“Recently I took my daughter Elizabeth out to a restaurant for lunch. The waitress, whose job it was to take care of people, made us feel that we were really inconveniencing her. She was grumpy, negative, and unhelpful. All of her customers were aware of the fact that she was having a bad day. Elizabeth looked up at me and said, “Dad, she’s a grump, isn’t she?” I could only agree with a look of disdain. Halfway through our experience I tried to change this woman’s negative attitude. Pulling out a $10 bill, I said, “Could you do me a favor? I’d like some change for this $10 bill because I want to give you a good tip today.” She looked at me, did a double take, and then ran to the cash register. After changing the money, she spent the next fifteen minutes hovering over us. I thanked her for her service, told her how important and helpful she was, and left a good tip. As we left, Elizabeth said, “Daddy, did you see how that lady changed?” Seizing this golden opportunity, I said, “Elizabeth, if you want people to act right toward you, you act right toward them. And many times you’ll change them.”
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John C. Maxwell
“Successful people do the things that unsuccessful people are unwilling to do.”
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John C. Maxwell
“People cannot perform in a way inconsistent with the way they see themselves.”
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John C. Maxwell
“If your perception of and response to failure were changed, what would you attempt to achieve?”
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John C. Maxwell
“Eleanor Roosevelt commented, "Life is like a parachute jump; you've got to get it right the first time.”
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John C. Maxwell
“The Norwegians have a saying that I think captures their attitude: "There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
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John C. Maxwell
“When leaders learn and live good values, they make themselves more valuable and lift the value of other people. That is the foundation of positive leadership.”
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John C. Maxwell
“There is no future in any job. The future lies in the person who holds the job.”
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John C. Maxwell
“Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
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John C. Maxwell
“If everyone doesn’t pay the price to win, then everyone will pay the price by losing.”
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John C. Maxwell
“they all share the ability to connect visually, intellectually, emotionally, and verbally.”
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John C. Maxwell
“I want to make a difference with people who want to make a difference, doing something that makes a difference.”
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John C. Maxwell
“My Influence My life shall touch a dozen lives Before this day is done. Leave countless marks of good or ill, E’er sets the evening sun. This, the wish I always wish, The prayer I always pray; Lord, may my life help others’ lives It touches by the way.7”
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John C. Maxwell
“Leadership is more disposition than position—influence others from wherever you are.”
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John C. Maxwell
