Episode 200! Celebrating the Past, Present, and Future

Mark Cole: Hey, welcome podcast family. Welcome to the Maxwell Leadership Podcast, the podcast that adds value to leaders who multiply value to others. This is a very special podcast because we are 200 episodes old, or young. 

John Maxwell: Wow. 

Mark Cole: And we’re so excited about that. In fact, today we’re going to share a little bit of what we’ve been able to experience alongside of you, podcast family. We’re going to share that in this podcast. We’re super excited. Now stay tuned to the end, because for the first time we are going to have a giveaway. We’re going to do something really unique. Never done anything like this before, and so you’re going to want to stay until the end. It will be worth your while I promise. But before we get to the end, today in studio, John for the first time ever you’re on the podcast video version live. 

John Maxwell: Yes. I understand that. How long have you been doing the video? 

Mark Cole: So we are now about four months, five months in, and we have about four to 6,000 every week that joins us by video. 

John Maxwell: Good. 

Mark Cole: And so you’re looking good. You look really good. 

John Maxwell: Thanks. 

Mark Cole: Hey, we are excited not only for the podcast viewers, but for the podcast listeners. And if you are a listener and you haven’t quite tried out YouTube yet, check us out. You’ll get to see how good looking John is today and man, you’ve been in studio a little while and so it’s good to have you today. 

John Maxwell: Great to be here. 

Mark Cole: Hey, well, I do want to get started, John, because this idea of 200. It’s got a little special place in our history, right? This idea of 200 really starts for the United States, but in the United States the year, or the day July 4th, means a good bit for us. 

John Maxwell: Sure does. 

Mark Cole: July 4th, 1776 means a little bit more to us, right? I mean, that’s where our nation declared itself solvent and we declared our independence. 

John Maxwell: That’s right. It began then. 

Mark Cole: 200 years after that on July 4th, 1976, something significant… 

John Maxwell: Yeah. Don’t make me any older. 

Mark Cole: Don’t make you… 

John Maxwell: Let’s keep it with 1976. 

Mark Cole: July 4th, 1976, something really unique happened to us that literally changed the trajectory of all of our lives. Take us back to that day in July 1976. 

John Maxwell: I’ll be glad to, Mark. I was a pastor in Lancaster, Ohio. The church was really growing. We had a 4th of July parade and our whole congregation for the town of Lancaster, it’s only a town of 30,000 people. We literally had floats and the whole deal for the city and it ended up on our church property, and we had an outdoor service because there were about 5,000 people. I couldn’t obviously handle the crowd in the building. 

So we had an outdoor service that day on July 4th, 200th anniversary of America and I’m just preaching a message, and in the middle of the message, I very clearly sense that God spoke to me, Mark, and said, “You’ll spend the rest of your life training leaders.” Now, honestly, this had never been a thought of mine. I mean, I loved leadership, but I had never thought about it. 

In fact, on the way home I shared with Margaret, I said, “I think God talked to me. That doesn’t happen very often.” And she said, “Well, what do you think he said?” I said, “I think that I’m to train leaders. And, and she said, “Well, what are you going to do about that?” I said, “Nothing. Really if God called me to do that, I think I’ll let him open the doors.” That week literally, two different conferences called me and asked if I would come. And they specifically asked if I would teach them how to do leadership, and I said I would be glad to. I responded to those two invitations and the invitations never stopped, Mark. I mean, they never stopped. I fell naturally in to becoming a leadership teacher, coach, speaker, writer. It was just what I was born for. I knew it and everybody around me seemed to know it. 

But it took off on the 200th anniversary of America. And of course, we’re on our 200th podcast. But that was quite a while ago, and look where we are today. And again, I would’ve never fathomed, never would I have fathomed that that little, that moment, that calling, would’ve led us to where we are today. I mean, that’s way beyond us. But I would just say to all of the viewers and listeners of the podcast today, just don’t despise small things. I mean, I think it’s obedience to something that is maybe not hugely significant that leads the pathway to great things later on in life. 

Mark Cole: We’re right at, I mean, let me do my quick math here. That was 1976. 30, 40, we’re 45, almost 46 years into that decision. 

John Maxwell: Yeah, almost. 

Mark Cole: And I don’t think you’ve ever wavered from that moment in 1976. Can you talk to us a little bit about what you’re experiencing because of consistently staying true to that calling, the consistency idea? 

