John Maxwell reminds us time and time again that within every challenge is an opportunity to learn, grow, and lead. The challenge of uncertainty is no different. Uncertainty causes us to think differently and creatively, and to stay focused on the present. It tests our character, our strengths, and our wisdom. In this episode, John teaches us to embrace these benefits of uncertainty, so we can lead when it matters most. In the discussion portion of the episode, Mark Cole and Jason Brooks discuss...
Apr 22, 2020•1 hr 21 min
In this installment of Candid Conversations, we’re doing something both exciting and different. Mark and John are practicing social distancing and are unable to sit in a room together to record new Candid Conversations. However, this past week, they were both on a call with over 500 John Maxwell coaches and faculty where they discussed mentoring in times of crisis. Join them in this insightful discussion to learn the keys to mentoring others in both good and bad times. For more episodes of The J...
Apr 17, 2020•1 hr
In this week’s episode, John Maxwell completes his lesson on what great leaders do well in times of crisis. As many leaders are adapting and learning how to lead through the coronavirus pandemic, this timely message offers direction and clarity to navigate the obstacles that often arise during a crisis. Mark Cole and Jason Brooks host again via Zoom conference call as they practice social distancing and talk about how creative leaders believe there is always an answer to any problem. They also e...
Apr 15, 2020•43 min
As many leaders are adapting and learning how to lead through the coronavirus pandemic, John Maxwell delivers a timely teaching on what great leaders do well in times of crisis. John shares seven qualities that great leaders possess during unprecedented times like these. This message from John was originally broadcast on his Facebook page earlier this week. Your hosts, Mark Cole and Jason Brooks, have broken John’s message into a two-part series on the podcast in order to dive deep into John’s...
Apr 08, 2020•1 hr 11 min
In part two of our series on Emotional Intelligence, John Maxwell teaches the importance of motivation, empathy, and social skills in an emotionally intelligent leader. John reminds us that, like leadership, emotional intelligence is not something that some people are born with and others aren’t. Emotional intelligence can be learned and developed. Mark Cole and Chris Goede point out the shift throughout John’s lesson from me-focused to others-focused, and they discuss how empathy and social ski...
Apr 01, 2020•35 min
T his Candid Conversation was rec o rded several weeks ago while John Maxwell and Mark Cole were in Israel spending time with some of The John Maxwell Leadership Foundation’s top donors. John wanted to make this trip unforgettable for those who support his vision and mission so fai thfully , and he took this opportunity to share on the podcast what it takes to be an unforgettable leader. He also reflects on what he learned from his late friend Jack Welch about how to get yourself out of “the peo...
Mar 27, 2020•32 min
We are so excited to bring you a new series on Emotional Intelligence! In this series, John Maxwell references the book Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman and shares five attributes of an emotionally intelligent leader. In this part of the series, John teaches the first two points and explains the importance of self-awareness and self-regulation. We’re also excited to bring back Chris Goede as the co-host for this series, along with Mark Cole, the CEO of The John Maxwell Enterprise. Chris ...
Mar 25, 2020•40 min
In part two of this series, John covers the final qualities of a good role model: friendship and support, as well as competence. He ends this lesson by painting a picture of what a growth environment looks like. This picture will help you, as a role model, asses if your environment contributes to the growth of others. If you’re someone looking for a role model, this picture will help you identify if your environment cultivates growing leaders. Mark Cole and Traci Morrow follow up John’s lesson b...
Mar 18, 2020•34 min
Great leadership stands out in times of crisis because great leaders have prepared themselves for the moment. Their voice is one that responds, not reacts. In this episode, John Maxwell and Mark Cole invite their long-time friends Kevin Myers and Chris Hodges to talk about how leaders should be voices of hope during crisis without neglecting the earnestness of a serious circumstance. They remind us that all crises are opportunities to lead and that there is a distinction between preparing yourse...
Mar 13, 2020•41 min
John Maxwell’s Law of Modeling says that it’s hard to improve when you have no one but yourself to follow. In this series, which we’re calling People Do What People See, John Maxwell shares five qualities that make a good role model. In part one, John shares the first three qualities and explains why teaching is much easier than modeling. Modeling requires practicing what you preach. It gives you integrity as a leader and establishes you as a credible role model and authority. In the discussion ...
