“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
“When you know your purpose and priorities and you have ordered your day, week, or year according to them, you have a clarity of thought that strengthens everything you do.”
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John C. Maxwell
“Everyone is a leader because everyone influences someone.”
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John C. Maxwell
“A young concert violinist was asked the secret of her success. She replied, “Planned neglect.” Then she explained, “When I was in school, there were many things that demanded my time. When I went to my room after breakfast, I made my bed, straightened the room, dusted the floor, and did whatever else came to my attention. Then I hurried to my violin practice. I found I wasn’t progressing as I thought I should, so I reversed things. Until my practice period was completed, I deliberately neglected everything else. That program of planned neglect, I believe, accounts for my success.”
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John C. Maxwell
“People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
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John C. Maxwell
“Every person has a longing to be significant, to make a contribution, to be a part of something noble and purposeful.”
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John C. Maxwell
“Sometimes we are afraid because success puts pressure on us to continue to succeed.”
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John C. Maxwell
“Earlier in my life, I have to admit, I was often guilty of this error. I wanted to take an idea from seed thought to solution before sharing it with anyone, even the people it would most impact. I did this both at work and at home. But over the years, I have learned that you can go much farther with a team than you can go alone.”
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John C. Maxwell
“Attitude is one of the most contagious qualities a human being possesses.”
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John C. Maxwell
“Where success is concerned, people are not measured in inches, or pounds, or college degrees, or family background; they are measured by the size of their thinking.”
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John C. Maxwell
“People can be in the same place sharing the same experience at the same time, but they can walk away from it having seen very different things.”
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John C. Maxwell
“Every message that people receive is filtered through the messenger who delivers it.”
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John C. Maxwell
“The leader’s Attitude is like a thermostat for the place she works. If her attitude is good, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the environment is easy to work in. But if her attitude is bad, the temperature is insufferable.”
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John C. Maxwell
“The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That's the day we truly grow up.”
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John C. Maxwell
“Cavett Roberts said: “If my people understand me, I’ll get their attention. If my people trust me, I’ll get their action.”
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John C. Maxwell
