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Published by , 2015-11-10 07:12:55

15_laws_of_growth-lunch-n-learn-facilitator_guide

15_laws_of_growth-lunch-n-learn-facilitator_guide

© 2012 THE JOHN MAXWELL COMPANY, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without written permission.

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth

Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide

Contents

How to Use this Resource...................................................................................................................4
Introduction to The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth..............................................................................8
Chapter 1 – The Law of Intentionality: Growth Doesn’t Just Happen....................................................8
Chapter 2 – The Law of Awareness: You Must Know Yourself to Grow Yourself ...................................9
Chapter 3 – The Law of the Mirror: You Must See Value in Yourself to Add Value to Yourself.............10
Chapter 4 – The Law of Reflection: Learning to Pause Allows Growth to Catch Up with You ...............11
Chapter 5 – The Law of Consistency: Motivation Gets You Going—Discipline Keeps You Growing ......12
Chapter 6 – The Law of Environment: Growth Thrives in Conducive Surroundings .............................13
Chapter 7 – The Law of Design: To Maximize Growth, Develop Strategies..........................................14
Chapter 8 – The Law of Pain: Good Management of Bad Experiences Leads to Great Growth .............15
Chapter 9 – The Law of the Ladder: Character Growth Determines the Height of Your Personal Growth.
........................................................................................................................................................16
Chapter 10 – The Law of the Rubber Band: Growth Stops When You Lose the Tension Between Where
You Are and Where You Could Be.....................................................................................................17
Chapter 11 – The Law of Trade-Offs: You Have to Give Up to Grow Up ..............................................18
Chapter 12 – The Law of Curiosity: Growth Is Stimulated By Asking Why? .........................................19
Chapter 13 – The Law of Modeling: It’s Hard to Improve When You Have No One but Yourself to
Follow .............................................................................................................................................20
Chapter 14 – The Law of Expansion: Growth Always Increases Your Capacity.....................................21
Chapter 15 – The Law of Contribution: Growing Yourself Enables You to Grow Others.......................22

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 3

How to Use this Resource

Purpose

Thank you for your desire to guide people in their personal leadership growth. As a
facilitator of a weekly Lunch & Learn group, you will find great satisfaction in walking
with others as you grow together. John Maxwell asserts that “personal and
organizational effectiveness is proportionate to the strength of leadership.” In order to
become better leaders, each of us must personally grow as leaders and, as a result, we
help others to follow suit.
This Facilitator Guide is designed to help you steer the process, encourage discussion, and model
effective leadership to your group. Whether you are new to facilitation or have extensive experience, it
is important that you take time to read through this guide before beginning your weekly Lunch & Learn
group.
There are two benefits from reading through this facilitator guide. First, you will see that a lot of the
preparation has been done for you, and it will challenge you to think of other creative ways to facilitate
the group. Second, if you decide to let others facilitate, which is strongly recommended, they can read
the guide themselves to prepare for upcoming Lunch & Learn sessions.
Ultimately, Lunch & Learn groups are a great method for encouraging personal development and getting
to know people in a setting you would not normally experience together.

Creating an Environment with Values, Goals, and Expectations

When you start your Lunch & Learn group, it is important that you create an environment built with
values, goals, and expectations. People need to know what they are committing to, and they want to
feel like they can contribute to the formation of the group. This will create a sense of ownership. As you
begin to meet, it’s your responsibility as facilitator to outline expectations and form some of the
framework for the group. From there, allow other members to make their contributions as well. Here
are some of the core values, goals, and expectations you can include in your initial meeting before diving
into the content.
Values

• Relationship – As the group meets, some great relationships will begin to be built. Challenge the
group to realize that this is an opportunity to build and invest in one another during the length
of the group, an opportunity they may not have otherwise had.

• Respect – During the time together, there will be great conversations and different points of
view. This is okay and part of what creates a healthy dialogue. Every member of the group
should feel that their input is respected and valued.

• Value – There will be different personalities in the group. Every person should be allowed to
express their opinions and know it is place where they can do so. They should trust that nothing
shared within the confines of the group will be met with hostility or aggression.

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 4

• Safe group – What is said in the group should stay in the group. Most organizations are
forbidden by law to have employees promise confidentiality, but the group should commit to
keeping its environment a safe place for discussion.