John Maxwell: Well, I haven’t wavered. I never have. I’ve never had a day or hour in my life where I thought I ought to be doing something besides leadership. And I think about that. We’re going to talk about consistency compounds, maybe Mark it’s because I had nothing else I could do. You know what I mean? It’s kind of like if you can only do one thing, you’re not going to waiver, you’re going to stay there. I just said, okay, doors are open and I’ll teach leadership. I started teaching leadership. The demand increase that, then someday I’ve got to write a book about leadership. And then I developed resources for leadership and, oh, I better get a company started because somebody’s got to handle these resources that people are wanting. And in fact, all of the John Maxwell enterprise really was based out of the vision and a calling to train leaders. 

And we really didn’t even try to start companies. We just had to have companies to facilitate what the demand was and what the needs were. And so yes, all these years, almost half a century, we’re still doing leadership. And by the way, I’m more convinced today that everything rises and falls on leadership than I was 50 years ago when I first thought that incredible thought, so I think it’s something to, I think it’s something to give your life to one thing. And when you get on this side, look back and say, the one thing I gave my life to was worth every bit of my energy. And by the way, it seems more important to me today than when I started it. It never faded. It never kind of got lost. 

It’s just always been right there clear. And we’ve been faithful then of course, then for me to see you pick up this baton, take and carry this mantle. And I know that this message of leadership is going to continue on for decades now. That’s even more rewarding, honestly, because it’s one thing to start something, but some something entirely different to see somebody take your legacy and you realize that it is so important that people won’t let it down. 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: They’ll still carry that ball. 

Mark Cole: You know it’s funny because, I know the story and we probably even told a little bit to our podcast family, but this idea that to impact people you’ll never meet, I need to do something different. We’re going to talk about that in the context of the podcast in just a little bit, but let’s talk about it in the context of books. 

Yes. 

John Maxwell: Okay so, just some fun facts for you John, since we started our podcast, now get this 200th episode, August 2018. Some of you joined us to become our first ever podcast family. And for those of you that have been to every episode and experienced everything you’ve made this what it is today. 

Mark Cole: Sure. [crosstalk 00:08:32] 

John Maxwell: So thank you for that. We’re now as our podcast, we’re now over 19 million downloads. 

It’s a lot of people. 

Mark Cole: 160,000 a week is downloading our podcast and listening to it. And John, it kind of all really started for you, this idea of impacting others that you’ve never impacted, with books. 

John Maxwell: Yes, it did. 

Mark Cole: 86 books, listen this 86 books, 119 derivatives of those books. So we have 119 ISBN. So if you, say you’ve read everything John’s done, you need to have 119 ISBNs books on your shelf. But John… 

John Maxwell: Don’t worry about that I don’t have that many on mine, so don’t worry about it- [crosstalk 00:09:15] 

Mark Cole: But John, just since we started the podcast, holistically, you have sold over 4.3 million books, 4.3 million new hands… 

John Maxwell: Wow. 

Mark Cole: Have shared with your books. Now just because the podcast, we have seen 190,277, come to our podcast website to get one of your books. 

John Maxwell: To get a book. 

Mark Cole: Now here’s what, that means. 139 books a day, every 10 minutes, somebody’s coming and grabbing your book because of this podcast. 

John Maxwell: And on this podcast it’ll probably be every minute, you know what I mean? It’s probably even going to increase it more, so that’s amazing. I never even think of those things. You do, you run the ship, not me, but that’s a lot of books, and you know what’s so interesting Mark is when I started, my mentor, Les Parrot wrote books, he had written five books, and one day at lunch I ask him, I said “why do you write books?” I had no desire to write a book, I loved reading but I had no desire to write a book. And I asked him and he said “John, I write books to influence people beyond my personal touch or reach.” And when he said that to me, I leaned, I mean, I leaned right into him and said, “I’m going to write books.” 

My whole motivation was to increase my influence and the things I thought and believed beyond the human reach. And so when you start reading those stats and, I don’t know, 35, 36 million people have bought my books, honestly again at that table, I just thought maybe my mother and my aunt and my two cousins would buy my books. I had no idea. And I think that’s one of the things I really want people to see. I tell people all the time, I wish they could just see me in the beginning because, beginnings don’t start great. You know, you don’t start beginnings with great success and fanfare. You just start and you don’t help a million people, you hope to help a hundred people. 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: But if you can’t help a hundred people and be faithful with that, you’re never going to get a million people to help. 