Mar 11, 2020•40 min
In part two of Don’t Just Communicate, Connect, John Maxwell shares the final disconnect he experienced early in his leadership journey that kept him from connecting with those he led. John then closes the lesson by sharing what he does well when it comes to connecting with people. These include valuing others, living with integrity, and simplifying his message. Mark Cole and Chris Goede reveal the importance of having tough conversations in a timely manner. They show how squandered opportunitie...
Mar 04, 2020•46 min
In the last Candid Conversation, John C. Maxwell shared a sneak peek of the book he’s currently writing. In this episode, he shares powerful insights from the book he’s most recently finished reading: Atomic Habits by James Clear . John shares a few of his key takeaways from this book and how they have challenged him in his leadership. For more episodes of The John Maxwell Leadership Podcast, visit MaxwellPodcast.com/episodes. Don’t forget to subscribe so that you can receive updates on new epis...
Feb 28, 2020•35 min
This week we’re starting a series on connecting with others. Based loosely on his book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect , John Maxwell shares four of what he calls his “disconnects.” These are areas early on in his leadership journey that kept him from connecting with the people he led. This series will help you become a leader who draws people into your ideas and captures them with your vision. We’re also excited to introduce Chris Goede to you as the co-host throughout this series! Chris lea...
Feb 26, 2020•54 min
In part two of our series on Leading Through Change, John Maxwell shares the four key principles of change that every individual experiences. These keys are important as you lead through change. They’ll help you and your team cultivate an environment that is conducive to change, rather than hold onto the past and stifle progress. Mark Cole and Jason Brooks pick up the discussion on how to lead on an individual basis when change comes, and they offer insights from their own leadership experience....
Feb 19, 2020•39 min
John Maxwell often gets asked, “Which of your books is your favorite?” His answer is always whichever book he is currently writing. In this installment of Candid Conversations, John C. Maxwell and Mark Cole talk about the book John is currently working on and the ideas he’s most excited about sharing. He just released his newest book, The Leader’s Greatest Return , in January, but he’s already at work on his next book, which will come out in 2021. John and Mark give you an exclusive early look a...
Feb 14, 2020•27 min
We’re starting a new series this week on Leading Through Change! It’s easy to lead when everything is consistent and your job is to simply maintain. But John Maxwell says maintaining is not leading; it’s managing. Great leaders are faced with change every day, and they lead through it with clarity and confidence. In part one of Leading Through Change, John talks about the first three of five points that we’ll cover throughout the series. He reminds us that different people respond to change diff...
Feb 12, 2020•36 min
Owning your dream means betting on yourself and not solely relying on others to make it happen. In this episode John Maxwell covers what it truly means to own your dream. He shares that one sign you own your dream and are betting on yourself is that you invest in it. Mark Cole and Jason Brooks continue their discussion by sharing the ways they’ve bet on themselves and invested in their own dreams. They encourage you to start owning your dream and to evaluate what might be keeping you from invest...
Feb 05, 2020•35 min
Every year, after John Maxwell’s year in review process of reflecting on the past year, John chooses a word that encompasses the main area of focus that he wants to the accomplish in the coming year. In this Candid Conversation, John Maxwell and Mark Cole talk about their words for the year and why they chose them. Based on their words for the year, John and Mark discuss what it means to put something behind you in order to move forward. This means resolving issues and facing them head on instea...
Jan 31, 2020•35 min
Do you own your dream for your life? Do you even have a dream for your life? Those are a couple of the questions John C. Maxwell asks in this new series, Put Your Dream to the Test, based on his book of the same title. Many people don’t have a dream for their life or they give up too quickly on the one they do have. Sometimes their dream isn’t actually their dream––it’s someone else’s dream for them. In John’s book and online course, he asks 10 questions that will help you make your dream a real...
Jan 29, 2020•37 min
In this episode, John Maxwell shares seven thoughts on the impact courage has on leadership. John cites that courage is the most important of all virtues, according to Maya Angelou, because it’s required in order to exercise all other virtues consistently. During the discussion portion, Mark Cole and Jason Brooks examine instances from their own experiences when they needed to practice courage and how it has shaped their leadership today. Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Courage Worksh...
