Developing the Leader within You: John Maxwell 1

I have found this to be the most helpful leadership book I have ever read when it comes to self-leadership. From time to time in the next few weeks I will give you 4 of my favourite quotes. Here’s the first…

‘A few years ago when I turned forty, I began to review my life. I made a list of all the things I was doing at that time. My list included:

Senior pastor of a congregation of 3,500 attenders; oversight and development of thirteen pastors; President of Injoy, Inc., a company that develops resource materials for thousands of people; a national and international speaking schedule with over four hundred engagements annually; producing a monthly leadership tape for Injoy Life Club subscribers; writing a book every eighteen months; working on another education degree; and most important – taking enough time for my wife, Margaret, and our two children, Elizabeth and Joel Porter.

After writing out my list my conclusion was twofold: I didn’t have any more hours and therefore I couldn’t work any harder; and my future growth in production would be determined by my ability to work through other people.

These two realities enabled me to search for and find the most important leadership lesson I’ve ever learned:

Those closest to the leader will determine the level of success for that leader.’