And, I just wish that everyone, wherever you are on your journey would be very fulfilled right now. People ask me often and say “75 and all this stuff happening to you, I bet you’re proudly fulfilled.” I say, I am. But honestly, I was as fulfilled when I was in my first church with just 30, 40 people there at a little country church. I was as fulfilled then as I am now. And I think the key is, fulfillment isn’t how much I have, fulfillment is me doing what I’m supposed to be doing. 

Mark Cole: Wow. 

John Maxwell: And I think if you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing, then what can be better than that? 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: And so all this other stuff, honestly, I’m grateful, but it is stuff. And it keeps coming and we’re grateful for that but, I was grateful when I didn’t sell any books. And I was just grateful to teach. My first leadership conference had 17 people attended. It was in Kansas city, at the airport in Kansas city, Missouri 17 people came and the people that were handling the little conference for me told me that, “John, you may want to cancel the conference because you’re going to lose $3,000. If you go, because you didn’t get enough registrations to pay for all the expenses.” And I looked at him and I said, “oh no, no, we’ll go.” They said, “well, you’re going to lose $3,000.” I said, “but I’m going to help 17 people.” And it never entered my mind not to go to Kansas city to help. And yes, I lost 3000 people or $3,000 and I help 17 people, but you have to start somewhere. 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: And you just start. And by the way, if you’re good, it’ll increase. And by the way, if you’re not really good, you probably won’t increase. I go… 

Mark Cole: From 17 people down to two. Oops. You and your significant other. 

John Maxwell: Yeah. That’s when you may want to say. Maybe this is isn’t my calling or gift. 

Mark Cole: You know, I get asked a lot, John, and it’s so funny when I get asked this question, what’s the favorite thing about you in traveling the world with you and getting to start businesses with you? Or what’s the thing you’ve learned the most from John? And I always pause because I never want to miss the daily experience of learning something from you. But I have to tell you that whether it was 52 53, when I joined your team or whether it’s now 75, what I love about you is your passion to constantly be growing. 

John Maxwell: Yes. 

Mark Cole: Constantly be challenging yourself, and so John, one of those was the podcast. Seriously. When we started this podcast, John doesn’t do a lot with technology. We laugh about that often, but you said, “Hey Mark,” just like the book with Les parrot, you said “Mark, if this is a way to impact people, then I’m in.” 

John Maxwell: Yeah. But Mark’s being nice to me. First of all, Mark had to explain to me what a podcast was. So, let’s start with the basics. So oh that’s what a podcast. And then he said, “Hey, I think we could help some people.” And of course, now you can tell the rest of the story, but I didn’t even know what a podcast was, but that’s okay really? 

Mark Cole: But it’s okay. And listen let me tell you why too many leaders, and there’s a teaching point here and I’m going to let you teach on challenging yourself to constantly grow in a minute. But too many leaders, if they don’t understand it, they won’t do it. That’s not you. 

John Maxwell: Yeah. 

Mark Cole: If you understand that there is something on the other side that will allow you to look at people in this camera and add value to them. 

John Maxwell: Sure. 

Mark Cole: You’re all in. You don’t resist because of a lack of awareness or competence. And so John, this is a stat for you, okay? 

John Maxwell: Yeah. 

Mark Cole: Cause I brought some stats today. 

John Maxwell: Let’s hear them. 

Mark Cole: In the month of November, excuse me, of February 2022, we had 165,000 downloads a week. What that means is John, every four seconds of the month of February, somebody was downloading an episode of our podcast and listening to it around the world. 

John Maxwell: It’s so great. That’s wonderful. 

Mark Cole: I want to thank you on behalf of all these people watching, all these people listening, I want to thank you for saying yes to the podcast. Cause you didn’t have to, we couldn’t have done it without you. What is it in you that challenges you to grow yourself every single day, every single month? Every single year? 

