Be a People Person - Effective Leadership through Effective Relationships, by John Maxwell

 

Be a People Person - Effective Leadership through Effective Relationships,
by John Maxwell

 

Being a leader means working with people, and that's not always easy! Whether in your office, church, neighbourhood, or elsewhere, your interpersonal relationships can make or break you as a leader. That's why it's so important to be a "people person.

How can a person walk into a room of strangers and with the strength of his presence cause heads to turn in his direction?  In a circle of conversation, why does the group seem compelled to address their remarks in the direction of one individual rather than to everybody in the group?  Why do some people seem to move within the sphere of an aura of greatness?

These gifted people are often identified as “people persons”.   In his book, “Be a People Person”, John C. Maxwell, the “People Person”, suggests that this is not an innate ability but rather a quality than most leaders can cultivate.  Fred Smith, founder of FedEx says, “This book is an opportunity to see in distilled form what John Maxwell has been learning and using successfully throughout a productive life.

Maxwell opens this discussion by looking at qualities in a person that are an attraction to others.  He then tells how to feel comfortable with people and how to become a person that people will want to follow.  He shows that the secret is found when we invest in the lives of other people.  This may involve loving difficult people, and handling criticism from time to time.

The book is full of great bits of wisdom that can transform how you look and deal with and find success with the relationships around you .It anchors itself in the old adage that everyone is a leader in some capacity! The truth is much of what you will find in these pages apply to our everyday interactions. 

The book emphasizes on the importance of encouragement in relationships. While encouragement requires creativity and risk, the bottom line is that without positive encouragement one cannot move forward in forming successful relationships. It is what forms trust and allows others to be led towards success. And what should be the primary motivation for each of us, is to see others succeed. That is what being a leader is all is about, and it is what defines the nature of good relationships. It’s this one character trait that separates accessible and attractive personalities from the rest, the desire and ability to positively encourage others around them.

The book firmly stresses, all of us have an opportunity to take a hold of leadership positions in our individual circumstance, and this is a good truth to remember. Figuring out who we are, what we are gifted at and who we can affect and impact with those gifts towards becoming all that they can be is something we can all aspire to. And the principle laid out in "Be a People Person" are some great principles to guide us towards becoming that. Whether you are leading a company, a Church, a small group of people, a family, a group of friends or an individual relationship, the concept remains the same... it's all about the person or the people and helping them succeed with who and where they are. 

He further explains that the secret of "The People Person" is CHARISMA (gift of grace) which stands for:
C: Concern/to show care
H: Help/to reach out
A: Action/to make things happen
R: Results/to produce
I: Influence/to lead
S: Sensitivity/to feel and respond
M: Motivation/to give hope
A: Affirmation/to build up

 

The person who desires to develop his ability to influence others in leadership must have to consciously develop these attributes listed above. 

The book offers many suggestions and tips for improving relationship skills i.e. the reader is encouraged to write out “five questions I hope no one ever asks me”.  Then the reader is directed to “List four questions that will address your weaknesses” and then to seek someone who will help him be accountable in those areas of vulnerability.  Finally, the reader is supposed to ask, “Have I lied about any of the previous four questions or have I intentionally left out anything?”  This is but an example of the pungent advice that guides the reader in his quest to become a “people person”.