John C. Maxwell Quotes

Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand.

Needless to say, you can love people without leading them, but you cannot lead people without loving them.

A leader must be inspired by the people before a leader can inspire the people.

It is essential to understand that battles are primarily won in the hearts of men. Men respond to leadership in a most remarkable way and once you have won his heart, he will follow you anywhere.

When a leader reaches out in passion, he is usually met with an answering passion.

In order to move others, I must be moved.

Leadership is leading by example.

Own the leadership style that makes you you. If you are an empathetic leader by nature, embrace that.

Leadership is the catalytic gift that energizes, directs, and empowers all the other gifts.

You can't lead anybody you don't love. You can't do it. It's not possible.

Just about the worst thing a leader can nurture in his heart is self-pity. And just about the worst thing a leader can do in front of his people is murmur and complain.

Leaders have to search for the heart on a team, because the person who has it can bring out the best in everybody else.

Smooth your way to the head through the heart. The way of reason is a good one: but it is commonly something longer, and perhapsnot so sure.

You can't force your will on people. If you want them to act differently, you need to inspire them to change themselves

Model the behavior you wish more people would display. Lead first.

If you're a leader, a fellow that other fellows look to, you've got to keep going.

Those who lead by example and demonstrate passion for what they do make it much easier for their followers to do the same.

Anyone who influences others is a leader.

A drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall. So with men. If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. Therein is a drop of honey which catches his heart, which, say what he will, is the highroad to his reason.

It's not leadership by position that allows people to succeed; it's the capacity to influence the thoughts, the feelings, the emotions, and the actions of other human beings.

Leadership is influence. To the extent we influence others, we lead them.

The best leaders blend courage with compassion.

A good leader gets people to follow him because they want to, not because he makes them.

No man can become a great leader of men unless he has the milk of human kindness in his own heart, and leads by suggestion and kindness, rather than by force.

Every human endeavor has leaders and followers, and your job as a leader is to inspire.