Minute With Maxwell · Influence & Communication · 2:40
Speak to Their Needs First | MWM
"Speak to Their Needs First" is a Minute With Maxwell lesson from Maxwell Leadership on influence and communication — 2:40 long. Watch it in full here, then take it to your team with the five-session plan below.
The lesson — Influence & Communication
"Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less" is John Maxwell's own definition, and it has reshaped how a generation of leaders think about authority versus actual influence.
What's next — Reject Mediocrity
Reject Mediocrity's leadership training builds directly on that distinction — coaching leaders on the influence they actually have with their team, not the title on the door, and closing the gap between the two.
Five sessions: from the video to the habit
- Session 1
Watch the lesson and each leader names one person they lead by title but not yet by influence
- Session 2
Plan one honest conversation with that person, this week, before the next team meeting
- Session 3
Have it, and write down what was said — theirs, not yours
- Session 4
Bring the notes back and compare: where did influence actually move
- Session 5
Pick the next person; influence is built one relationship at a time
Questions leaders ask
Is this the official Maxwell Leadership video?
Yes. The video on this page is Maxwell Leadership's own, embedded from their YouTube channel with full credit. Nothing on this page is a rewrite of it or a substitute for it — watch the whole lesson first, then read on. And follow the channel: new lessons post regularly.
What does Reject Mediocrity add to a free video?
Follow-through. Ellis Franks is a John Maxwell Team certified coach; Reject Mediocrity Leadership training takes the lesson you just watched and turns it into a habit with a name on it, a cadence, and a coach who asks the question nobody else will. The lesson is Maxwell's. The accountability is ours.
I am not leading a team in your area. Is this still for me?
Yes. John Maxwell's point is that leadership starts with leading yourself, and most of the Minute With Maxwell lessons are about exactly that. Watch it, pick the one habit, and run it for a week. Coaching is available when you want a structure around it.
Sixty seconds is not much. How does a minute change anything?
The minute is the lesson. The week is the practice. Maxwell's short lessons are built to be applied the same day, and the growth plan on this page is how you do that on purpose instead of by accident.
The rules this page runs on
Credit goes where it belongs
John Maxwell built the framework, and the video on this page is his. Nothing here replaces it or improves on it. Reject Mediocrity is the training that comes after the lesson.
What's next, never what's better
The Maxwell material already works — that is why it is here. The question this page answers is what a leader does with it on Monday, with a team, under pressure.
Watch it first, whole
The copy on this page is not a summary of the video and does not try to be. Watch the lesson in full, then read on. The order matters.
One lesson, one habit
A team that tries to apply six lessons at once applies none of them. Each page carries one lesson and asks for one behavior change, not a leadership overhaul.
The place is real
Every location on this page is a real metro area, city or county with its own leaders, companies and pressures. Where the copy names a fact about the place, the fact is sourced, never invented.
Accountability is the product
The lesson is free and it is Maxwell's. What Reject Mediocrity sells is the structure that makes the lesson stick: a coach, a cadence and a name on the habit.
Metro Atlanta — every county, every municipality
Speak to Their Needs First across Metro Atlanta
Reject Mediocrity Leadership is based in Metro Atlanta. Every one of the 29 counties in the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell metro area and all 85 of its incorporated cities have their own page for this lesson.
