Archive for August, 2005

04
Aug

We Maxwell Go There: part 3

By conrad-mananes 0 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized

Adding Value to Others

In the past post, I have discussed how John Maxwell noted three distinct characteristics of a successful person. In this post, we shall discuss how you, as an upright leader can add value to the lives of other people.

1. You have to value people - This entails not only telling people how much they mean to you but also includes how you treat them. How you regard them from day to day.

2. You have to make yourself more valuable - In order to become a successful person and leader, you have to make yourself worth more than what people perceive you to be. Nowadays, it’s not enough to be content with a diploma. That degree is very nice but you also have to enrich yourself with more knowledge. Do not let yourself believe the myth that it is okay to be mediocre simply because a lot of people aren’t giving it their 100%. Do not concern yourself with how they think…be the example. Make a difference. Once again, it all starts with finding your passion–what you’re good at and concentrating on that. When you’ve discovered that thing that you do so well, you’ll be able to share not only the talent but also the know-how so that others may follow your example.

3. A good leader knows how to listen - You must know how to relate with your people or "rather the people you are growing". Learn how to listen to those who look up to you. People communicate in different ways. It is your responsibility as a leader to help your people sort things out in their lives so that they can find their strengths and thus become leaders themselves in the future.

4. You have to do the things that God Values - During the seminar, John Maxwell labeled this as something "optional" probably because in America they find it offensive to tell people of your faith. I believe that this is a very important guideline and encompasses most of the rules in being a great leader. If you have God in mind when you make the rules and while you are doing your work, you will always be aware that being such a person in your position, you are responsible for a lot of people. To do the things that God values means that you will not fall into the temptation of leading your group astray. You know that you have to lead them down the straight and narrow in order for them to be upright and just individuals.

*wait for part 4 of Maxwell Go There. Until then, God Bless!

03
Aug

We Maxwell Go There: part 2

By conrad-mananes 0 Comments
Categories: Current Affairs

For those of you who were waiting for the second installation of the John Maxwell seminar, here it is! We left off at some guide questions aimed at how you can find your passion and eventually discover your strengths.

SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE GROW TO THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL

You may notice that people who are already successful somehow knew what they wanted to be at a very young age. Somehow they had focused on attaining this certain goal when they were very little. If you don’t know how to get to succeed, don’t worry too much. It’s quite common not to know what you want to do with your life. It’s okay–really.

Make a "personal plan" for growth–Growth is not an automatic process. Growth moves around purpose. So if you have purpose in life, there’s a very good chance that you are up for a whole lot of positive change.

1. Plan for personal growth - what are you doing right now to make your life better? You have to understand that experience is not the best teacher. If that were true, then every elderly person in the world would be absolutely successful and nobody would be left inside the "homes for the aged".

2. What are you doing to grow the people around you? - This takes place after you have reached your own personal success. Think of people like plants. What are you doing to cultivate their own strengths so that they can reach their success? Remember, the people around you are either making you or breaking you.

My former superior, Dr. Florina Capistrano-Baker, PhD - Director of Ayala Museum eloquently put it as: "We tend to gravitate to the people we can relate to." But what if you can change this common reaction of your own mind. Instead of gravitating to people, why don’t you seek the people you intend to gravitate to. Find people around you who are upright in their field whom you can emulate. Surely, this positive image will open your perspective to a whole new world of opportunities. Gravitate to people who will make you strive for better things and grow.

3. Success is Sowing seeds that Benefit Others–Think about this, "Successful people are committed in adding value to other people." By this, Maxwell means it is everyone’s responsibility to try and influence other people in doing the just and upright things in this world.

I shall try to explain further in part three… but for now God Bless.