By The John Maxwell Company
“Out of what I had received in my development, I was also
able to give. The confidence I gained from personal growth gave me
credibility and made me believe I could start developing others. And in
that, I found life’s greatest joy and reward.”
Isn’t one of the most satisfying things seeing the success and growth
of those you invested in at one point? John Maxwell explains in
The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth that by growing yourself, you’re enabled to grow others.
However, even when you are generous with your knowledge and skill,
you must be intentional in your efforts to add value to others. Positive
qualities we possess can be multiplied when we cultivate an attitude of
contribution.
Check out this list of 7 ways to develop a mind-set dedicated to growing others:
1. Be Grateful“I am the recipient of many benefits that I do not deserve and did not
earn. Someone else paid for them. I am grateful! How do I show my
gratitude? By daily pouring into others and passing on to them the
things that will allow them to run far and achieve beyond what I have
done.”
Something we know and believe is that no one succeeds alone. It is
our calling to pass along the development and influence we have received
over our lifetime. In paying it forward, we can multiply our efforts,
trusting that those we lead will also work to grow others.
2. Put People First“People continue on. What you give to help others builds them up enough
that they are able to give to others. It’s a cycle that can continue on
long after you’re dead and gone.”
When you think of successes in your life, what do you remember?
Likely you remember the people with whom you shared those wins. People
are a huge part of our lives, and as leaders, our actions impact so
many. By building our people up and putting them first, we show that
they are valuable and worthy of great growth.
3. Don’t Let Stuff Own You“Contributors take the stuff they own and use it as an asset to make
this world a better place to live. And they do this regardless of how
much or how little they have.”
So many people pride themselves in what they own. This doesn’t bring
joy or benefit to anyone. Instead, we must let go of what we have and
give it to others. Time, attention, money and resources – all can
benefit others in great ways.
4. Don’t Let People Own You“It’s hard to give yourself away when someone else owns you. I wanted to be able to value people with no strings attached.”
Although we consistently benefit from others, we can’t become
indebted to them. When we are “owned” by others, we don’t have the
chance to give what and when we want. Instead, we must aim to be on the
giving side of every relationship.
5. Define Success as Sowing, Not Reaping“If you live life with the intention of making a difference in others’ lives, your life will be full, not empty.”
So often people sow with the expectation of quick returns and are
disappointed when that is not the case. Instead, we must sow and be
prepared to wait for the harvest in due time. During that time, take a
step back and recognize the immense impact you have on others. That is
the true reason for living.
Read the full article online...
Life would certainly be easier – and success more simple – if all it
took to achieve was to KNOW the right things and DECIDE to do them,
right? But I think it’s more accurate to say that a decision is just one
bookend of achievement. The other is discipline. Decisions can only
help us start. Discipline helps us finish. That’s where character comes
in. Emotion might drive us to make a decision. But character is what
keeps us going, even when it gets hard. In Developing the Leader Within
You, I wrote about some differences between character-driven and
emotion-driven people:
