My Journey With John
One of the most common questions I get is “How did you get started with John Maxwell?”
I had the opportunity recently to attend dinner with John as a member of the President’s Advisory Council, and John asked everyone how they got involved with the team.
My journey with John Maxwell started over 10 years ago at Church on the Rock. I was just starting at a new company that was growing quickly and I clearly saw that I was going to have the opportunity for management.
Church on the rock is incredible because they have over 100 ministries and have so many opportunities for personal growth and development. At that time they were offering a course by John Maxwell “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”. The course was a video course and we would go in each week watch a video of John and fill out a workbook.
I was really engaged because I was so set on becoming a sales manager and I took every course they offered by John for that full year even after I had received the promotion.
I was then approached by the director to see if I would like to facilitate the class. I was excited to do it, but all that this role required me to do was to come in, turn on the TV, press play and when the class was over turn out the lights. You have to start somewhere!
A few years later I had the opportunity to attend a live event where John was going to be speaking but there was a catch; it was in Florida and I lived in Missouri. It cost more than any event I had attended up until that point not to mention hotel and airfare. I was determined to go. I rallied several other managers at the office to go as well. I was so excited to learn from John in person.
Like I do to this day I went down to the room where we were going to be training the night before to get a look at the room. There was another manager with me and said “Man I thought John was a lot bigger than this” the room was set up for about 20. I thought nothing of it and said this is “Exclusive”
The next morning we head down to the room and there is a guy there and in a sweat it crosses my mind John isn’t coming. My hunch was right it was a facilitator. I had to make a decision quick I could be bitter or I could be better. I chose to be better and learn from the man that was teaching.
I said the strangest thing after that training. “Maybe I would like to do that someday”
Years later that day would come. In February 2011 as I woke up my wife turned to me to ask me if I saw the latest tweet from John Maxwell? The tweet referenced a new opportunity to partner with John as a speaker coach and trainer. I immediately knew it was for me. I joined the team and started my path of helping people by speaking coaching and training.
10 years ago I pressed play and in February of 2013 I had the opportunity to actually introduce John to a crowd of over 600 people from around the world and had the honor of training with 150 coaches and trainers in Guatemala this past summer.
My journey with this team has only just begun. I am grateful for what the future holds in store.
About the Author:
Chris Robinson is a founding member of the John Maxwell Team. Chris focuses on Keynote presentations and group training.