Counties
- Speak to Their Needs First — Fulton County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Gwinnett County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Cobb County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — DeKalb County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Clayton County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Cherokee County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Forsyth County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Henry County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Paulding County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Coweta County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Douglas County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Fayette County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Carroll County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Newton County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Bartow County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Walton County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Rockdale County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Barrow County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Spalding County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Lumpkin County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Pickens County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Haralson County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Dawson County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Butts County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Meriwether County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Morgan County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Pike County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Jasper County, GA
- Speak to Their Needs First — Heard County, GA
Cities
- Acworth, GA · Cobb County
- Alpharetta, GA · Fulton County
- Auburn, GA · Barrow County
- Austell, GA · Cobb County
- Avondale Estates, GA · DeKalb County
- Ball Ground, GA · Cherokee County
- Berkeley Lake, GA · Gwinnett County
- Braselton, GA · Barrow County
- Brookhaven, GA · DeKalb County
- Brooks, GA · Fayette County
- Buford, GA · Gwinnett County
- Canton, GA · Cherokee County
- Carrollton, GA · Carroll County
- Chamblee, GA · DeKalb County
- Chattahoochee Hills, GA · Fulton County
- Clarkston, GA · DeKalb County
- College Park, GA · Clayton County
- Conyers, GA · Rockdale County
- Covington, GA · Newton County
- Cumming, GA · Forsyth County
- Dacula, GA · Gwinnett County
- Dallas, GA · Paulding County
- Decatur, GA · DeKalb County
- Doraville, GA · DeKalb County
- Douglasville, GA · Douglas County
- Duluth, GA · Gwinnett County
- Dunwoody, GA · DeKalb County
- East Point, GA · Fulton County
- Fairburn, GA · Fulton County
- Fayetteville, GA · Fayette County
- Forest Park, GA · Clayton County
- Grantville, GA · Coweta County
- Grayson, GA · Gwinnett County
- Hampton, GA · Henry County
- Hapeville, GA · Fulton County
- Hiram, GA · Paulding County
- Holly Springs, GA · Cherokee County
- Jasper, GA · Pickens County
- Johns Creek, GA · Fulton County
- Jonesboro, GA · Clayton County
- Kennesaw, GA · Cobb County
- Lake City, GA · Clayton County
- Lawrenceville, GA · Gwinnett County
- Lilburn, GA · Gwinnett County
- Lithonia, GA · DeKalb County
- Locust Grove, GA · Henry County
- Loganville, GA · Gwinnett County
- Lovejoy, GA · Clayton County
- Mableton, GA · Cobb County
- Madison, GA · Morgan County
- Marietta, GA · Cobb County
- McDonough, GA · Henry County
- Milton, GA · Fulton County
- Monroe, GA · Walton County
- Moreland, GA · Coweta County
- Morrow, GA · Clayton County
- Mountain Park, GA · Cherokee County
- Newnan, GA · Coweta County
- Norcross, GA · Gwinnett County
- Palmetto, GA · Coweta County
- Peachtree City, GA · Fayette County
- Peachtree Corners, GA · Gwinnett County
- Pine Lake, GA · DeKalb County
