Books

Start leading NOW… right where you are!

What’s the number one question leadership expert John C. Maxwell is asked while conducting his leadership conferences?  “How can I implement what you teach when I’m not the top leader?” Be a 360 Degree Leader.

Is it possible to lead well when you’re not the top dog?  How about if the person you work for is a bad leader?  The answer is a resounding yes!

Welcome to The 360° Leader.  People who desire to lead from the middle of organizations face unique challenges.  And they are often held back by myths that prevent them from developing their influence.  Dr. Maxwell, one of the globe’s most trusted leadership mentors, debunks the myths, shows you how to overcome the challenges, and teaches you the skills you need to become a 360° leader.

If you have found yourself trying to lead from the middle of the organization, as the vast majority of professionals do, then you need Maxwell’s insights.  You have a unique opportunity to exercise influence in all directions-up (to the boss), across (among your peers), and down (to those you lead).

The good news is that your influence is greater than you know.  Practice the disciplines of 360° leadership and the opportunities will be endless… for your organization, for your career, and for your life.

Biography

The New York Times bestseller by the acclaimed author of START WITH WHY and TOGETHER IS BETTER

Imagine a world where almost everyone wakes up inspired to go to work, feels trusted and valued during the day, then returns home feeling fulfilled. This is not a crazy, idealized notion. As Simon Sinek noticed in his travels around the world, great leaders create environments in which people naturally work together to do remarkable things. Some of these teams trust each other so deeply that they would literally put their lives on the line for each other.

Far more common, unfortunately, are teams that seem doomed to infighting, fragmentation, and failure, no matter what incentives are offered. But why?

The answer became clear during a conversation with a Marine Corps general who explained a USMC tradition: “Officers eat last.” Sinek watched as the most junior Marines ate first while the most senior Marines took their place at the back of the line.

What’s symbolic in the chow hall is deadly serious on the battlefield: great leaders sacrifice their own comfort—even their own survival—for the good of those in their care.

This principle has been true since the earliest tribes of hunters and gatherers. It’s not a management theory; it’s biology. Our brains and bodies evolved to help us find food, shelter, mates, and especially safety. We’ve always lived in a dangerous world, facing predators and enemies at every turn. We thrived only when we felt safe among our group.

Our biology hasn’t changed in fifty thousand years, but our environment certainly has. Today’s workplaces tend to be full of cynicism, paranoia, and self-interest. But the best organizations foster trust and cooperation because their leaders build what Sinek calls a Circle of Safety that separates the security inside the team from the challenges outside.

The Circle of Safety leads to stable, adaptive, confident teams, where everyone feels they belong and all energies are devoted to facing the common enemy and seizing big opportunities. Leaders who are willing to eat last are rewarded with deeply loyal colleagues who will stop at nothing to advance their leader’s vision and their organization’s interests. It’s amazing how well it works.

As he did in Start with Why, Sinek illustrates his ideas with fascinating true stories from a wide range of fields.

What is Failing Forward?

Are some people born to achieve anything they want while others struggle? Call them lucky, blessed, or possessors of the Midas touch. What is the real reason for their success? Is it family background, wealth, greater opportunities, high morals, an easy childhood? The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure and some people who find success by failing forward.

Most people are never prepared to deal with failure. Maxwell says that if you are like him, coming out of school, you feared it, misunderstood it, and ran away from it. But Maxwell has learned to make failure his friend, and he can teach you to do the same.

“I want to help you learn how to confidently look the prospect of failure in the eye and move forward anyway,” says Maxwell. “Because in life, the question is not if you will have problems, but how you are going to deal with them. Stop failing backward and start failing forward!”

Biography

“The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader gets straight to the heart of leadership issues. Maxwell once again touches on the process of developing the art of leadership by giving the reader practical tools and insights into developing the qualities found in great leaders.” – Kenneth Blanchard, Coauthor of The One Minute Manager®

“Dr. John Maxwell is the authority on leadership today. His innovative yet timeless principles on how to effectively lead others have personally impacted my life and my business. This is a must-read for any organization that wants to succeed in the new millennium.” -Peter Lowe, President of Peter Lowe International and Peter Lowe’s SUCCESS Seminars

“My dear friend John Maxwell has proven his ability to lead leaders. I anticipate learning even more from his new book.” -Max Lucado, Author of Just Like Jesus

Biography

John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, coach, and author who has sold over 19 million books. Dr. Maxwell is the founder of EQUIP and the John Maxwell Company, organizations that have trained more than 5 million leaders worldwide. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and organizations as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and the United Nations. A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week best-selling author, Maxwell has written three books which have each sold more than one million copies: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. You can find him at JohnMaxwell.com and follow him at Twitter.com/JohnCMaxwell.

Learn how to dream big by being a Quitter

An insightful, witty look at how to turn a job into a dream without turning that dream into a nightmare. Quitter is a book about how it’s possible not only to survive but actually thrive in the tension between a day job and a daydream. With the wit and insight gained in a dozen years of cubicle living, Acuff shows us all why we don’t have to become the “I’m, but” generation. I’m a teacher, but I want to be an artist. I’m a project manager, but I want to start my own business. If you’ve ever sat in a cubicle and thought, I don’t want to do this job for the rest of my life, this book is for you.

Biography

Achieve “Massive Action” results and accomplish your business dreams with 10X!

While most people operate with only three degrees of action-no action, retreat, or normal action-if you’re after big goals, you don’t want to settle for the ordinary. To reach the next level, you must understand the coveted 4th degree of action. This 4th degree, also know as the 10X Rule, is that level of action that guarantees companies and individuals realize their goals and dreams.