John Maxwell: Well, first let me take a leadership lesson here from what you just said, Mark, because I didn’t understand podcasts. And when they said, we think that if we did a podcast, we could help a lot more people. Well, I’m all in because the phrase is we can help a lot more people. I think what I want maybe to just teach on for just 30 seconds is very simple. I think there’s a big misunderstanding of the fact that the leadership should know, the leaders should know everything. There are a lot of things I don’t know. The podcast, I don’t know. I mean, I would’ve never on my own started a podcast, if you don’t know what it is you wouldn’t start it. But I think that I wish all of you, part of this podcast would understand, you really have to have good people around you and then you have to let them lead you. 

You have to let them speak into your life. You have to let them come and share their thoughts and ideas. And so a lot of times as a leader, I don’t lead. I follow, and I follow Mark. I say, “okay Mark, let’s do the podcast. You get it ready and tell me how I can help you and how I can serve you. But I think of all the things I wouldn’t have today, if I wouldn’t have listened to my team around me. 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: And said, “I think that’s a good idea.” And I tell people all the time that the best idea is the idea that should always win. And I may have bowed in some companies, but when I get in with my group and I throw out an idea, I expect everybody to make it better and improve it. 

John Maxwell: And I don’t walk out of the room saying, well, you know what? They didn’t take my idea. We, we want to have the best for the people. If you want the best for the people, you want to get the best people around you. So Mark, we have a whole team of wonderful leaders and people and our whole John Maxwell enterprise, and so much of what they think about and their ideas and their initiative and their programs is really what’s making us great today. It’s not like one person’s really brilliant and you got a whole bunch of people falling around saying, “what’s next, daddy?” It’s, no you think of another way we can add value to people, and when it’s good we’re going to take it too and we’ll give you the credit. And so I just love the fact that we have so many wonderful people doing so many wonderful things that have made me so much better. I would never be who I am today if it wouldn’t be for all those people. That’s amazing. 

Mark Cole: Yeah, you say often that content is king. 

John Maxwell: Yeah. 

Mark Cole: We’re in a world that content, and what I love John another thing that I love about you, is not only do you never stop growing, you never stop thinking. You are a thought leader. And so I heard you say the other day, this has been since your 75th birthday, which by the way on behalf of our podcast community, happy birthday. 

John Maxwell: Thank you. 

Mark Cole: I heard you say the other day you’ve got, I don’t know, you’ve got 10 more books in you. 

John Maxwell: Oh, I do. Yeah. 

Mark Cole: And so you’ve been talking about a couple of things lately that I’d love for you to just give our podcast family a glimpse into, one of those is return on failure. 

John Maxwell: Yeah. 

Mark Cole: Give us this idea that you’re working on with return on failure. 

John Maxwell: Well, really, again, the idea came from you and I having a conversation from one of our John Maxwell coaches. 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: And you were talking about how do you get a return on failure? And as soon I heard you say that Mark, I thought, man I have never talked about how to get return on failure. So I started thinking, reading, doing what I do, creating. And so I developed this teaching on how to have a return on failure and the first time I gave it to people they went crazy. 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: I mean, it was kind of like, I mean, we talk about return on investments, we talk about return on time, but nobody ever talks about return on failure. And I gave them my, I don’t know, six or seven ways to get a return on failure and it worked. And it worked so well that I said to myself, this needs to be a book. And by the way, a lot of my books are birthed out of my speaking. 

Yeah. 

Mark Cole: And the audience, the audience will tell you if it’s any good or not if they’re all going to the restroom, probably don’t want to write a book on that. And so I spoke on it and had such a good response. So now I’m working it and it’ll be a book. And I think, I just see it give people such encouragement and hope that they can get a return on failure. And, I can’t tell you the whole thing but, kind of the thesis is this, what would you attempt to do you in your life, if you knew you would fail, but you would get a positive return out of it? Think of all the things that we would do. it’s just, I could fail here, but if I do fail I’m going to get a positive return on it, so that’s what that lecture book is all about. 

And you’re working on a book right now, and I just want to tease our podcast listeners, I promise you we’ll hear these books and you’ll hear these contents and upcoming episodes, but John, you’re working on a book now on the laws of communication. 

John Maxwell: Yes. 

Mark Cole: And now that’ll be coming out either late 2022 or early 2023. Tell us just a moment about this communication idea. 

John Maxwell: Well Mark I’ve only written three laws books, The Laws of Leadership, Laws of Teamwork and Laws of Personal Growth. And I thought to myself in the last year, I thought I have one more laws book in me. And that’s on the laws of communication. And the laws books I think that I write them because they are so much who I am. And I thought I wrote a book, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect. And I thought I need to take that and go to a higher level now for people who really want to connect and communicate well. So we’re developing the laws and we’re getting close. I think they’re going to be 19 but I’m not really sure yet, but we’re getting it down to the last few laws of saying, okay, this is where we go. 