- Powder Springs, GA · Cobb County
- Riverdale, GA · Clayton County
- Roswell, GA · Fulton County
- Sandy Springs, GA · Fulton County
- Senoia, GA · Coweta County
- Sharpsburg, GA · Coweta County
- Smyrna, GA · Cobb County
- Snellville, GA · Gwinnett County
- Social Circle, GA · Newton County
- South Fulton, GA · Fulton County
- Stockbridge, GA · Henry County
- Stone Mountain, GA · DeKalb County
- Stonecrest, GA · DeKalb County
- Sugar Hill, GA · Gwinnett County
- Suwanee, GA · Gwinnett County
- Temple, GA · Carroll County
- Tucker, GA · DeKalb County
- Turin, GA · Coweta County
- Tyrone, GA · Fayette County
- Union City, GA · Fulton County
- Villa Rica, GA · Carroll County
- Waleska, GA · Cherokee County
Nationwide
Speak to Their Needs First by metro area
Northeast
- New York, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
- Boston, MA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Providence, RI
- Hartford, CT
- Buffalo, NY
- Rochester, NY
- Bridgeport, CT
- Albany, NY
- Worcester, MA
- Allentown, PA
- Poughkeepsie metro area, NY
- Syracuse, NY
- Harrisburg, PA
- New Haven, CT
- Portland, ME
- Scranton, PA
- Lancaster, PA
- York, PA
- Springfield, MA
- Waterbury, CT
- Reading, PA
- Manchester, NH
- Trenton, NJ
- Atlantic City, NJ
- Utica, NY
- Norwich, CT
- Erie, PA
- Binghamton, NY
- Barnstable, MA
- Burlington, VT
- Kingston, NY
- Amherst, MA
- Chambersburg, PA
- Bangor, ME
- State College, PA
- Vineland, NJ
- Lebanon, PA
- Johnstown, PA
- Pittsfield, MA
- Glens Falls, NY
- Altoona, PA
- Lewiston, ME
- Williamsport, PA
- Watertown, NY
- Gettysburg, PA
- Ithaca, NY
- Elmira, NY
Midwest
- Chicago, IL
- Detroit, MI
- Minneapolis, MN
- St. Louis, MO
- Cincinnati, OH
- Kansas City, MO
- Columbus, OH
- Indianapolis, IN
- Cleveland, OH
- Milwaukee, WI
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Omaha, NE
- Dayton, OH
- Des Moines, IA
- Madison, WI
- Akron, OH
- Wichita, KS
- Toledo, OH
- Springfield, MO
- Lansing, MI
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Youngstown, OH
- Flint, MI
- Canton, OH
- Davenport, IA
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Peoria, IL
- Lincoln, NE
- Rockford, IL
- Green Bay, WI
- South Bend, IN
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Duluth, MN
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- Evansville, IN
- Fargo, ND
- Kalamazoo, MI
- Appleton, WI
- Champaign, IL
- Topeka, KS
- Rochester, MN
- Lafayette, IN
- Columbia, MO
- Joplin, MO
- Elkhart, IN
- Springfield, IL
- St. Cloud, MN
- Racine, WI
- Saginaw, MI
- Iowa City, IA
- Muskegon, MI
- Eau Claire, WI
- Oshkosh, WI
- Bloomington, IL
- La Crosse, WI
- Terre Haute, IN
- Waterloo, IA
- Kenosha, WI
- Janesville, WI
- Bloomington, IN
- Jackson, MI
- Traverse City, MI
- Rapid City, SD
- Monroe, MI
- Jefferson City, MO
- Niles, MI
- Sioux City, IA
- Bismarck, ND
- Wausau, WI
- Manhattan, KS
- Springfield, OH
- Battle Creek, MI
- Ames, IA
- Mansfield, OH
- Lawrence, KS
- St. Joseph, MO
- Sheboygan, WI
- Muncie, IN
- Sandusky, OH
- Michigan City, IN
- Kankakee, IL
- Grand Forks, ND
- Mankato, MN
- Fond du Lac, WI
- Bay City, MI
- Lima, OH
- Dubuque, IA
- Decatur, IL
- Cape Girardeau, MO
- Columbus, IN
- Kokomo, IN
- Midland, MI
- Grand Island, NE
- Minot, ND
South
- Dallas, TX
- Houston, TX
- Atlanta, GA
- Washington, DC
- Miami, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Orlando, FL
- Charlotte, NC
- Baltimore, MD
- San Antonio, TX
- Austin, TX
- Nashville, TN
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Jacksonville, FL
- Raleigh, NC
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Louisville, KY
- Richmond, VA
- Memphis, TN
- Birmingham, AL
- Tulsa, OK
- Greenville, SC
- New Orleans, LA
- Knoxville, TN
- Sarasota metro area, FL
- McAllen, TX
- Charleston, SC
- Baton Rouge, LA
- El Paso, TX
- Columbia, SC
- Cape Coral, FL
- Lakeland, FL
- Greensboro, NC
- Little Rock, AR
- Deltona, FL
- Winston-Salem, NC
- Palm Bay, FL
- Augusta, GA
- Durham, NC
