What do you think of when you hear the word, “neighbor”? Depending on your age, you’re likely to think of Fred Rogers. Or, more accurately, Mister Rogers. That’s because Mister Rogers is one of the most iconic television personalities in American history. A mild-mannered Pennsylvania man with a passion for encouraging children, Mister Rogers became…

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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…

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I usually start a blog with a story or some sort of introductory idea to get your brain moving in the right direction. But I’m not doing that with this post. Instead, I want to jump right in and give you five steps for connecting with others. Connection is a critical part of leadership, because…

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This week on the John Maxwell Leadership Podcast, John shared a thought on significance that I found very helpful. “Significance and selfishness are two incompatible words,” John said. “You never see anybody who lives for themselves that ever really becomes significant with other people.” No one wants to be a selfish person. I don’t know…

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Several years ago, I taught a lesson titled, “How Leaders Think.” Like a lot of my older lessons, there is plenty about the content that I would have to change if I were to present it today—after all, I’ve grown over the years, and what I think about thinking has changed quite a bit. But…

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One of the first lessons that John Maxwell taught me, many years ago, was the “30-Second Rule”. One night around a dinner table with several other colleagues, John leaned over to me and said, “Mark, if you really want to win with people, say something encouraging within the first thirty seconds of every conversation.” I’ve…

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Have you ever noticed how small children spend a lot of time talking about “one day”? “One day, I’ll be big enough to ride that ride.” “One day, I’ll be able to make my own decisions.” “One day, I’m going to have a pony.” When you’re a small child, you want to be a big…

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I love Christmas because it’s a season for giving – so people tend to focus on others more at this time of year. Whether we’re shopping for gifts for loved ones, or looking for ways to give financially to people in need, many of us are seeking ways to add value to another person. This…

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There’s a secret to filling the pages of your life. It’s not hard to decipher, but sometimes it takes a little practice. Take me, for example. Back in 1976, I received a gift from Eileen Beavers, who was my assistant at that time. As I unwrapped it, I saw it was a book with the…

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