And the book will be very easy to write because it’s going to be written out of my life. And I know how to communicate. And I understand how communication really works, but I’m very excited about it because I think Warren buffet said, if he could give a leader, one skill, one skill, he said it would be the skill of communication. 

Mark Cole: Wow. 

John Maxwell: He said, if a leader can communicate vision, if they can communicate the things that they need to instill in their players and their team, if they can communicate well, he says, they’re going to do really well as a leader. And I think he’s really right. So the laws of communication, we’re going to have it out. 

Mark Cole: Since we started this podcast, you had a bucket list, I’ve heard you say this bucket list. I’ve been with you for 22 years. I heard you say this a long time ago. I don’t know, 10, 15 years ago. I wish that I could get recognized in this kind of almost academy, this experience. And I’ve got to tell you on behalf of the podcast family, congratulations on the Horatio Alger award. 

John Maxwell: [crosstalk 00:22:25] [inaudible 00:22:25] 

Mark Cole: That was a big deal. 

John Maxwell: That Was a big deal. Yeah, it really was. I really had, when people talk about bucket lists, that’s kind of stupid, I suppose, but I only had two really like selfish, personal bucket list thing. And one is to be a member at Augusta. And I don’t know if that’s going to happen yet, but the other one and the higher was to be a member of the Horatio Alger award because Horatio Alger in the 1890s, turn of the century, wrote books on rags to riches. 

He wrote stories about boys who had nothing and they were in poverty, but they became a newspaper boy. And that gave them the character to be a great person. And, what makes Horatio Alger so important is those books were read in schools by millions of kids and the entrepreneurial spirit in America you can point right back to Horatio Alger. And because of how he lifted people he was always kind of a hero of mine, and so to be inducted, there are only 300 members in the world, so to be inducted into that. That was a well, [crosstalk 00:23:32] that was a big deal. Wasn’t it? 

Mark Cole: [crosstalk 00:23:34]So much fun. Another thing that’s happened, this happened before the podcast, but you had this dream of seeing a country transform. 

John Maxwell: Yeah, I did. 

Mark Cole: I’ll never forget, Casey Crawford, a very good friend of ours I think he’s been on the podcast before and we’ll have him again, but he said he came to you one day and gave you his little dream and said whatever it was. And it was big Casey, Crawford’s a big thinker. He said, “John, what are you up to?” And you said, “oh, I’m just trying to change a country.” And I’ll never forget Casey going. “I talked to most people and they’re trying to change their family, they’re trying to change themself, I go talk to John and he’s trying to change the country.” John, just since the podcast started back in 2018, we had 633,000 adults in two countries in the round tables. We’re now in four countries, this year we’ll be launching five. We now have 1.3 million, 445,562 in round tables right now. That’s a growth of 712,000. This concept of transforming a country, tell us a moment about that. 

John Maxwell: Well, it’s a beautiful concept and it really starts with a table and values a half a dozen people sitting around a table, learning, discussing, sharing, practicing good values, because what we discovered mark, as you know, that when people learn good values and then they start to live them, they just become more valuable. They become more valuable to themselves, their family, to their community, to where they work. There’s nothing that lifts a person, therefore, a community, therefore, a country, nothing lifts like good values, embracing them and living them out. So, that’s what we’re committed to do, as you know, we’re committed to try to get 10% of a country, the population of a country, in these tables. At Guatemala, I think we’re just about there. 

Mark Cole: We are, at 12%. 

John Maxwell: You know, Malcolm Gladwell talks about the tipping point and says you get about 10%, all of a sudden you can begin to change the culture. And that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing, and we’re loving it and enjoying it. And we have what, 22, 23 countries where presidents have asked us that we haven’t even gotten to yet. So I think our big challenge is scaling this so that we can meet all of these needs. But, Here’s what I’m convinced. I’m convinced people really want to learn and live good values, they just need somebody to bring them to them and show them how to do it. And that’s what we do. 

Mark Cole: You know, you have said, since this podcast started that you look at the world and you’ve become leadership sad. 

John Maxwell: Yeah. 