• Other values – Ask the group members if there any other values they would like to add to make
the group their own.

Goals
• Explore and integrate the content – Each person should make a commitment to preparing for
the group each week in an effort to become a better leader.
• Ready for the discussion – This is not a class, so it is vital that each person contribute, as the
facilitator’s role is just to bring structure to the communication—not to teach. The facilitator will
at times ask probing questions, but group members are encouraged to ask their own questions
as well.
• Other goals – Ask the group members if there are any other goals they would like to add to
make the group their own.

Expectations
• Commitment – Each group member should make a commitment to the group and to themselves
that they will actively participate in the group, be on time, come prepared, and engage in the
discussion.
• Time – Decide on a consistent time and place to meet each week that will allow you to have a
great discussion and eat within an hour.
• Amount of Material to Cover – Calculate how many weeks you will spend on this book and
cover the appropriate number of chapters per week in order to finish the book. (Note: The
Facilitator Guide builds out each chapter as a facilitation unit, but it is common that you will
need to cover more than one chapter a week. Combine materials according to the number of
weeks you have to cover the material.)
• Communication – Ask group members to e-mail you if they plan to be absent at any time so you
can plan appropriately.
• Facilitation – We recommend that you give everyone a chance to facilitate, but you know the
group best and can decide what might work well for your particular group.
• Other expectations – Ask the group if there any other expectations they would like to add to
make the group their own.

Concluding Value
As you wrap up your discussion about values, goals, and expectations, it is extremely important to
emphasize that the Lunch & Learn group is not a session for complaining. Instead, the sessions are to
objectively talk about the subjects and how one can apply the subjects into one’s life or team. By
directing the discussion to be constructive and positive, it will help members focus on changing their
immediate spheres of influence. The Lunch & Learn group is not a group to vent about people or
problems. Yes, there will be discussions about the workplace and implementing the ideas into one’s life,
but everyone must be mindful to keep these conversations at an objective level instead of an emotional
one. True leadership confronts issues and does not foster the growth of division and strife, so at times
you will need to gently redirect the group to keep conversations from spiraling downward.

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 5

Facilitator Responsibilities

Lunch & Learn groups need some administration work for them to be successful. The facilitator should
be responsible in the following areas:

• Recruit people for the group if necessary.
• Define with group members the structure and formation of the group in terms of values, goals,

and expectations.
• Be prepared to lead members through the agreed upon amount of material each week. Also,

prepare your facilitation materials prior to the group meeting each week.
• Coordinate a consistent time and place to meet. You will also need to communicate with the

group from time to time for administrative reasons.
• E-mailing the questions to group members prior to the Lunch & Learn session may help with

group discussion.
• Motivate group members toward self-examination, reflection, and action planning with respect

to the topics.
• If necessary, provide feedback on the Lunch & Learn group to other leaders within your

organization.

Facilitation Tips

Here are several practices that may help your Lunch & Learn group.

• Tips for good questions:
o Ask open-ended questions, not those that can be answered with a simple, one-word
answer.
o Ask questions that evoke feelings, thoughts, and insights.
o Ask questions that require personal examples.
o Ask questions that stimulate people to apply what they are learning.

• Read all the assigned work prior to meeting. Make notes in the margins of the book and record
questions as they arise. Feel free to use your own questions as you like, instead of the questions
in the Facilitator Guide.

• Creative activities – Incorporate other ways to promote discussion and change things up from
week to week. For example, if you find an article related to the topic, bring it for everyone to
read at an appropriate time and use it as part of the discussion.

The Structure of the Facilitator Guide

Weekly Lunch & Learn groups are facilitated group discussions. You will not be lecturing or teaching the
group, but encouraging members to discuss what they have been learning. Within each chapter of the
Guide are opening questions and some facilitated questions, but they are to be used as conversation
starters or to bring the group back on track as necessary. Plan to share your own reflections,
experiences, and questions, but limit your input. You should only be talking about 10 to 15 percent of
the time. Stimulate others to share, listen attentively when they speak, and affirm discussions based on
other group members’ questions and insights. The following structure is provided to help take some of
the pressure off you as a facilitator, but we encourage you to build upon this structure. You know your

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 6

group best, and you can create even more intentional and relevant questions based on your group
members and work environment.
Main Point – The main point section of each chapter is to help you frame the chapter as you read and
prepare for the Lunch & Learn group. It will aid you in refining your questions and activities each week.
Opening Question Options – Each of these questions are designed to begin discussion or to help people
in your group get to know each other better.
Facilitation Question Options – These questions are designed to probe the group with some of the
major concepts from each chapter.
Wrap-up – The wrap-up section is left blank for you to jot down some of the topics that were discussed
so you can summarize and positively reinforce the ideas at the end of the Lunch & Learn session.
The Weekly Challenge – Have group members’ share how they are going to apply the concept that week
into their personal life somehow during the week. Take note of what every person says so you can
encourage them in their personal growth throughout the week.

