The Leading Edge: Getting “Me” Out of the Way
By: Ebowo Akin-Ojo
I have always known John Maxwell, from afar. You just do, he is The Leadership Guru.
Then I was faced with real-time leadership complexities and found myself going to John for advice, through his books. I even had times when I felt “Ugh! Tell me about it, John. You couldn’t possibly expect me to do this, not in Africa!”
I always came back, because deep down in my heart, his leadership style resonated with me. Today, I am a member of the John Maxwell Team. It was only a matter of time, because I felt right at home on the JMT.
John, after decades of focusing on mainstream leadership, turns his attention to personal growth and development… and The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth was a hit! I read this book for the first time on the plane on my way to the August 2017 International Maxwell Certification Live Event, and I have read it several times since then.
In fact, it’s hard not to make a companion of this book. It has so impacted and driven me to action, it is officially my growth manual for 2018. My husband and I each have a soft copy on Kindle and a hard copy in our library. I have led Mastermind Groups on this book, and I currently offer Leadership Capacity Trainings, using The 15 Laws of Growth as one of my key resources for the foundational short course.
I mean, how can you lead without first addressing the ‘Me’ issue?
I like to be the warm, relatable coach as well as the put-together and assertive professional, so, for me, this was like John’s ‘Clark Kent’ side of Superman. It was like John sat beside me on that plane and spoke words to me that have gently nudged me to take steps towards significance.
I recently had this client who gave off an impenetrable vibe from the onset of our sessions. Unknown to her, as we progressed through the laws, her walls were cracking, and, sure enough, by the time we were at the Law of Pain, she was ready to grow! I’ve seen this happen time and again, in a world where people so desperately need help, yet so desperately hold on to their masks.
This book is personal to me, and I believe it is the reason it has become an amazing tool in the hands of a growth catalyst, touching the lives of countless women in her wake.
My favorite chapter is The Law of Trade-Offs. Like many people, most of my adult life, I have lived by this law but wasn’t self-aware enough to know it. It took my progressing through the laws in the book to put a name to what had really brought me this far in life. If there is one resource I am sure I will always find useful in my career as a coach, speaker and trainer, it would be The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth. I believe I can say the same for everyone who has encountered John through this book. You just can’t do without this one!
Thank you, John, for writing books, but thank you, especially, for writing the 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth.
Ebowo Akin-Ojo is a certified member of the John Maxwell team. A leadership coach, speaker and trainer, she calls herself “the growth catalyst,” as she motivates individuals, teams and organizations by inspiring, informing and equipping them to go from their present realities to living their full potential. She derives satisfaction from seeing people maximize their God-given potential in the key areas: self-awareness, character, skills, relationships and spiritual. She is a Minister of the Gospel and has worked as the Executive Director at Manifold Grace Ministries for over a decade. She is also the host of their weekly prophetic prayer meetings, “Prayers with Ebowo.” She has actively built and grown their teams, leading and training the MGM Volunteers. She is actively involved in humanitarian work, and this is her “Outreach to the North East’s” fourth year of reaching out to the Internally Displaced Persons in the North East of Nigeria.
Ebowo is happily married to her life’s love and thinking partner, Moyo, and they’re blessed with three lovely children. You can learn more about her at http://www.thejohnmaxwellgroup.com/ebowoakinojo.