Mark Cole: And that’s because of the degradation of people that we see in the office of leadership, whether that’s politics, whether that’s religion, whether that’s sometimes business, there seems to be that taking advantage of people is the agenda rather than lifting people up. 

John Maxwell: Yes. 

Mark Cole: And it’s made you leadership sad. Well, what happened from that, maybe it was Horatio Alger, maybe it was other things, you said to truly change the trajectory of values based, people centered, servant leadership, we’re going to have to go young. 

John Maxwell: Yes. 

Mark Cole: We’re going to have to go to kids. 

John Maxwell: Of course. 

Mark Cole: And so, John, this is a new number for you. But since the podcast started, when we started in August 2018, we had 29,500 teenagers in our values based round tables. Cause now that’s a part of it. And you began to challenge us and encourage us, inspire us. We’ve got to do more. We now have 2,165,831 kids in the middle of a school day, all around the world. Now, even in the United States, we have them in round tables because you challenged us. We’ve got to go younger. What is it within you that recognized we’ve got to begin focusing on young people who want to change the trajectory of leadership. 

John Maxwell: Well, I think that, first of all, I think of the eight streams of influence in any country or culture, education is the mainstream because they get the, two reasons, they get the kids early so you begin to put good stuff into them at an early age so they have a whole long life to live it out. But secondly, in education, that’s still fairly governed by the local community. So there’s an accountability their. So we said, in fact, when I was talking to my writing team, I shared with them that probably the most important writing that I’ll ever do are not all those 80 some books that I’m known for whatever. Probably the most important writing I’ll ever do is the curriculum for kids that they could have in school. And it is curriculum in school. It’s not before school, after school, it’s with language it’s with math right there. 

And so we started that journey, now we’re 2,000,000 plus, but we are seeing the greatest momentum I think we have in any of our organizations is this momentum to teach values to kids in schools. 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: And we’re starting to see it building in America, in the public schools. But I would believe in the next three or four years, that 2,000,000 plus kids could very easily be 50,000,000. I think it’s a recognized need almost by everybody that kids, if we could just teach kids some good values, we’re going to just give the next generation great hope. 

Mark Cole: I want to finish up the podcast, and then I promised you, we’ve got to giveaway that I’m excited to show you about, I want to finish this talking a little bit about legacy John. Truly the magnitude of opportunities that come our way is pretty significant now, but you determined a long time ago, that legacy is not going to rest in a human being. It’s not even going to rest in next john Maxwell it’s going to rest and give an essence, a calling, a purpose into the hearts and minds of other peoples and so, books are a part of your legacy obviously, podcast. We also have the John Maxwell team and in 2018, in July 2018, when we started, we had 20,343 coaches. 

John Maxwell: Wow. 

In August 2018, today we’re at 42,813. 

John Maxwell: Wow. 

Mark Cole: In 165 countries, more than doubled- 

John Maxwell: More doubled. 

Mark Cole: Since the podcast started. 

John Maxwell: Those are those legs to legacy. 

Mark Cole: It is. 

John Maxwell: Yeah. 

Mark Cole: And so I do, I want you to talk just a minute about your vision of empowering people like that’s watching this podcast or listening to this podcast or your coaches, what is it in you that wants to instill in others, the ability to do more than they ever thought they could? 

John Maxwell: I’m so glad you asked that, and I’m so glad I can have maybe a minute or two, just to talk to you about it. Jack Welch, who was the CEO for General Electric, and in his day as CEO probably was the most recognized as far as the greatest CEO in the world. Him and I were having some time together and he said to me, he said, “John, you want to make sure that you put your legacy in people, not just in an organization or a program.” And it was out of that I came away and said, “I need to, I need to have legs for my legacy.” And, and that’s how we started the John Maxwell team. They, were to be those legs. They’re moving the principles that we teach. And that was an incredible, great decision that we’ve made. 

And then we came behind that when I wrote, as you remember a year ago, now Change Your World. And Change Your World is a book that I hope all of you have this if now, if you do not have Change Your World please get it today and here’s why. I didn’t say I change the world I said, change your world. 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: And when you pick up this book, it is the most enabling, empowering book I’ve ever written. And what I hear from people all around the world as I travel now is I picked up, Change Your World and it changed me. And it changed them because all of a sudden Mark, they said, I could make a difference. I think high morale is saying I make a difference and I think low morale is saying I can’t make a difference. And Change Your World, when they start reading that book, and I said, Hey, could you just start a table with a half a dozen of your friends and start talking about these values? I mean all the material that we give is totally free, it’s online, but could you just start where you are? And it’s just given people initiative and hope and energy to get going. 

