Maxwell Leadership Podcast – "Great Leaders Value All People"

Host: Mark Cole
Featuring: John C. Maxwell
Date: December 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on a central tenet of John Maxwell’s leadership philosophy: Great leaders value all people. John and host Mark Cole guide listeners through why valuing all individuals—regardless of background, belief, or behavior—is fundamental to transformational leadership. The episode blends insight, practical steps, memorable stories, and actionable challenges, all designed to elevate your leadership and daily interactions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The High Road: What It Means to Value All People

• Valuing People at the Core of Leadership
  • John defines high road leadership as "willingness to value all people" ([02:10]).
  • It’s not about flattery or making people like you, but “seeing all people's worth as human beings, letting them know you see that worth, and helping them to feel and believe in themselves” ([02:30]).
  • The current culture often confuses disagreement with devaluation—true leaders must not fall into this trap.

Quote

"If we are to take the high road, we can't pick and choose who we value."
— John Maxwell ([04:28])

Why Valuing Others Matters

• Three Returns for the High Road Leader ([05:41]):

  1. Relational Return: Opens doors, deepens existing relationships.
  2. Emotional Return: Personal fulfillment and reward from helping others.
  3. Leadership Return: Gains trust, influence, and support from those you lead.

• The Danger of Conditional Value

  • John notes, "People can sense whether we truly value them ... they know when we are sincere and genuine, they can tell when we are being phony" ([03:30]).

Quote

"It's always easier to make a negative point than it is to make a positive difference. But nobody ever wins with anger."
— John Maxwell ([03:49])

Four Steps to Valuing All People

1. Develop Humble Appreciation for Yourself
   • High road leaders are self-aware and humble, maintaining self-worth without using it to feel superior to others ([06:18]).
2. Choose to Focus on Others
   • Leadership is about "others" ([07:45]); focus on serving, investing in, and lifting others.
   • "If you are willing to change to become someone who values all people, it will not only transform your leadership— it will transform your life.” ([08:47])
3. Take Action
   • Action comes before feeling—show people you value them through behavior: kind words, questions, acknowledging dignity ([10:12]).
4. Let Your Heart for People Grow
   • Even if valuing others begins out of duty, continuous action leads to authentic change and genuine care ([11:10]).

Quote

"Valuing people is an intentional action. You must choose to value others and add value to them. It doesn't happen without an act of will."
— John Maxwell ([10:21])

Memorable Stories & Illustrative Moments

• The Secular Conference Question:
  Mark recalls a moment where John was challenged from the audience: “How can you value me? You don’t know me.” John calmly replied, “I value you because the same God who created me and loves me, created you and loves you ... You are valuable at your core.” ([13:45])

  • This response underlines the intrinsic, unconditional nature of how great leaders assign value.

• Value Exercise:
  Mark leads listeners through an exercise:

  • “I value people I like.”
  • “I value people I don’t know.”
  • “I value people I don’t like.”
  • He points out that the last is the hardest and the truest test of a leader’s character. ([18:37])

Quote

"The true way to value people is to value them—especially when they don't think like you, when they don't look like you, when they don't act like you."
— Mark Cole ([19:24])

Three Practical Takeaways (Mark Cole’s Application Section)

1. You Can’t Pick and Choose Who You Value ([20:07])

• Challenge: Reflect on who you habitually value and who you may overlook. Make an intentional effort to appreciate and include someone different from you in conversation this week ([23:39]).

2. Valuing All People Builds Better Relationships ([24:57])

• When you value others, you deepen trust and connection, and lift their self-worth. Mark shares John’s habit of tipping golf course groundskeepers—showing value to those often overlooked ([27:18]).
• Challenge: Start one relationship-building activity—like a phone call, thank you note, or direct compliment to someone whose value you might have not acknowledged.

3. Valuing People is a Discipline, Not a Mood ([29:55])

• “Valuing people is an intentional action. It’s a muscle—developed through practice and discipline.”
• Mark encourages a weekly “value journal” to record intentional moments of showing value, followed by reflection and sharing with the podcast community ([35:21]).

Quote

"The really, the only way you can value everyone is to find someone that has low to no value in your mind and begin to show them value ... Because of your actions, motive, and intent, you increase the value that's within them."
— Mark Cole ([22:15])

Leadership in Action: Personal and Family Stories

• Ms. Richardson Story:
  Mark recounts his third-grade teacher who saw value in him when he felt overlooked, showing how one act of valuing another can last a lifetime ([21:17]).

• Ryder’s New Friend:
  Mark’s grandson welcomed a reluctant new neighbor by saying “my family is better because you’re in this neighborhood.” The simple gesture made the boy feel seen and valued, cementing a new friendship ([32:41]).

Quote

"When you can look for ways to add value, you will increase and get a return on the relationship."
— Mark Cole ([33:39])

Important Timestamps

• [02:10] – Embracing the value of all people explained
• [05:41] – The three main returns of valuing others
• [10:12] – Practical actions to demonstrate value
• [13:45] – Mark’s story: John confronted about how he can value strangers
• [18:37] – The exercise: Valuing people unlike yourself
• [20:07] – Takeaway 1: No picking and choosing whom to value
• [24:57] – Takeaway 2: Relationship returns of valuing all
• [29:55] – Takeaway 3: Intentional, disciplined action
• [32:41] – Ryder’s story: A child values a new neighbor
• [35:21] – Weekly value journal challenge

Selected Notable Quotes

• "At the heart of high road leadership is willingness to value all people. That is the start of everything." — John Maxwell ([02:15])
• "You get three returns when you value people: a relational return, an emotional return, and a leadership return." — John Maxwell ([05:51])
• "Valuing people is an intentional action. You must choose to value others and add value to them." — John Maxwell ([10:21])
• "I believe you can’t devalue someone to value someone else." — Mark Cole ([14:58])
• "The foundation of a high road leader is their willingness to value all people equally. Not pick and choose who to show equality to." — Mark Cole ([20:13])
• "The true way to value people is to value them—especially when they don’t think like you, when they don’t look like you, when they don’t act like you." — Mark Cole ([19:24])

Action Steps for Listeners

• Reflect on who you habitually value and whom you may overlook.
• Take Action by reaching out, expressing appreciation, or including someone different from yourself this week.
• Keep a Value Journal for one week—write down each time you intentionally show value; reflect on the outcomes.
• Share your value moments with the podcast community to foster a broader impact.

Recap

The episode makes a powerful case: transformational leaders do not just value those who are like them, those they know, or those who return the favor—they intentionally value all people. This discipline is foundational for high road leadership, trust, personal growth, and positive culture. Mark and John urge listeners to make this a daily, intentional practice—because when you value all people, everybody wins.