Final Thought

As the facilitator of the Lunch & Learn group, remember that there is a need for structure, but don’t
allow your structure to get in the way of personal growth. Lunch & Learn groups are for personal
development, and getting through all the material should not be the goal of every group session.

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 7

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John C. Maxwell

Introduction

In The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, John C. Maxwell makes the case that personal growth is the only
vehicle by which individuals arrive at their full potential. Drawing from his own journey of self-
development, John shares proven principles for upgrading your capacities to lead others and generate
results. As he consistently makes plain, growth doesn’t happen automatically. To get where you want to
go in life, personal development cannot be overlooked, postponed, or taken for granted. Whether
you’re just starting your career or nearing its end, this book articulates truths you can apply immediately
to make the most of your time, talents, and influence.

Chapter 1 – The Law of Intentionality: Growth Doesn’t Just Happen

Main Point | As schoolchildren, our learning was structured. As each grade level, we studied a pre-
arranged curriculum and demonstrated our knowledge on exams. Yet eventually we finished our
education, and the tests stopped. We no longer had reading assignments or homework problems.
Instead of being part of our daily routine, personal growth became our responsibility.
The problem for many people is that they never take up the duty of developing themselves. Instead of
working to get better, they merely get by. If you want to be the person you were created to be, then you
must do more than just experience life and hope you’ll pick up some lessons along the way. You must go
out and seize opportunities to grow as if your future depended upon it.
Opening Question Options:

1. At what age did you stop growing taller? Does a child/teenager get taller automatically?
2. Describe a childhood experience of overcoming fear. What was the situation, and what

motivated you to conquer your fear?
Facilitation Question Options:

1. In what ways have you proactively pursued personal growth since completing your education?
2. In which skill or competency do you hope to grow professionally over the next year? What sort

of action will be required on your part to make sure that the growth happens?
3. Have you learned more from your victories or your failures? Explain.
 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

Chapter 2 – The Law of Awareness: You Must Know Yourself to Grow Yourself

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 8

Main Point | Personal growth isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy for self-improvement. For personal growth
to be sustainable and not feel like a chore, it must be fueled by purpose. To reach your potential, you
must know where you hope to go in life. Until you have a destination in mind, your attempts to grow
will resemble a car spinning its tires in the mud. Without traction, action gets you nowhere.
Opening Question Options:

1. At what point did you decide to embark upon your current career path? What factors influenced
your decision?

2. Have you ever taken a strengths assessment or personality test? If so, share what you learned
about yourself. Regardless of whether you’ve taken any formal tests, what experiences have
helped you to discover your interests and passions?

Facilitation Question Options:
1. Is it wise to “follow your heart” professionally? Why or why not?
2. Does your organization’s mission influence its employees? On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being
“no one has the faintest idea of the mission,” and 10 being “everyone knows the mission by
heart,” rate the relevance/importance of your organization’s mission.
3. In what practical ways can a person develop accountability for his or her personal growth plans?

 Wrap-up:
 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 9

Chapter 3 – The Law of the Mirror: You Must See Value in Yourself to Add Value to
Yourself

Main Point | People rarely perform above the expectations they have of themselves. The key, then, is to
set the bar high. The way we think and speak about ourselves shapes our self-perception, so we must
vigilantly monitor our self-talk and beliefs about our identity. Negative self-conception snuffs out
growth, while a positive, upbeat self-image inspires confidence and resilience.
Opening Question Options:

1. In many competitions for kids, all of the participants get a trophy—regardless of whether they
win or lose. Do you think this encourages healthy self-esteem, or does rewarding everyone give
children a false view of the world? Explain your answer.

