When you have hope, that's huge.

The happiest people are those who have harvested their time in others. The unhappiest people are those who wonder how the world is going to make them happy.

The more seriously you take your growth, the more seriously your people will take you.

The more credible you are, the more confidence people place in you, thereby allowing you the privilege of influencing their lives.

To help people believe they can achieve victory, put them in a position to experience small successes.

Whenever I mentor people and help them discover their purpose, I always encourage them to start the process by discovering their strengths, not exploring their shortcomings. Why? Because people's purpose in life is always connected to their giftedness. It always works that way. You are not called to do something that you have no talent for. You will discover your purpose by finding and remaining in your strength zone.

Acquiring and keeping good people is a leader's most important task.

No matter your title, people will not follow you if they don’t trust you.

The position does not make you a leader. The title, the promotion, the fancy corner office do not make you a leader. No, it is relationships with people that are the foundation, the very heart of leadership. Have you ever worked for someone you didn't like? It's difficult, isn't it? On the other hand, the leader you will follow anywhere and everywhere is one you know cares about you, and values you. This person has your best interests at heart. It is the leader who comes alongside to help you improve and grow.

If you have great people around you, they will take you higher than your dream will. Leaders are never self-made. Those closest to you determine your level of success, so choosing the right companions as partners in pursuit of your vision is an important decision. My advice is to surround yourself with talented people who will challenge you, help you grow and inspire you to maximize your potential.

Set the tone for your day be treating people better than you expect to be treated by them. Be the first to smile. Express your appreciation for them. Expect the best out of them. If you act first, you will set yourself up for success.

Inexperienced leaders are quick to lead before knowing anything about the people they intend to lead. But mature leaders listen, learn and then lead.

Remember, at the time God gives us a vision, we never have the resources available to accomplish it. We don't have the people, the money, the knowledge, or the opportunity.

Be willing to absorb some risk and failures to allow people freedom to express themselves.

If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the person you want on the outside. People will want to follow you. And when that happens, you'll be able to tackle anything in this world.

I want to make a difference with people who want to make a difference, doing something that makes a difference.

Successful people do what is right no matter how they feel, and by doing right, they feel good.

Tend to the people, and they will tend to the business.

If you don't love where you are right now, you won't love where you are going. Here is what I know: People who are passionate about what they do every day and love where they are in life are the fortunate ones. They have discovered their purpose. They are the difference makers who fully understand the gift of adding value, and yes, they can't help but love where they are going on their journey.

People will work eight hours a day for pay, 10 hours a day for a good boss, and 24 hours a day for a good cause!

Difficulties seldom defeat people; lack of faith in themselves usually does it.

Few things build a person up like affirmation. According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, Third College Edition (Simon and Schuster, 1991), the word affirm comes from ad firmare, which means “to make firm.” So when you affirm people, you make firm within them the things you see about them. Do that often enough, and the belief that solidifies within them will become stronger than the doubts they have about themselves.

Sometimes I hear people talk about discipline of self and I think, if you don't have passion, I might discipline myself for a week or two but only passion will hold me steady.

Character creates consistency, and if your people know what they can expect from you, they will continue to look to you for leadership.

As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behavior. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to become. Take action on your behavior. Too many people want to feel, then take action. This never works.

Believing in people before they have proved themselves is the key to motivating people to reach their potential.

Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them.

Everything you now do is something you have chosen to do. Some people don't want to believe that. But if you're over age twenty-one, your life is what you're making of it. To change your life, you need to change your priorities

Nothing speaks like results. If you want to build the kind of credibility that connects with people, then deliver results before you deliver a message. Get out and do what you advise others to do. Communicate from experience.

The only way a church is going to be relevant is to get out of its comfort zone and connect with unchurched people.

People are not going to give you a vision, but God can.

To connect with people, be yourself, at your best.

Nothing separates successful people from unsuccessful people more than how they use their time!

I think we impress people by our success, but I think we impact them by our failures.

Image is what people think we are; integrity is whar we really are.

In the book [Today Matters] I talk about successful people make important decisions early in their life, and then they manage those decisions the rest of their life.

People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision. Many people who approach the area of vision in leadership have it backwards. They believe that if the cause is good enough, people will automatically buy in and follow. But that's not how leadership works. People don't follow worthy causes; they follow worthy leaders with a cause they can believe in. They buy into the leader first.