If you’ve been involved at NCC for a while, you’ve certainly heard about John Maxwell. He’s the leadership guru with the magnetic smile, sparkling personality, and an amazing ability to discover countless irrefutable laws and traits of a leader.
Heather Z. has led the zone leaders down the path of Maxwell discipleship, including a series a phenomenal videos that we watched bi-weekly for approximately three years. Ok, maybe not that long, but it seemed like it sometimes.
But just when I thought I could get away from Maxwell’s toothy grip, I opened my ESPN The Magazine this week. And there it was. A story about John Maxwell!!!! Is nothing sacred? Is there anywhere I can escape?
It doesn’t look like its available online, but I thought I would provide it here. Enjoy.
Well-Covered by Ric Bucher
Baron Davis swallowed his steak, walked out the restaurant door and vanished into the San Antonio night, leaving five of his Warriors teammates- Kelenna Azubuike, Matt Barnes, Stephen Jackson, Monta Ellis and Al Harrington - to wonder what was up. With a preseason game against the defending champs the next night, this was no time for their MVP to go AWOL.
Not to worry: Davis reappeared shortly. But grins turned to groans as his buddies noticed that their captain, who had just visited a bookstore a few doors down, was armed with a stack of motivational tomes, one for each of them. He didn’t just expect the books to be read, either. He wanted them highlighted, discussed and passed around.
Thus, the Baron Davis Book Club was born.
“We were like, Yeah, right,” says Barnes. Anyone familiar with this particular crew would react the same way. The Warriors’ reckless style doesn’t exactly conjure images of guys who roll with library cards ticked in their wallets. Even Davis says that if anyone were asked to name which of the 30 NBA teams was most likely to have a book club, Golden State wouldn’t be among the first 25 guesses.
Reluctantly, Jackson & Co. cracked their covers. For the next several weeks, the group could be found on team planes and buses with yellow highlighters in hand. Occasionally, one would ask another for help with a word. “It’s the first book I’ve read other than the Bible,” says Jackson. “I found some things I could use.”
Davis got his big idea from this physical therapist, who, after watching him struggle to stay positive last season (while battling a bum knee and hamstring), gave Baron a copy of John C. Maxwell’s The Difference Maker: Making Your Attitude Your Greatest Asset and invited him to join her book club. Then came the highs of the historic defeat of the Mavs, the back-to-earth lows of the loss to the Jazz and contract extensions that never materialized, and Davis figured what was good for one would be good for all.
Jackson, whose mercurial nature has often eclipsed his deadly shooting and tenacious D, got his own copy of The Difference Maker. Harrington got Maxwell’s The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork to help him embrace his sixth-man role. So did Azubuike, who has risen from seldom-used late-season addition to starting 2-guard during Jackson’s suspension. Barnes, a first-time caption, and Ellis, who is being groomed to succeed Davis as floor leader, got Maxwell’s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.
Davis intends to get the entire team into the act as soon as he figures out the appropriate book for each player. “We can all be better thinkers on the court,” he says. Could wingback chairs and table lamps in the locker room be far behind?
Leave a Reply