2. What personal or professional accomplishment are you the most proud of?
Facilitation Question Options:

1. When benchmarking, companies compare themselves to industry leaders. Should individuals
also benchmark themselves against others? Why or why not?

2. What advice would you give to a manager who notices that one of her teammates has low self-
esteem? Should the manager address the issue? If so, how?

3. What are your top talents? Where do you excel the most at work?
 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 10

Chapter 4 – The Law of Reflection: Learning to Pause Allows Growth to Catch Up with
You

Main Point | Life has been compared both to a marathon and a sprint. Whatever its pace, the only
runners who succeed in the race are those headed in the right direction. Taking a brief break from the
busyness of the day gives you a chance to evaluate whether you’re making the best use of your time and
energy given your top priorities. Also, focused thinking brings to light those lessons of experience we
often miss when we move too quickly through life. In addition, reflection expands and enriches our
thinking; we’re able to see opportunities for growth that we otherwise may have overlooked.
Opening Question Options:

1. During the typical workday, are you more likely to: 1) take a break for lunch, 2) eat on the go, or
3) skip lunch altogether?

2. On average, how much sleep do you get per night? Do you feel well rested?
Facilitation Question Options:

1. Pausing to reflect often seems unproductive. At what point does a person devote too much time
to thought and not enough to action?

2. Distractions derail thought. Where is the best place for you to engage in distraction-free
thought? Which part of your workday is generally the busiest? Which is usually the calmest?

3. How does a lack of reflection negatively influence a leader?
 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 11

Chapter 5 – The Law of Consistency: Motivation Gets You Going—Discipline Keeps You
Growing

Main Point | Inspiration motivates us to act, but enthusiasm eventually wanes. Absent of a disciplined
commitment to personal growth, ambition and aptitude end up as wasted potential. On the other hand,
small disciplines practiced daily lead to huge achievements. Imagining the future fuels us with passion,
but attending to today enables us to make progress.
Opening Question Options:

1. What percentage of New Year’s resolutions do you think are still in place as of February 1?
2. Do you set written goals? Why or why not?
Facilitation Question Options:
1. Name one healthy habit that has benefitted you during the course of your career.
2. Motivation without discipline gets you nowhere. However, discipline without motivation can

lead to burnout. What motivates you to develop yourself as a person? What is at stake if you
neglect personal growth?
3. In light of your goals for the future, what is one thing you need to begin doing regularly?
Perhaps more importantly, what is something you need to stop doing?
 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 12

Chapter 6 – The Law of Environment: Growth Thrives in Conducive Surroundings

Main Point | Personal growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Both the place where we’re located and the
people with whom we’re associated influence our attitude toward growth. At different stages of life,
different surroundings are suitable to our development, and we must take responsibility for putting
ourselves in position to thrive.
Opening Question Options:

1. Did you grow up in the city, the suburbs, a small town, or the countryside? What did you
like/dislike about the area where you spent your childhood?

2. Which do you find more enjoyable: 1) a lively party with lots of people, 2) good conversation
with a couple of friends, or 3) a quiet evening all to yourself?

Facilitation Question Options:
1. What sorts of “pollutants” are toxic to a work environment? What are the indicators of a
healthy work environment?
2. What would you say are the best and worst features of your organization’s culture?
3. When has a change in your environment (residence, workplace, relationships) accelerated your
personal growth?

 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 13

Chapter 7 – The Law of Design: To Maximize Growth, Develop Strategies

Main Point | Most people live reactively; they simply allow life to happen to them. Only after a large
portion of their life is gone do they realize that they should have been more strategic. The formula for
personal growth doesn’t require a rocket scientist to figure out; it’s actually a quite simple strategy.
Know your values, make decisions aligning with your values early in life, and then manage those
decisions on a daily basis.
Opening Question Options:

1. When going on vacation, do you prefer to plan out activities in advance or to leave the majority
of your time unscheduled?

2. Are you more likely stick with a strategy for too long, even when it’s failing, or to scrap a
strategy too quickly without allowing time for it to work? Why?

Facilitation Question Options:
1. Measurement keeps you knowing whether or not you’re growing. What systems could you put
in place to measure the progress of your personal development?
2. Good strategies take account of top priorities. As you look ahead at the next six months, what is
the primary area in which you’d like to experience personal growth?
3. The important things in life usually take longer than we anticipate. Pull up your schedule for
next week. What is your most important task or meeting of the week? Block off twice as much
time to complete the task or prepare for the meeting as you had originally scheduled on your
calendar.

