My Top 6 Takeaways from John Maxwell's High Road Leadership
My Top 6 Takeaways from John Maxwell’s High Road Leadership
Why taking the high road in leadership isn't just ethical — it's magnetic.
Let’s be honest. Leadership in today’s real estate world isn’t easy.
There’s noise. Distraction. Competition. People ghosting you, gossip flying, and your values tested on the daily.
But one event shifted everything for me — and that was diving deep into John Maxwell’s High Road Leadership.
You might know Maxwell as the GOAT of leadership wisdom (and you'd be right). But this particular framework? It’s about leading not just with skill... but with integrity.
And in a business like ours, that difference is everything.
Here are my top 6 takeaways that every real estate professional — especially brokers and team leaders — should hear.
1. Anyone Can Lead — But Not Everyone Leads with Elevation
Maxwell breaks leadership down into three roads: the low road (treat people worse than they treat you), the middle road (treat people the same), and the high road (treat people better than they treat you).
That last one? That’s the magic.
It means leading with grace when it would be easier to react. Serving before being served. Choosing empathy over ego.
It’s not just about being nice. It’s about being principled. And the result? You attract loyalty, trust, and talent like a magnet.
2. The High Road is Always Intentional
Look — it’s easy to default to frustration when a deal goes south or an agent underdelivers.
But high-road leadership isn’t accidental. It’s a conscious, daily decision to rise above the noise and lead from values, not moods.
Maxwell says, “Intentionality is the difference between reactive and proactive leadership.”
Translation? Stop winging it. Decide in advance who you are — and let that guide your response, not your emotions.
3. Character Isn’t What You Say — It’s What You Do When No One’s Watching
In the real estate world, perception can get louder than performance. But character? That’s the real currency of leadership.
Maxwell's take? Your credibility lives and dies on your character.
Agents don’t follow your title. They follow your consistency. Your follow-through. Your resilience.
You don’t build trust by talking about your values — you build it by living them.
4. High Road Leaders Make People Feel Seen, Not Managed
One of the most powerful reminders I took from this training: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
If you’re leading a team, this is your north star. Your people aren’t looking for perfection — they’re looking for presence.
Ask better questions. Listen more than you talk. Coach them as humans, not just producers.
Your job isn’t just to build better agents. It’s to build better people.
5. Great Leaders Multiply, Not Add
A high-road leader doesn’t hoard influence. They multiply it.
That means investing in others. Raising up future leaders. Creating a culture where everyone feels like they have ownership and opportunity.
In real estate terms? It means you're not just building a team — you’re building a legacy.
This takeaway hit hard: “Your success is not just what you build. It’s who you build it with.”
6. The High Road Always Pays Off — Long Term
Let’s not sugarcoat it. Doing the right thing in business doesn’t always yield instant results. Sometimes, it costs you.
But long term? The high road always wins.
It builds reputation. Reputation builds influence. And influence builds the kind of business that doesn’t just succeed... but lasts.
Because when the smoke clears, people remember how you made them feel — not just what you sold.
Final Word: Be the Leader People Brag About Working With
There’s a lot of talk about leadership out there. And a lot of noise.
But what I learned from John Maxwell’s High Road Leadership is this:
Real leadership isn’t about being the smartest in the room. It’s about being the one others can count on, grow with, and rise because of.
Take the high road. Every time. It won’t always be easy — but it’ll always be worth it.
