Podcast Summary: Maxwell Leadership Executive Podcast
Episode #378: How to Sustain Your Leadership Influence
Hosts: Perry Holly & Chris Cody
Date: January 8, 2026
Overview
This episode centers on a foundational leadership challenge: how to sustain your leadership influence over time. Perry Holly and Chris Cody draw from Maxwell Leadership principles and personal coaching experiences to dissect why influence wanes, how behaviors shape trust, and practical actions to ensure a leader’s credibility is not eroded but grown year after year. Listeners are challenged to examine their consistency, authenticity, humility, transparency, and servant mindset as keys to long-term influence.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Challenge of Sustaining Influence
- Leadership is synonymous with influence, but “sustaining it is a whole different level of challenge” (00:47).
- Influence can be quickly lost with careless words, inconsistent actions, or a lack of authenticity.
“You can kill your influence in a quick hurry based on some behavior.” — Perry Holly [01:16]
1. Consistency of Character
- Influence stems from “modeling your consistency of your character” [02:13].
- Trust isn’t built in big moments, but in “everyday moments.”
- People are not seeking perfection but predictability and reliability.
“Talent may get you to the top, but character is what keeps you there.” — Recapping John Maxwell [03:25]
- Authenticity is crucial: act the same at work as at home.
- Avoid negative talk and spinning stories (“the spin factor”) as these erode trust.
- Leaders must not take credit for the team’s work nor pass blame downward.
2. Honest Communication
- Match words to actions: “Your audio matches your video” [07:14].
- Leaders often fail by overpromising and underdelivering—small letdowns accumulate.
“They can bank on that. So, duh. Why is this hard?” — Perry Holly [07:54]
- It’s not about sharing all details, but being clear, truthful, and aligned.
- Avoid vague promises (“let me get back to you”) if you can’t follow through.
- Self-serving leadership (protecting your reputation over honesty) erodes respect.
3. Valuing Transparency
- Leaders struggle with what to share—fear of showing vulnerability or losing respect.
- Transparency doesn’t mean oversharing, but being “open enough to share that” [12:34].
- Admitting mistakes or not knowing answers builds trust, not weakness.
“When a leader pulls back and is not willing to be transparent, oftentimes… leaders want to be right versus do right.” — Chris Cody [13:17]
- Burnout from prior transparency missteps cannot justify future opacity.
- Transparency matters for leadership at all five levels, not just “Level 2” (connection).
4. Exemplifying Humility
- Ego, jealousy and superiority quickly erode influence.
- True humility is “not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”
“Pride isolates and humility connects.” — Perry Holly [15:15]
- Organizational culture can reward ego, which tempts leaders away from humility.
- Faking humility to manipulate is seen through—authentic connection is what counts.
5. Supporting Others and Team-First Mindset
- Invest in, mentor, and advocate for team members regularly.
- Leadership is not about self-promotion; it’s about elevating the collective.
“Are you clearly putting the team first? …That’s going to show up with how do you, do you invest in others? Do you advocate for others?” — Perry Holly [18:08]
- Leaders sometimes avoid helping to foster independence, but periodic involvement matters.
6. Embracing an Attitude of Service (Servant Leadership)
- Moving from ‘being served’ to ‘serving' is mentally challenging but vital for influence.
- Leaders worry about being exploited or seen as weak, but service communicates value and integrity.
- Cultural acceptance varies—“servant leadership” is sometimes resisted as a label.
“People don’t disagree this is a great way to lead…but can you call it something else?” — Perry Holly [21:52]
- Ultimately, service cements loyalty and willingness to “go to battle” alongside a leader.
Practical Takeaways & Leader Reflection
- Authenticity is the foundation: “People are going to follow that type of consistency of a leader…”
- Reputation (leadership brand) is built on small, daily actions.
- Ask for feedback—blind spots are real, and “these can be blind spots” in your leadership [24:15].
- Review each principle and honestly assess your consistency in upholding them.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “Talent may get you to the top, but character is what keeps you there.” – John Maxwell (quoted by Perry Holly) [03:25]
- “Leaders want to be right versus do right.” — Chris Cody [13:17]
- “Pride isolates and humility connects.” — Perry Holly [15:15]
- “Are we living by these principles that we shared today?” — Chris Cody [23:49]
- “These are not something you say. I don’t have a problem with that. I think you need to ask someone, how am I doing…” — Perry Holly [24:22]
- “Can you call it something else? …No.” — Perry Holly’s recounting of ‘servant leadership’ pushback [22:01]
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 00:47 – Introduction: Framing the Challenge of Sustained Influence
- 02:13 – Consistency of Character: Everyday Moments Build (or Break) Trust
- 06:59 – Dangers of Negative Politics, Spin, and Self-Serving Actions
- 08:24 – Honest Communication: The Cost of Inconsistency & Small Broken Promises
- 12:02 – Valuing Transparency: Vulnerability, Boundaries, and Culture
- 15:15 – Exemplifying Humility: The Subtle Ego Trap and Culture’s Role
- 18:08 – Demonstrating Team Support: Investing in Others and Sharing Burdens
- 20:13 – Attitude of Service: Servant Leadership for Sustainable Influence
- 23:49 – Leadership Brand and Personal Reflection
Final Thoughts
The episode underscores that while gaining influence may be challenging, keeping it requires daily discipline, authentic connection, and a focus on others over self. Listeners are encouraged to seek feedback, examine blind spots, and consistently embody the values they wish their leadership to represent.