It's said that a wise person learns from his mistakes. A wiser one learns from others' mistakes. But the wisest person of all learns from others's successes.
John C. MaxwellRead
Achievement comes to someone when he is able to do great things for himself. Success comes when he empowers followers to do great things with him. Significance comes when he develops leaders to do great things for him. But a legacy is created only when a person puts his organization into the position to do great things without him.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True leadership is measured not just by personal achievement, but by empowering others and creating a lasting impact through them.
In this quote, John C. Maxwell highlights the progression of personal achievement to legacy in leadership. He emphasizes that while individual success is important, the true measure of a leader is their ability to empower others, develop future leaders, and ultimately establish an organization that thrives independently of them, creating a lasting legacy.
Themes
LeadershipLegacySuccessEmpowermentGreatness
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about teamwork, this quote can illustrate the importance of empowering others.
More from John C. Maxwell
All quotes →Courage and initiative come when you understand your purpose in life.
John C. MaxwellRead
Integrity is important in building relationships. And is the foundation upon which many other qualities for success are built, such as respect, dignity, and trust.
John C. MaxwellRead
Attitude is the first quality that marks the successful man. If he has a positive attitude and is a positive thinker, who likes challenges and difficult situations, then he has half his success achieved.
John C. MaxwellRead
Big-picture thinkers broaden their outlook by striving to learn from every experience. They don't rest on their successes, they learn from them.
John C. MaxwellRead
In most cases, those who want power probably shouldn't have it, those who enjoy it probably do so for the wrong reasons, and those who want most to hold on to it don't understand that it's only temporary.
John C. MaxwellRead
Similar quotes
We cannot hope, then, in this generation, or for several generations, that the mass of the whites can be brought to assume that close sympathetic and self-sacrificing leadership of the blacks which their present situation so eloquently demands. Such leadership, such social teaching and example, must come from the blacks themselves.
W. E. B. Du BoisRead
As far as the job of President goes, its rewarding and I've given before this group the definition of happiness for the Greeks. I'll define it again: the full use of your powers along lines of excellence. I find, therefore, that the Presidency provides some happiness.
John F. KennedyRead
Either love your players or get out of coaching.
Bobby DoddRead
The failure of women to have reached positions of leadership has been due in large part to social and professional discrimination.
Rosalyn Sussman YalowRead
I don't believe you name a starter until the starter wins the team.
Nick SabanRead
People say I am ruthless. I am not ruthless. And if I find the man who is calling me ruthless, I shall destroy him.
Robert KennedyRead