People Quit People, Not Companies

John Maxwell

• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781400275496
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Leadership
• Index: Business

Smart leaders learn from their own mistakes. Smarter ones learn from others' mistakes—and successes.  John C. Maxwell wants to help you become the smartest leader you can be by sharing Chapter 16, People Quit People, Not Companies, of Leadership Gold with you. After nearly forty years of leading, Maxwell has mined the gold so you don't have to. Each chapter contains detailed application exercises and a "Mentoring Moment" for leaders who desire to mentor others using the book. 

PEOPLE QUIT PEOPLE,
NOT COMPANIES

Many of the ideas I get for books come as the result of my experiences speaking to audiences throughout the United States and overseas. Whenever I have speaking engagements, I try to spend as much time as I can interacting with people. I chat with people during breaks and sign books whenever possible. I like meeting people, and I also like hearing their ideas and questions. For example, The 360° Leader came about as the result of comments I received from people over a ten-year period. I often heard comments like, “I love your leadership principles, but I can’t use them, because I’m not the top leader,” or “Your ideas may be good, but you have no idea how bad a leader I work for.”As a result of those remarks, I wrote a book intended to help people lead from wherever they are in an organization.

As I was working on The 360° Leader, I often asked audiences if they ever followed a bad leader. The response was always overwhelming. An audible groan would rise from the audience, and almost everyone would raise a hand. And during one of those moments, I had a flash of insight. It seems quite obvious now, but at the time it felt like an inspiration when I asked the follow-up question, “How many have ever quit a job because of a bad leader or a bad relationship at work?” Again, almost every hand was raised. And it confirmed what I already believed to be true: people quit people, not companies.

THE DOOR SWINGS BOTH WAYS

All organizations have an influx and outflow of people that works similar to that of a revolving door. People come in through that door because they have a reason they want to be part of that company. Perhaps the vision of the organization resonates with them. Or they believe the company holds great opportunities for them. Or they value the financial and benefit package the company offers. Or they admire the company’s leader. There are as many reasons as there are people who apply for a job. But when they exit the company through that door, chances are they all have something in common. Their desire to leave for “greener pastures” is often motivated by the need to get away from someone.

It has been my privilege to lead for-profit companies as well as nonprofit volunteer organizations. In both kinds of organizations, people come and go, but trust me—volunteer organizations are more difficult to lead. People follow ...