 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 14

Chapter 8 – The Law of Pain: Good Management of Bad Experiences Leads to Great
Growth

Main Point | Pain prompts us to face who we are, and how we respond to disappointment defines who
we become. In life, everyone makes mistakes. However, some people fear failure, and it prevents them
from taking risks, while others embrace failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. Without struggle,
there’s no progress, so embrace life’s painful challenges as the quickest means of personal growth, and
view failures as stepping-stones to success.
Opening Question Options:

1. What’s the most painful physical injury you’ve ever had?
2. Have you learned more about yourself from your greatest triumphs or your biggest failures?
Facilitation Question Options:
1. What happens to an organization when its leaders avoid the pain of hard decisions?
2. How have you turned pain into gain over the past year?
3. It’s been said that we must either choose the “pain of discipline” or the “pain of regret.” How

would you describe each of these types of pain?
 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 15

Chapter 9 – The Law of the Ladder: Character Growth Determines the Height of Your
Personal Growth

Main Point | When pursuing personal growth, people are inclined to focus on gaining competencies
rather than developing character. However, without integrity of character to stabilize them, even the
most talented persons are likely to implode. Solid character, with honesty and integrity at its core,
provides the surest foundation for personal development.
Opening Question Options:

1. In your life, who has been the biggest role model of character and integrity? What aspects of his
or her character did you find attractive?

2. When deciding whether or not someone can be trusted, what information do you consider
about that person?

Facilitation Question Options:
1. In your opinion, what does it mean to “be a person of character?”
2. What practical steps can a person take to strengthen or solidify his or her character?
3. In which of the following areas do you see the most room for improvement? How would your
life be better if you grew in this area?
a. Being Humble
b. Being Teachable
c. Being Willing to Serve
d. Being Grateful

 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 16

Chapter 10 – The Law of the Rubber Band: Growth Stops When You Lose the Tension
Between Where You Are and Where You Could Be

Main Point | Growth begins at the end of our comfort zone. To develop yourself, you must stretch
beyond what comes easily. When we try something new, there’s a learning curve during which we feel
awkward and incapable. Yet by persevering beyond the initial discomfort, we open up new horizons of
personal growth.
Opening Question Options:

1. Relocating can be a hassle, but we endure the work of packing, transporting, and unpacking our
possessions in the hopes of ending up in a better situation. How many times have you moved
from one residence to another during your lifetime?

2. Some people are natural risk-takers while others prefer to stick with tried-and-true methods.
Which temperament do you have? What are the advantages/disadvantages of your natural
attitude to risk?

Facilitation Question Options:
1. Settling for the status quo involves short-term comfort and long-term dissatisfaction. Choosing
to grow means enduring short-term discomfort for long-term significance. What comforts will
you have to abandon in order to realize your vision for the future?
2. Name two or three experiences that have been catalysts for personal growth in your life.
Initially, were the experiences comfortable?
3. What areas of untapped potential do you see in your life? What possibilities would emerge if
you developed to your full potential in those areas?

 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 17

Chapter 11 – The Law of Trade-Offs: You Have to Give Up to Grow Up

Main Point | If you want to grow to your potential, then you must be willing to give up some things you
value. In reality, everyone makes trades throughout life. However, some people regret the exchanges
they’ve made while others credit their trade-offs with allowing them to thrive. To make sure you’re
trading up instead of down, unemotionally evaluate the pluses and minuses of each major trade-off.
Looking solely at the facts of an exchange prevents fear or anxiety from clouding your judgment. Also,
remember that although you don’t always get what you want in life, you always get what you choose.
Opening Question Options:

1. In some places, such as outdoor marketplaces or auto dealerships, prices are not necessarily
fixed. Do you enjoy the process of negotiating for a lower price in these settings? Why or why
not?

2. Whenever we buy something, we exchange money for the thing bought. What’s the largest
financial purchase you’ve ever made? Was what you bought worth the price?

Facilitation Question Options:
1. Review the following list of commonly made trade-offs. Which one would you like to become
more intentional about making? Why?
a. Financial stability today for potential tomorrow
b. Immediate gratification for personal growth
c. The fast life for the good life
d. Security for significance
e. Personal achievement for partnership with others
2. What items are non-negotiable in your life? That is, what things would you never trade?
3. What major trade-offs have you made in order to get where you are today?