- Fayetteville, AR
- Jackson, MS
- Chattanooga, TN
- Port St. Lucie, FL
- Huntsville, AL
- Pensacola, FL
- Lexington, KY
- Killeen, TX
- Wilmington, NC
- Corpus Christi, TX
- Ocala, FL
- Savannah, GA
- Brownsville, TX
- Gulfport, MS
- Myrtle Beach, SC
- Lafayette, LA
- Asheville, NC
- Naples, FL
- Mobile, AL
- Spartanburg, SC
- Beaumont, TX
- Tallahassee, FL
- Fayetteville, NC
- Montgomery, AL
- Shreveport, LA
- Hickory, NC
- Lubbock, TX
- Huntington, WV
- Gainesville, FL
- Clarksville, TN
- Columbus, GA
- Roanoke, VA
- Hagerstown, MD
- Fort Walton Beach metro area, FL
- Kingsport, TN
- Waco, TX
- Longview, TX
- College Station, TX
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- Laredo, TX
- Slidell, LA
- Amarillo, TX
- Lynchburg, VA
- Daphne, AL
- Tyler, TX
- Lake Charles, LA
- Hilton Head Island, SC
- Macon, GA
- Fort Smith, AR
- Panama City, FL
- Charlottesville, VA
- Gainesville, GA
- Athens, GA
- Monroe, LA
- Punta Gorda, FL
- Jacksonville, NC
- Johnson City, TN
- Lexington Park, MD
- Warner Robins, GA
- Auburn, AL
- Florence, SC
- Charleston, WV
- Houma, LA
- Bowling Green, KY
- Dover, DE
- Midland, TX
- Burlington, NC
- Abilene, TX
- Jackson, TN
- Greenville, NC
- Blacksburg, VA
- Odessa, TX
- Vero Beach metro area, FL
- Homosassa Springs, FL
- Decatur, AL
- Hattiesburg, MS
- The Villages metro area, FL
- Florence, AL
- Dothan, AL
- Sherman, TX
- Valdosta, GA
- Winchester, VA
- Wichita Falls, TX
- Rocky Mount, NC
- Alexandria, LA
- Dalton, GA
- Texarkana, TX
- Albany, GA
- Morgantown, WV
- Hammond, LA
- Harrisonburg, VA
- Jonesboro, AR
- Wheeling, WV
- Cleveland, TN
- Salisbury, MD
- Staunton, VA
- Morristown, TN
- Elizabethtown, KY
- Lawton, OK
- Goldsboro, NC
- San Angelo, TX
- Brunswick, GA
- Anniston, AL
- Owensboro, KY
- Steubenville, WV
- Sebring, FL
- Pinehurst, NC
- Beckley, WV
- Sumter, SC
- Gadsden, AL
- Paducah, KY
- Rome, GA
- Victoria, TX
- Hot Springs, AR
- Hinesville, GA
- Parkersburg, WV
- Enid, OK
- Eagle Pass, TX
West
- Los Angeles, CA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Riverside, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- San Diego, CA
- Denver, CO
- Portland, OR
- Sacramento, CA
- Las Vegas, NV
- San Jose, CA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Fresno, CA
- Tucson, AZ
- Honolulu, HI
- Bakersfield, CA
- Albuquerque, NM
- Boise, ID
- Oxnard, CA
- Stockton, CA
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Provo, UT
- Ogden, UT
- Spokane, WA
- Reno, NV
- Modesto, CA
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Visalia, CA
- Vallejo, CA
- Salem, OR
- Santa Maria, CA
- Salinas, CA
- Anchorage, AK
- Eugene, OR
- Greeley, CO
- Fort Collins, CO
- Boulder, CO
- Kennewick, WA
- Olympia, WA
- Merced, CA
- Bremerton, WA
- San Luis Obispo, CA
- Bend, OR
- Yakima, WA
- Santa Cruz, CA
- Prescott metro area, AZ
- Bellingham, WA
- Las Cruces, NM
- Lake Havasu City, AZ
- Yuma, AZ
- Medford, OR
- St. George, UT
- Chico, CA
- Billings, MT
- Coeur d'Alene, ID
- Yuba City, CA
- Redding, CA
- El Centro, CA
- Idaho Falls, ID
- Pueblo, CO
- Grand Junction, CO
- Logan, UT
- Maui, HI
- Santa Fe, NM
- Hanford, CA
- Flagstaff, AZ
- Mount Vernon, WA
- Napa, CA
- Albany, OR
- Bozeman, MT
- Missoula, MT
- Wenatchee, WA
- Sierra Vista, AZ
- Twin Falls, ID
- Farmington, NM
- Longview, WA
- Cheyenne, WY
- Corvallis, OR
- Helena, MT
- Fairbanks, AK
- Pocatello, ID
- Grants Pass, OR
- Great Falls, MT
- Casper, WY
- Lewiston, ID
- Walla Walla, WA
- Carson City, NV
Cities and all 3,143 US counties are covered too — every place page is live. The campaign sitemap lists every one.
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More from Minute With Maxwell
Bring the lesson to your team.
Ellis Franks is a John Maxwell Team certified leadership coach, trainer and speaker. Reject Mediocrity Leadership training is delivered on that certification — the same framework John Maxwell teaches in these videos, run as an accountable program for your team.
