--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My leadership began to take flight when I…" description: "\"My leadership began to take flight when I allowed myself to press people to change-whether they thanked me or cursed me.\" — John C. Maxwell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/john-c-maxwell-113_change_my-leadership-began-to-take-flight-when_2378813.jpg" --- # My leadership began to take flight when I allowed myself… ![“My leadership began to take flight when I allowed myself to press people to change-whether they thanked me or cursed me.” quote by John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/john-c-maxwell-113_change_my-leadership-began-to-take-flight-when_2378813.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/john-c-maxwell-113_change_my-leadership-began-to-take-flight-when_2378813.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/john-c-maxwell-113_change_my-leadership-began-to-take-flight-when_2378813.jpg) > “My leadership began to take flight when I allowed myself to press people to change-whether they thanked me or cursed me.” [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He says leadership improves when he pushes people to change, regardless of their reaction. **In simple terms:** Leadership grows by challenging others. Key Takeaway Encourage change despite resistance. Themes leadership influence growth Mood inspirational pragmatic Type leadership coaching When to use this quote - team building - organizational development - personal coaching Key Concepts motivation change management Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle resistance? - When is pressure counterproductive? A Different Perspective Pressure can backfire if misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Thanked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-thanked-5884456/) [Cursed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cursed/) [Flight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flight/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Leadership Began](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership-began-1304802/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-change/) [Presses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presses/) [Thanked Cursed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thanked-cursed-5884457/) ## Related quotes > [World War II had been such a tremendous success story for this country that the political and military leadership began to assume that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-sheehan/world-war-ii-had-been-such-a-tremendous-success-story-for-this/) [Neil Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-sheehan/) > [People change when they hurt enough that they have to change, learn enough that they want to change, receive enough that they are able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/people-change-when-they-hurt-enough-that-they-have-to-change-learn/) [John C. 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Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelig-pliskin/it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and-what-isn-t-and-therefore/) [Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelig-pliskin/) > [Anyone who makes the life of Jewish people difficult or grievous, as did the Pharaoh, as did Hitler, will be cursed by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/anyone-who-makes-the-life-of-jewish-people-difficult-or-grievous-as/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“He held his hands tightly together and cursed his daughter for bringing the terrible world, with its humiliation and longing, back to his door.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maile-meloy/he-held-his-hands-tightly-together-and-cursed-his-daughter-for/) [Maile Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maile-meloy/) > [You love what you do, you are cursed with it, and then you get known for being cursed with it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armand-assante/you-love-what-you-do-you-are-cursed-with-it-and-then-you-get-known/) [Armand Assante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armand-assante/) ## More by John C. Maxwell > [“Why do so many people do nothing? I think it’s because most of us look at the evils and injustice around us, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/why-do-so-many-people-do-nothing-i-think-it-s-because-most-of-us-look/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [You cannot have growth without change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/you-cannot-have-growth-without-change/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/change-is-inevitable-growth-is-optional/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Goals not only help you develop initial motivation by making your dreams obtainable, but they also help you continue to be motivated and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/goals-not-only-help-you-develop-initial-motivation-by-making-your/) [John C. 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I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. 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