Attitude
Possibility Thinking, Part One
What would you do if you knew you wouldn’t fail? I read this question long ago in Robert Schuller’s book, Move Ahead with Possibility Thinking. It resonated with me in way I couldn’t define. You see, growing up, I was surrounded by a culture that thought about avoiding failure—a community concerned with finding the safe…
Read MoreMark Cole: It’s Simple, But It Works!
Compliment people in front of people. John Maxwell gave me this advice a long time ago. But what he didn’t realize was he gave me this advice through his actions long before he gave it to me through his words. Complimenting people publicly, especially those that are on his team, is second nature to John.…
Read MoreHow Leaders Make Failure Their Friend
What’s your definition of the word “failure”? For some people, failure is a mistake of any kind. For others, failure is missing a set goal. For still others, failure is a constant state of being, a way of thinking about themselves and the world. For leaders, failure is different. J. Wallace Hamilton wrote, “The increase…
Read MoreMark Cole: Turn Mistakes into Success
If you’re human, you are going to make mistakes. I love Denis Waitley’s perspective: “Mistakes are painful when they happen, but years later a collection of mistakes is what is called experience.” John Maxwell says there are two kinds of people in regards to setbacks: splatters, who hit the bottom, fall apart and stay on…
Read MoreTwo Things Every Leader Should Avoid Like the Plague
Several years ago my friend, Dave Anderson, released his book, Up Your Business: 7 Steps to Fix, Build, or Stretch Your Organization. I remember reading it with excitement, and even developed a teaching on some of the most important lessons I learned from the book. There are so many good ideas that Dave presented, and…
Read MoreMark Cole: The IF Factor
Adversity is inevitable. Challenges, setbacks, disappointment, criticism – you won’t be able to avoid these for long. The most important question is how will you respond to adversity? If there is anyone with reason enough to respond to his circumstances with a negative attitude, it’s Rob Mendez. Rob was born with what they call tetra-amelia…
Read MoreMark Cole: Choose the 10: A Recipe for Unity
The 4th of July was always an important holiday for the community where I grew up. I’ll always remember the anticipation waiting for the sun to go down and the real celebration to begin. Fireworks! I love fireworks for 2 reasons: 1) Everyone seems to love them, and 2) Nothing screams a unified celebration quite…
Read MoreMark Cole: The Beginner’s Mindset
Is any leader really comfortable being known as a beginner? I don’t think so. I’ve observed that most leaders have a natural desire to become an expert. But this doesn’t always lead to success in leadership—as John Wooden said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” To continually grow and learn,…
Read MoreMark Cole: Give Hope
In John Maxwell’s first book, Think on These Things, hewrote an entire chapter on hope. There’s one line that has stuck with me since I read it 25 years ago: “Hope dares to give when no one is sharing.” Hope gives—I love that! Even when no one believes, hope gives. Even when the circumstances seem…
Read MoreMark Cole: A Leader’s Most Damaging Expression
Last week on the John Maxwell Leadership Podcast, I asked John how he stays fresh and remains excited while doing things he’s already done. This is a question I consider a lot when it comes to John and his career. Think about it: after 106 books and 31 million copies sold, after traveling the world…
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