Jan 22, 2020•45 min
In this installment of Candid Conversations, John Maxwell and Mark Cole chat with author and speaker Simon Sinek about his new book, The Infinite Game . Simon shares what inspired him to write the book, as well as five practices that you need to continually embrace in order to play the “infinite game.” John and Simon discuss the implications of capitalism’s priority shift to putting profits before people and, alternately, the impact on business culture when capitalism is used to serve the people...
Jan 17, 2020•27 min
In this episode, John Maxwell concludes his lesson on earning trust––the number one responsibility of a leader. John discusses the important roles that competent leadership, empowerment of others, courage to risk in relationships, and integrity all play in gaining the trust of your team. John also digs into a common misconception that many leaders have about empowering others: Empowering others does not mean giving up control. It means giving others the ability to do more so that you can accompl...
Jan 15, 2020•40 min
John Maxwell says that the number one responsibility of a leader is to earn trust with his or her people. Trust is an attitude that allows people to rely on, have confidence in, and feel sure about people and things. This week on The John Maxwell Leadership Podcast, we’re starting a new series called “Earning Trust,” in which you’ll learn seven keys to gaining the confidence of your team. Part one covers the first two keys. John shares the importance of consistency and accurate, open communicati...
Jan 08, 2020•30 min
John Maxwell and Mark Cole sit down in this installment of Candid Conversations to reflect on the recent Exchange event in London. Hosted by John, Exchange is an annual, three-day, immersive event that puts attendees face-to-face with leadership experts in top industries and side-by-side with world-class thinkers. This year, Exchange took place in London. John talks about how, this year, he wanted to take the attendees to the historic home of John Wesley, a place John himself visits every time h...
Jan 03, 2020•40 min
Happy New Year, podcast listeners! We wanted to start the year off right by encouraging you to pursue the changes and goals you’ve set! This year has so much potential for you and your organization, whether you know it or not. So, in this episode, we’re talking about how to reach your potential by avoiding the pitfalls that often come with achieving big things. John Maxwell shares four key reasons people don’t reach their full potential. In light of John’s lesson, Mark Cole references our episod...
Jan 01, 2020•49 min
Merry Christmas, podcast listeners! As we’re releasing this, we know you’re probably sitting around the Christmas tree unwrapping gifts with friends and family. So, we wanted to give you a gift as well! Are you ready for this? On January 28th, John Maxwell will release his new book, The Leader’s Greatest Return . But, today on the podcast, we’re giving you the entire first chapter from the audio book, read by the man himself! As our podcast listener, you get to be the first to hear John read fro...
Dec 25, 2019•47 min
In this Candid Conversation, John Maxwell and Mark Cole dive into the importance of preparing for important meetings and moments, especially when they’re with people who are, as John says, “bigger, better, and faster” than you. John calls this preparation “the meeting before the meeting.” If you and your team want to walk away from meetings with confidence in each other, a clear vision, and the biggest return on your investment possible, this episode will equip you for your next meeting. John sh...
Dec 20, 2019•37 min
We’ve got something very special for you this week! As many of you know, John Maxwell sets aside the last week of every year to reflect on the previous 365 days. He calls this his “Year in Review.” This annual exercise provides John the clarity to identify what he did well this past year and what he needs to improve in the year to come. John has talked about his week of reflection in previous episodes, but we’ve never shared an episode in which John tells you, step-by-step, his process for this ...
Dec 18, 2019•34 min
In this very special episode of The John Maxwell Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by two of John’s good friends: Kyle Carpenter, the youngest living recipient of the Medal of Honor, and Don Yaeger, journalist and New York Times best-selling author. Kyle and Don have recently written the book You Are Worth It: Building a Life Worth Fighting For , which was released in October and tells the incredible story of Kyle’s recovery from a grenade blast in Afghanistan. Kyle shares his story with us, alon...
Dec 11, 2019•49 min
In this Candid Conversation, John Maxwell and Mark Cole reflect on the impact Richard Chancy had on their lives and leadership. Mark shares several words that Richard embodied, while John Maxwell gives short lessons on each word and how Richard truly exemplified the leadership qualities that John, Mark, and Richard have taught in the podcast. As a reminder, if you would like to share how Richard’s role on the podcast has affected your life and leadership, please go to MaxwellPodcast.com/Richard,...
Dec 06, 2019•37 min
