Episode Overview

Podcast: Maxwell Leadership Executive Podcast
Episode: #369 – How Leaders Develop the Potential of Others
Date: November 6, 2025
Host(s): Perry Holley (A), Chris Goede (B)

Main Theme:
This episode centers on how leaders can uncover, nurture, and unlock the potential within the people they lead. Perry and Chris share both practical strategies and mindset shifts required for leaders who want to move from being individual contributors to builders of others’ careers. Emphasis is placed on the importance of motive, intentional encouragement, understanding generational differences, and creating tailored growth opportunities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Leadership Mandate: Develop Others

• The greatest legacy a leader can leave is to develop other leaders (B, 01:24).
• Referencing John Maxwell’s book The Leader's Greatest Return: development is not about profits, it’s about people flourishing.
• Quote:

  "It's about developing the potential in people and then seeing them flourish ... That brings such great pride to me as a leader." (B, 02:00)

• Gallup statistic underscores importance:
  • 87% of millennials and 70% of non-millennials consider development opportunities crucial when choosing or staying with an organization (B, 02:46).

Clarifying Motive: Why Do You Want To Lead?

• Perry starts coaching new leaders by asking: "Why do you want to be in leadership?" (A, 03:25)
• Self-interest vs. genuine interest in helping others is a critical differentiator.
• Quote:

  "Motive matters. Why are you doing it? ... Are you motivating or manipulating?" (A, 04:25)

• Building authentic connection (Level 2 of Maxwell's Five Levels of Leadership):
  • Do you know what energizes your people? Do you understand their gifts and interests?

The Leadership Lens: How Do You View Others?

• Shift from seeing team members as assets to instruments for company goals, to seeing them as people with unique potential (B, 06:10).
• Discusses generational stereotyping (A, 06:46), highlighting how every generation has been criticized.
• Memorable moment:

  "You put up the quote, 'this generation's entitled...' and then you show it's from Socrates, 400 BC." (B, 08:13)

Encouragement and Belief

• Encouragement is not just nice—it's essential and often underutilized (B, 08:45).
• Leaders should be specific and authentic in expressing belief and trust.
• Small opportunities given to others signal trust and help build their self-confidence.

Perry’s Story: The Power of a Demanding Leader

• Perry recounts the impact of working under a leader who was never satisfied with "good enough"—a relationship he only later recognized as deep investment in his potential (A, 09:57).
  • Quote:

    "I'd never had a leader that was investing in me ... more potential that could be developed." (A, 10:42)

• The mentoring continued even in subtle ways after their formal working relationship ended, e.g., the leader’s 4-star Amazon review of Perry’s book as a nudge for higher achievement (A, 11:58).

Development vs. Equipping: Going Beyond Skills

• Equipping = teaching skills for the job.
• Developing = instilling traits, mindsets, and broader competencies (A, 13:02).
• Development comes from understanding individual uniqueness; there’s no one-size-fits-all plan.

Core Truths About Developing Potential

1. Everyone Wants to Feel Worthwhile (B, 14:15)

   • Valuing others unlocks loyalty and discretionary effort.
   • Inclusion and belonging are crucial; value is communicated through meaningful involvement and listening.

2. Encouragement Matters (A, 15:31)

   • Most leaders miss or forget to do this.
   • Regular, sincere encouragement is free yet priceless.

3. People Are Naturally Motivated (B, 16:03)

   • Rather than force motivation, remove obstacles and resource strengths.
   • Quote:

     "Hire motivated people ... move things out of the way." (A, 16:40)

4. Buy-In Is Personal (A, 16:57)

   • People buy into you before they buy into your vision or projects.
   • Trust is essential for influence (A, 16:57).

5. Know Your Team (B, 17:30)

   • Use assessments and tools to learn motivations, values, and strengths.
   • There’s no single tool—leaders must layer understanding.

Practical Applications & Tips

• Make encouragement a daily discipline (A, 18:13).
• Celebrate progress, not just perfection.
• Use coaching questions to help people identify their strengths and passions.
• Create stretch opportunities, but do so intentionally and incrementally:
  • Don’t throw people “on a keynote stage” the first time—build momentum through small wins (B, 18:59).

Personalization is Key

• Development plans should be individualized, based on each team member's unique wiring, needs, and aspirations (B, 20:58).
  • Quote:

    "The way you're going to develop Perry is going to be different than the way you're going to develop me." (B, 20:58)

• Cultivate the “seed of success” in each person for sustained growth (A, 21:34).

Four-Point Leadership Action Plan (B, 22:01)

1. See Individuals as What They Could Be — focus beyond their present state.
2. Stretch Them Through Experiences — align challenges with potential.
3. Share Your Wisdom — mentor by passing down what you’ve learned.
4. Create Documented Pathways for Growth — ensure clarity and retention through visible growth plans.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "The greatest legacy a leader can leave is developing other leaders." — B, 01:24
• "Motive matters. Why are you doing it? ... Are you motivating or manipulating?" — A, 04:25
• "I'd never had a leader that was investing in me ... more potential that could be developed." — A, 10:42
• "Are you a five-star author? It's your first book." — Perry recounting his mentor’s feedback, A, 12:04
• "Encouraging people is free, it's easy, and everybody needs it." — A, 15:31
• "You have to lead people the way they need to be led...the same thing with developing them." — B, 20:58
• "Everybody has a seed of success in them ... your job is to cultivate that seed." — A, 21:34

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00-03:05: Introduction, purpose of episode, why developing others matters
• 03:21-06:09: Motive for leadership and importance of knowing your people
• 06:09-08:30: Leadership lens, generational challenges, and breaking stereotypes
• 08:30-09:57: Encouragement, belief, and the “belief deficit”
• 09:57-12:44: Perry's impactful story of a mentor and the lessons therein
• 13:02-14:39: The difference between equipping and developing, and importance of personalization
• 14:39-18:13: Core truths about developing others
• 18:13-21:34: Practical suggestions—encouragement, stretch opportunities, individualizing development
• 22:01-23:39: Four-point summary and leadership action plan

Final Thoughts

The episode weaves practical leadership tips with personal stories to illustrate that developing the potential of others is an ongoing, intentional, and highly personal process. Perry and Chris emphasize that lasting success is found not just in results, but in the flourishing of the people you lead. Tailoring your efforts, believing in those you lead, and nurturing their unique potential are the hallmarks of truly transformational leadership.