Maxwell, Winning With People

John C. Maxwell, Winning with People: Discover the People Principles that Work for You Every Time. Thomas Nelson, 2007.

Maxwell and Parrott, 25 Ways to Win With People

Referenced in:

• Leadership Development Through Communication Competence
• John Maxwell Leadership Library — Inspiring Leadership
• Empowering Leadership

Brief Intro to Maxwell

John Maxwell is perhaps the most widely-read author on leadership and life-effectiveness today. LifeandLeadership.com cross-lists Maxwell’s writings under different categories:

• Inspiring Leadership — Maxwell is a strong leader in his own right, and equips people to exercise leadership that brings out the best in others.
• Leadership and Life-Effectiveness — In a manner similar to many authors in the success genre, Maxwell presents his insights in terms of what it means to lead a more productive life.

Each of his volumes makes a solid contribution to literature on these subjects, but with so many titles, it is often hard to know where to start. The LifeandLeadership.com Ministry Resource Guide on the John Maxwell Leadership Library may help readers understand the unique value of each of his works, and how each relates to the others.

Observations on Winning With People

Maxwell organizes his insights into interpersonal relationships around Five Big Questions and several principles underneath each:

The Readiness Question: Are we prepared for relationships?

• The lens principle: Who we are determines how we see others
• The mirror principle: The first person we must examine is ourselves
• The pain principle: Hurting people hurt people and are easily hurt by them
• The hammer principle: Never use a hammer to swat a fly off someone’s head
• The elevator principle: We can lift people up or take people down in our relationships

The Connection Question: Are we willing to focus on others?

• The big picture principle: The entire population of the world -with one minor exception- is composed of others
• The exchange principle: Instead of putting others in their place, we must put ourselves in their place
• The learning principle: Each person we meet has the potential to teach us something
• The charisma principle: People are interested in the person who is interested in them
• The number 10 principle: Believing the best in people usually brings the best out of people
• The confrontation principle: Caring for people should precede confronting people

The Trust Question: Can we build mutual trust?

• The bedrock principle: Trust is the foundation of any relationship
• The situation principle: Never let the situation mean more than the relationship
• The bob principle: When Bob has a problem with everyone, Bob is usually the problem
• The approachability principle: Being at ease with ourselves helps others be at ease with us
• The foxhole principle: When preparing for battle, dig a hole big enough for a friend

The Investment Question: Are we willing to invest in others?

• The gardening principle: All relationships need cultivation
• The 101 percent principle: Find the 1 percent we agree on and give it 100 percent of our effort
• The patience principle: The journey with others is slower than the journey alone
• The celebration principle: The true test of relationships is not only how loyal we are when friends fail, but how thrilled we are when they succeed
• The high road principle: We go to a higher level when we treat others better than they treat us.

The Synergy Question: Can we create a win-win relationship?

• The boomerang principle: When we help others, we help ourselves
• The friendship principle: All things being equal, people will work with people they like; all things not being equal, they still will
• The partnership principle: Working together increases the odds of winning together
• The satisfaction principle: In great relationships, the joy of being together is enough

Maxwell intersperses each with inspirational stories from key personalities such as Abraham Lincoln, Barbara Walters, Ben Franklin, Angelina Jolie, etc. See the sequel co-authored by Les Parrott, 25 Ways to Win With People.

From the Publisher

Relationships are at the heart of every positive human experience. Maxwell, a master communicator and relational expert, makes learning about relationships accessible to everyone. The most sophisticated leaders and salespeople will pick up on skills that will make them even better, and relational novices will learn skills that can transform them into relational dynamos.

About the Author

In 1985, John Maxwell founded The INJOY Group, a collection of three distinct companies that employ 200 people and provide resources and services that help people reach their personal and leadership potential. In addition to building a successful organization, John has authored more than thirty books, including the New York Times best sellers The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and Failing Forward.

Called the nation’s foremost expert on leadership, John was born in central Ohio five and a half decades ago. He credits his excellent leadership instincts and his early leadership training to his father, Melvin Maxwell, whom he followed into the ministry. For over twenty-five years, John led churches in Indiana, Ohio, and California.

In 1995, John began dedicating himself full-time to writing, speaking, and consulting. Each year he speaks live to more than 350,000 people. Known as a dynamic communicator, he is in high demand on the topic of leadership, and he speaks to many American corporations and entrepreneurial organizations. He also is a popular speaker for churches, non-profits, sports organizations, and television programs. In addition, he dedicates time each year to teaching leadership internationally.

John has earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees and has also received five honorary doctorates. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife of over thirty years and enjoys spending time with his two grown children and his grandchildren.

***For additional information on this resource, including reviews, click the bookstore links. Check the reference at page top or the links below for resource guides on related topics.***

See Other Resources on Leadership:

• Leadership, Index to Resource Guides

See Other Resources on Leadership Development:

• Leadership Development, Index to Resource Guides

See Resources on Over 100 Ministry Topics:

• Ministry Resource Guide Index