And that’s why I think that we’re seeing such a terrific kind of like a ground swell, literally from the bottom up of people who are just saying, yeah I can change my world. I can take my community and make a difference in it and that’s what we’re seeing. And that’s why it’s so exciting. And so the legacy of transformation begins when people believe that they can be part of that legacy and they can be part of making that difference. And every one of you can. You’re part of not only our podcast family, but just be part of everything that we do. But Change Your World. Please do yourself a favor. Just get the book, read it, and when you finish you’ll say, “Yeah, John, he’s my friend.” 

Mark Cole: And because we have a great team, I can go ahead and tell you this that was spur the moment, but if you’ll go to the show notes of the podcast, you can click on a link there, use the pass code or the promo code, Change Your World and we’ll give you 15% discount on that book today. We’ll give you 15% discount for you to order that book and 10 more for your team, take your world, your community… 

John Maxwell: That’s good. 

Mark Cole: Through that book today, we’ll make that discount available to you, John, my commitment to you on behalf of this podcast family, on 160,000 plus that’ll view in today and watch this episode, my commitment to you is this podcast is going to be a part of your legacy. 

John Maxwell: Yeah. 

Mark Cole: We. I’m looking at you podcast fam. If you’re only listening you’re not looking me in the eye because you’re only listening, but I’m looking in your ear. We are going to be a part of your legacy, John. 

John Maxwell: Yeah, you sure are. 

Mark Cole: You know, the other day I’m reminded, and you guys are so kind to us, you send us comments and notes and posts and tell us how we can get better. Some of you tell us that we’re already really good and we know you’re just family so we take those compliments. But John, the other day, Jake Decker, our producer got an interesting comment it said, “I wish that you could make the podcast available by phone. We don’t have wifi in my community. We’re unable to listen to it. I’ve got hundreds, thousands of people that I want to impact with this podcast. Now I just don’t have a way.” And so Jake being Jake, who he is just making John us where he’s our legacy, he went, “we’ll figure it out.” 

He created a phone number that you can call in and listen to the podcast by phone. 

John Maxwell: You’re kidding? 

Mark Cole: Now that sounds like the way you and I consume technology. 

John Maxwell: Yeah. 

Mark Cole: Pull out the rotary and dial the phone. 

John Maxwell: Watch it now. 

Mark Cole: And so, Jake made this available and now in the show notes, there is a phone number for anybody that doesn’t have wifi, you can call in old style phone and listen to our podcast. So here’s the best part of the story. So Jake executed on it within a week, found a way to do that so all around the world, you can call in and listen to the podcast by phone. And so Jake gives the gentleman the number and he says, “but just out of curiosity, where in the world are you listening to the podcast where you don’t have access to wifi?” 

So the guy replies “I’m actually in Ohio, in the United States. And I get to be a part of a large Amish and Mennonite community. And they need a way to listen to the podcast because they love John. They love leadership. We do not have access to wifi.” And so John, we couldn’t be more excited and humbled that we get to be a part of this community and if you’re calling in today and listening to the podcast, you and thousands, hundreds of thousands of others were so glad that you’re a part of the podcast. Now, John, before I close out and give everybody a chance to take advantage of our offer today, I asked you to put together a list, John of what’s happened since our first episode to our 200. Anything else that you would like to share? Any things that we’ve been able to accomplish or anything you would like to share as we close out? 

John Maxwell: Well you know, so many good things have happened to us and I’m just so grateful. You went to Saudi Arabia with it. 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: So that we could help that country do transformation. You were in Boston with me when we did history with Doris Kearns Goodman, my gosh. I got to officiate the wedding for Jeezy and Jeanie Mae. That was a blast. And then you were with me the other day when I spoke for Chick-fil-A for their national conference. And they wanted me obviously to speak on leadership and I got on my knees and begged them to get a Chick-fil-A closer to my house. I said, I’ve got to go 30 minutes to get my Chick-fil-A and you got to get something closer to it. You know, just the other day I was in Nashville speaking to thousands of donors for boy Scouts and Amy Grant was at my table and we had the best conversation about hymns and why we loved Him so much. 

