The following contains excerpts from the resource, Question I Ask Myself As a Leader (Maxwell).
At our music school in Odessa, Texas we believe that music is more than sound, rather, it is relationships. One of the most important aspects of understanding relationships is the study of the subject of Leadership. As musicians and artists in our community we should be asking ourselves the question, “How am I making a positive difference in the lives of the people I serve?” Maxwell defines leadership as influence.
This material raises the awareness of personal values a leader should have, holding himself/herself accountable to pre-established standards, decisions made ahead of time, before being faced with difficulties or temptations to compromise. It is, in a sense, a testimonial of John Maxwell’s personal convictions as a leader. While he sets forth his own questions/convictions, he is quick to assert that each leader should have his own set of values which may or may not be reflective of the ones he sets forth.
The value in asking questions is that they stimulate new ideas and insights. Asking the right questions will ultimately lead to the right answers.
The questions Maxwell asks of himself are as follows:
- Am I investing in myself? (Personal Growth)
- “To grow, you must be willing to let your present and future be totally unlike your past. Your history is not your destiny.” (Alan Cohen)
- Leaders need to realize that, in the long term, the most important question for a company is not what you are but what you are becoming…creating a constituency for the future, for what could be. Have one eve on where we are and another eye on where things will be. The innovatory is able to build a path between the two.
- We learn:10% of what we read; 20% of what we hear; 30% of what we see; 50% of what we see and hear; 70% of what we discuss with others;80% of what we experience personally; 95% of what we teach to someone else (William Glasser)
At our music school in Odessa, Texas we encourage our students to take the attitude of investing in themselves, through personal practice and preparation, as well as receiving coaching from excellent teachers.
- Am I genuinely interested in others? (Motivation)
- Questioning your motive is different than questioning your character. Motives are usually attached to specific situations and are often short in duration. Character, however, is connected to the heart, and is with you in all situations. Therefore, you can have a temporarily flawed motive and still a solid character. But if the character is solid, wrong motives will soon be corrected.
- Mature leaders place what’s best for others above themselves.
Teachers in our music school in Odessa, Texas take the attitude of serving our students, placing their growth and development as the highest priority.
- Am I doing what I love and loving what I do? (Passion)
- One person with passion is greater than ninety-nine who only have an interest.
- Integrity will slowly be lost if you continually do things you dislike.
- Passion allows you to put everything you’ve got into everything you do.
Passion is a premium at our music school in Odessa, Texas. We have faculty and students who love what they are doing and know why they are doing it.
- Am I investing my time with the right people? (Relationship)
- Most people can trace their successes and failures to the relationships in their lives.
- “Friendship is born at the moment one person says to another, ‘What, you too? I thought I was the only one.” (C.S. Lewis)
- Am I staying in my strength zone? (Effectiveness)
- “Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess.” (Samuel Johnson)
- Stop working on your weaknesses and start working on your strengths.
- “Discover your uniqueness; then discipline yourself to develop it.” (Jim Sundberg)
Perhaps one of the most important things we can do as teachers in our music school in Odessa, Texas ius to help students discover their unique strengths. As we endeavor to provide objectivity in their progress, we can help guide them towards those strengths.
- Am I taking others to a higher level? (Mission)
- “When you help others climb a hill, you will get closer to the top yourself.” (General Norman Schwarzkopt)
- “You can get everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” (Zig Ziglar)
- Am I taking care of today? (Success)
- The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda.
- “Perhaps the best question you can memorize and repeat over and over, it ‘what is the most valuable use of my time right now?”
An important life-lesson students at our music school in Odessa, Texas can learn from their study of music and the arts is the principle of daily, incremental growth, however so small. Learning patience is the road to ultimate exponential growth.
- Am I taking time to think? (Leadership)
- A minute of through is greater than an hour of talk.
- Find a place to think your thoughts, develop your thoughts and fly your thoughts.
- Am I developing leaders? (Legacy)
- “One of the most significant contributors to business failure is the inability to get things done through other people.” (David Krajanowski)
- “The ultimate test for a leader is not whether he or she makes smart decisions and takes decisive action, but whether he of she teaches others to be leaders and builds an organization that can sustain its success ever when he or she is not around. True leaders put ego aside and strive to created successors who go beyond them.” (Lorin Woolfe)
- Am I pleasing God? (Eternity)
- Not every leader has faith, but Maxwell asks this question of himself, as he believes that whether or not he is pleasing God will affect his eternity.