Character matters.

That was the big takeaway for Columbia International University student Lawanda Holliman, one of over 800 community members who attended the annual John Maxwell Leadership Summit hosted by CIU. Maxwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, coach, and speaker who has sold more than 26 million books in 50 languages.

“If you want to lead people, they want the authentic leader in you to come out,” said Holliman, a retired U.S. Army colonel who is enrolled in CIU’s Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership program.

Holliman picked up on Maxwell’s theme of “High Road Leadership,” which he lamented is hard to find these days, especially in government leadership.  

“High Road Leaders value others, Middle Road Leaders seek value from others, Low Road Leaders devalue others.” Maxwell said. “High Road Leaders bring people together, Middle Road Leaders move back and forth, Low Road Leaders — they divide the people. That’s our politics these days.”

Maxwell also addressed a lunch for the Summit's sponsors. His theme was “How to Get Out of the People Pile,” that is, how to distinguish oneself from the crowd.

“What can I do for someone else, that they really cannot do for themselves?” is a question that Maxwell says leaders should ask and then act on.

But those in attendance will probably remember that a way to get out of the people pile is to not take yourself too seriously. Maxwell demonstrated that by having everyone stand and do a quick version of the Hokey Pokey dance, something he has done at other leadership forums.

Maxwell’s point was that those who stay in the people pile “are boring.” He instead encouraged his audience to set themselves apart from the crowd, and exceed expectations in life because “God created you to be more.”

Among those at the lunch was Hazel Livingston who said afterward that Maxwell reminded her to “invest in people.” She finds that especially important because she is the mayor of the town of Lexington, South Carolina.

“I represent the people, so it makes me think that I need to slow down and actually engage in my people, spend more time with them, and invest in them.”  

This was Maxwell’s seventh Leadership Summit in the Midlands of South Carolina, all hosted by CIU.

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