 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 18

Chapter 12 – The Law of Curiosity: Growth Is Stimulated By Asking Why?

Main Point | Curious people have insatiable inquisitiveness. They’re constantly asking questions and
challenging conventional wisdom. Curiosity inspires the imagination to move past the usual assumptions
and limitations to seek answers, and thus sparks creativity. Fortunately, curiosity isn’t a natural talent
only available to a few lucky people. Anyone can learn to ask better questions and can enjoy the fruits of
knowledge that come through an active investigation of the world.
Opening Question Options:

1. What was your favorite subject in school? Why did you enjoy learning about it?
2. If you had the time and money to take a vacation somewhere that you had never been before,

where would you choose to go? Why?
Facilitation Question Options:

1. What roadblocks hinder people from exercising curiosity?
2. What questions is your organization asking about its future? Why?
3. What is one new skill you would like to learn for your job? What steps would you need to take in

order to learn it?
 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 19

Chapter 13 – The Law of Modeling: It’s Hard to Improve When You Have No One but
Yourself to Follow

Main Point | A self-taught student doesn’t learn nearly as much as an apprentice who has the luxury of
watching a master at work. Models inspire personal growth by setting an example worth following,
sharing the wisdom of experience, and providing encouragement and support. Without outside input,
personal development stagnates, whereas the exhortation of a coach continually challenges a student to
grow.
Opening Question Options:

1. When you were a student, who was your favorite teacher or coach? Why?
2. Which book or film has taught you the most about life? What did you learn from it?
Facilitation Question Options:
1. Who currently mentors you? If you don’t have a mentor, list possible candidates whom you

could ask to coach you.
2. Do you think it’s a better strategy to have a deep relationship with one mentor, or more casual

relationships with a variety of mentors? Explain.
3. What areas of expertise do you have which could be of benefit others? To whom could you

make yourself available as a coach or mentor?
 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 20

Chapter 14 – The Law of Expansion: Growth Always Increases Your Capacity

Main Point | Personal growth sharpens your ability think and boosts your productive capacities.
Mentally, personal growth gives you confidence to take on projects you never would have even
considered earlier in life. Also, growth nourishes creative thinking by expanding your conception of
what’s possible. Productively, personal growth aids efficiency as you discard bad habits and develop
more efficient systems for getting things done. The compounding effect of self-improvement also gives
rise to new skills that enable you to take on progressively more difficult assignments.
Opening Question Options:

1. What skills do you have now that you didn’t possess five years ago?
2. What sorts of training opportunities does your organization offer to its employees? Have you

taken part in any of them? If so, assess whether or not they expanded your capacity.
Facilitation Question Options:

1. In what ways might you be able to work smarter to reduce the amount of time it takes to carry
out your job responsibilities?

2. Growth compounds when we discipline ourselves to manage important decisions daily. What
activities should you devote attention to each day in order to develop into the sort of leader you
aspire to be?

3. What do your managers and teammates expect of you as an employee? What would it take to
exceed their expectations?

 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 21

Chapter 15 – The Law of Contribution: Growing Yourself Enables You to Grow Others

Main Point | Initially, personal growth is self-focused; we have our own success in mind. However, as
we mature, we find that life’s greatest source of joy comes from investing ourselves in the development
of others. Yet while our focus shifts outward, the need for personal growth remains as strong as ever,
since we cannot give what we do not have. Adding value to ourselves precedes adding value to others.
Opening Question Options:

1. To which charitable organization(s) do you contribute your resources or volunteer your time?
Why?

2. What percentage of your workweek involves face-to-face communication with others? What are
practical ways in which you can intentionally add value to the people you with whom you
interact at work?

Facilitation Question Options:
1. How does your organization show appreciation to its people? What are the ways in which you
express gratitude to the people who help you in life?
2. Relationships should be reciprocal; with roughly equal amounts of giving and taking on both
sides. Do you feel as if you generally give more than you receive, get more than you give, or give
and take about the same amount in your relationships?
3. How does significance differ from success?

 Wrap-up:

 The Weekly Challenge:

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth | Lunch & Learn Facilitator Guide The John Maxwell Company P a g e | 22


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