And I did everything, but ask her to sing me a hymn. But then she told me how to get her hymns on legacy at and I did, and that was fine. And of course we had our 75th birthday just this last week. We were with Colin Su our wonderful friend and Adessa and Tim Tebo and Andy Stanley, you and I, remember we had a three and a half hour dinner, 

Mark Cole: Just beautiful. 

John Maxwell: Just talking about things that will help and make a difference with people. So I just want to say 200 years of our nation is where I got my calling and then 200 podcasts and here we are. And what I want the listeners, the viewers to know is that with Mark Cole leading the way now, I have no doubt that our best days are still ahead. 

Mark, you have taken this podcast, like you’ve taken all of our companies and you just are making us better, making me better. And it’s so much fun to realize that this is 200 and this isn’t the ending. This is 200. 

Mark Cole: It’s just the beginning. 

John Maxwell: And we just kind of got on the launching pad. We’re just ready to, we’ve got to foundation to really take off now. So I hope all of you in your life have the opportunity and privilege to hand a baton off to somebody as capable, committed as Mark Cole is. So my greatest joy, isn’t what I’ve accomplished and I’m grateful, but my greatest joy is to know that’s just a foundation for what it’s going to be accomplished. It’s just the beginning. And so get some good legs… 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: Like Mark and the team, and we need you. We really need you. We need you to be coaches for us. We need you to get involved with us, we really do. I mean, I’m glad we get to be with you on a podcast. It’ll be so delightful when you’re part of our family. 

Mark Cole: Yeah. 

John Maxwell: When you join us, when you become committed to becoming a coach or you become committed to just being a more active part of us, because we need you because we are really wanting to change the world and we just need you to help us. And you will. I know that. 

Mark Cole: You know, if you want more information about becoming a Maxwell leadership certified team member, or pick up a Maxwell book or see more podcasts that we have, you can go to maxwellleadership.com. We’ve simplified it John, it’s just one place you can go to… 

John Maxwell: Thank you, thank you. 

Mark Cole: Maxwellleadership.com. But you know, you said something about the future of the podcast, you and I just got a text this week from our great friend, Liz Wiseman. 

John Maxwell: Yes. 

Mark Cole: We’re going to start bringing you… 

John Maxwell: Love her. 

Mark Cole: We’re going to start bringing you talent leaders that are doing things the way that John would believe should be told to the world. And we’re going to start bringing people like Liz Wiseman and others to the podcast to help you, we hope, we know we actually will. Let me say this, John, just as we close, I promised you that we would do something special for you. 

And so we’re going to celebrate the big 2 0 0 the big Maxwell leadership. This is our biggest giveaway so far. And we wanted to add value to you because we feel like you’ve added so much value to others. John did a brand new digital course called the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Recently. Now you’ve been in studio the last couple of days at this recording. 

John Maxwell: Yes. 

Mark Cole: Reading the 25th edition of the book [crosstalk 00:40:19] , but we have a digital product and it’s worth $199. That’s what we charge. Go to Maxwellleadership.com. It’s there. It’s an incredible 21 series lesson curriculum that will help you grow on the 21 laws, which has now sold, is that three and a half million. 

John Maxwell: Yeah, three and a half. Who’s counting? 

Mark Cole: Who’s counting. We are. 

John Maxwell: 3.6 million… 

Mark Cole: But here’s what this $199 product is going to happen for you on the podcast today, we’re giving it away, free. 

John Maxwell: Wow. 

Mark Cole: For the first 200 people that respond. So if you’ll go to Maxwell podcast.com/21laws, that’s Maxwell podcast.com/the number two, the number one, the word laws, 21 laws. The first 200 people that will sign up will get access absolutely free. What do you think about that, John? 

John Maxwell: I think that’s big. 

Mark Cole: We need to hurry up and go to that website and get it for free. 

John Maxwell: I would do it myself if I knew how. Would you get this for me? 

Mark Cole: I’ll work on it. Hey, thank you so much for being here, John. Thank you for being here. 

John Maxwell: Love you, buddy. 

Mark Cole: We love you on the Maxwell leadership podcast. Thanks for being a part of our family. And until we meet again, let’s lead because the world deserves good leadership. 

John Maxwell: Absolutely.