John C Maxwell lists the five things he does every day: Value people; Think of ways to add value to people; Look for ways to add value to people; Do it (add value to people); Encourage others to add value to people. I’ve followed Maxwell, one of the world’s leading authorities on leadership, for 25 years now and have met and interacted with him a number of times as a coach with the Maxwell Leadership Organisation. I can attest to the points Maxwell makes as being absolutely true to the person he is, as well as the values espoused in his organisation. That is why it was easy – no seamless – for me to join Legitimate Leadership. Legitimate Leadership goes a step further though by codifying the points made into the corporate application modules we present: “The True Meaning Of Care” explains what it means to value people ; “Spending Time Appropriately” explains the intentionality behind thinking of ways to add value to people in the form of care and growth; and “Watching The Game” explains how to look for ways to add value to people. The application requirement of each module requires participants to “do” the act of adding value to people. After all, if you devalue people, you will not want to give them anything, but rather take from them. Legitimate Leadership shifts participants’ intent to rather value people so that they will give to them more readily. And this shift in turn inspires others to do the same.

OUR SUMMARY OF THIS VIDEO: What are practical ways to add value to people? Five things – and I do this every day and everybody that follows you can do this every day. It only takes about 10 minutes. So this isn’t hard, but every day I value people – that’s where it starts, that’s foundational. If I don’t value you as a person I won’t add value to you.
Nobody has ever added value to people they devalue. If I devalue you, I’ll take something from you; if I value you, I’ll add something to you.

That’s a world of difference. So you can’t go around devaluing people the way that our culture is today – this divisiveness that is just making me sad. I just look at the leaders and say, “Really, can’t we do better?”
If you devalue people you’ll never intentionally add value so every day I value people. That’s foundational. Once I have that settled – like Jesus who valued all people including those who crucified him (“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”), he forgave them.

Okay once I get through that, watch the action. Every day (number two) I think of ways to add value to you.
What does that mean? It means I knew I was going to do a program with you today on Generations. And even though I wrote the books and I can give you the answers, I don’t want to look at you and just give you blank answers. I want to be able to give you good answers. You deserve that. Why do you deserve that? Because I value you. So I’ll get ready for you and I will think, “Okay how I can add value to them, how can I help them today?”

Third, I look for ways to value people. If I don’t think about adding value and we all get together we just have a conversation and there’s nothing constructive about it.

But the moment I think of it, I’m going to look for it. And by the way people see not what is in front of them, they see what they think about. That’s why two people can be in the same setting and see things differently. We see things as we are, not as they are.

So now that I’ve thought about it, I’m looking for it, and now that I’m looking for it, guess what: I do it. Because I saw it.
Five, encourage others to add value to people. Okay that’s what we’re doing for the audience right now. We’re encouraging them to add value. I wrote the High Road book (High Road Leadership: Bringing People Together in a World That Divides – editor) to help people live a higher life which will add value to other people.

A high road leader always values people and adds value. A low road leader doesn’t value people, doesn’t add value to people.
If you’re on the low road every day, thinking about yourself (“what are they going to do for me?”, “how’s somebody going to add value to my life?”) – you know low road leaders are takers.

But High Road leaders are givers. It’s a world difference.