[ELM#928] Educational Leadership Lessons from John Maxwell's Mentors

Throughout my career, I have been blessed to have great mentors. Each mentor offered support and advice to help me to achieve my goals. My first mentor was my mother, who taught me resilience. 

On a recent episode of the Maxwell Leadership podcast, Dr. John C. Maxwell shared invaluable advice from various mentors throughout his career. In this week's podcast, I'll share ten key insights and guiding principles for educational leaders drawn from mentors who have profoundly influenced John C.  Maxwell.

#EducationalLeader,
Kim

http://leadershipchairbook.com

“When students are led well, they learn well.”

Website: http://www.kimdmoore.com
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The views shared in the Educational Leadership Moment are solely mine and do not reflect the positions of my employer or any entity within the local, state, or federal government sectors.

Transcript

Throughout my career, I have been blessed to have great mentors. Each mentor offered support and advice to help me to achieve my goals. My first mentor was my mother, who taught me resilience. 

During my military career, I had several mentors to guide and challenge me to achieve my full potential. As an educator, I had pivotal mentors in my development. Their wisdom, passion, and grace shaped me into the educational leader I am today.

As a founding member of John Maxwell’s coaching team, I am blessed to have John as a mentor. However, before I joined John’s team, he mentored me through his books. The first lesson I learned from John was the impact of leadership. Over the years, the leadership lessons I have learned from John have shaped the leader I am today.

“The quality of one’s mentors is as critical as their teachings.” — John C. Maxwell

On a recent episode of the Maxwell Leadership podcast, Dr. John C. Maxwell shared invaluable advice from various mentors throughout his career. Let’s dive into the key lessons from those who have profoundly influenced him, focusing on growth, influence, and continuous knowledge transfer.

Here are ten key insights and guiding principles for educational leaders drawn from mentors who have profoundly influenced Maxwell.

1.     The Father’s Influence: Unconditional Love and Belief

John Maxwell learned from his father the importance of valuing, believing in, and loving people unconditionally. This advice goes beyond a personal guideline, serving as a powerful leadership strategy that emphasizes empathy, support, and genuine concern for others’ well-being and success. For educational leaders, this means showing empathy, support, and genuine concern for students’ and staff’s well-being and success.

2.     Lessons from Elmer Towns: The Hot Poker Principle

Elmer Towns taught Maxwell the ‘hot poker principle,’ which underscores the importance of staying close to successful people to “stay hot.” This metaphor beautifully captures the idea of drawing inspiration and energy from those around us who excel, keeping our ambitions aflame and our motivations ignited. Educational leaders can apply this by surrounding themselves with inspiring educators and continuously drawing motivation and innovative ideas from them.

3. Curt Kampmeier’s Insight: The Blueprint of Personal Growth

Curt Kampmeier emphasized the necessity of a personal growth plan. This structured approach to self-improvement and skill enhancement is crucial for anyone looking to climb the ladder of success, ensuring continuous personal and professional development. Educational leaders should develop structured plans for self-improvement, ensuring they remain effective and evolve with the academic landscape.

4. Les Parrott’s Inspiration: Extending Influence Through Writing

Les Parrott encouraged Maxwell to write books to extend his influence. Writing allows one to reach a broader audience and serves as a lasting legacy of one’s knowledge and experiences. Educational leaders can share their insights and experiences through writing, reaching a wider audience and leaving a lasting legacy of their knowledge.

5. Wisdom from John Wooden: The Mentorship Quality

John Wooden taught Maxwell that the quality of one’s mentors is as critical as their teachings. This underscores the importance of choosing mentors wisely and ensuring they have the success you aspire to and the character and wisdom to guide you effectively. Educational leaders should seek mentors who embody the success and character they aspire to, ensuring they receive wise and impactful guidance.

6. Olden Henrick’s Emphasis: Embracing Change

Olden Henrick reinforced an essential truth: growth means change. To advance personally and professionally, one must be willing to adapt and evolve, embracing the discomfort that often accompanies growth. Henrick reinforced that growth means change. Educational leaders must be willing to adapt and evolve, embracing the discomfort that comes with implementing new educational strategies and technologies.

7. Jim Collins’s Doctrine: Leadership of Transformation 

Jim Collins articulated that transformational leaders must spearhead transformation. This principle is a clarion call for leaders to be proactive agents of change, not merely managers of the status quo. Educational leaders should be proactive in driving change and creating innovative learning environments rather than simply managing the status quo.

8. Prioritizing with the Pareto Principle

A wise business professor introduced Maxwell to the Pareto Principle, teaching him to focus on the 20% of efforts that produce 80% of results. This principle is invaluable for anyone aiming to maximize effectiveness through strategic prioritization. Educational leaders can use this principle to prioritize actions that will significantly impact student learning and school improvement.

9. Insights from Jack Welch and Peter Drucker: Legacy and Succession

Jack Welch highlighted the importance of creating a legacy that stands the test of time, while Peter Drucker stressed the necessity of having a successor to continue one’s vision. Both pieces of advice are crucial for sustainable leadership that builds lasting institutions or movements. Educational leaders should focus on building sustainable practices and mentoring future leaders to continue their vision.

10. Pat Summitt’s Leadership Lesson: Challenging Assumptions

From Pat Summitt, Maxwell learned the importance of not leading by assumptions but by asking questions. This approach fosters open communication, encourages engagement, and ensures that decisions are grounded in reality rather than conjecture. Educational leaders should foster open communication, promote engagement, and ensure decisions are based on facts rather than assumptions.

“Educators are the hope of America.” John Maxwell

These lessons outline effective leadership and can serve as guiding stars for educational leaders. 

• Which of these principles resonate most with you? 
• How might you incorporate Maxwell’s mentors’ lessons into your leadership or personal growth plan?

Educational leadership is about the lives we touch and the legacies we leave behind. Let’s embrace these teachings to enrich our schools.

#EducationalLeader,
Kim

References: 

Maxwell, J. (Host). (2024, April 17). Maxwell Leadership Podcast: High Road Leadership (Part 1) [Audio podcast episode]. In Maxwell Leadership Podcast. Maxwell Leadership.