Transformation begins with me!

As you may be aware, I am in Guatemala City this week with John Maxwell, the John Maxwell Team (~150 coaches), La Red, Guatemala Prospera, and EQUIP. Our mission is to teach a process that will allow leaders within the seven streams of influence (government, business, media, faith community, arts & entertainment, family, and education) to facilitate growth within small groups over the course of the next 30 weeks, using content from John’s 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, and 15 corresponding values defined thru a survey of 12,000 Guatemalans as being critical for the future of their country.

We have spent the last day and a half learning this new process and going through it ourselves, to experience the power of it first-hand. It is simple, elegant, effective…powerful. It requires intentionality and transparency.

Beginning Thursday, we will be sent out to various sites around the city to teach groups between 40-80 people how to use the process. We will actually facilitate as they experience the process by working through The Law of Modeling and The Value of Listening.

In three days, we will have taught the process to 19,000 – 20,000 people. Each of them will facilitate the process with small groups of 8-10 people each, one session per week for the next 30 weeks. That means, 150,00 – 160,000 individuals will be directly involved…and if each of them has the power to influence a minimum of another four people each day…WOW!

The foundation is that transformation begins with me; I must first change if I want the circumstances and conditions of my life to change. The idea is to get people talking about the things they need to talk about.

As individuals embrace these lessons and begin to embrace and live the values, they will bring this change to life in their country. The effects may not be seen for years, but it will happen. This place and these people will be forever changed. But think of it this way: If each person touched by this process and this content can make a 1% improvement per week — at the end of a year, they will be 52% better than when they were exposed to this material.

Taking a step back from today, I am humbled by this opportunity. I have said I am on a mission to change the world one encounter at a time — whether that be with individuals, small groups and teams, whole organizations, or even larger gatherings. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that my purpose is to help others step confidently into their potential through increased self-awareness and intentional action. I never imagined I would have the opportunity, so soon, to be part of something this significant…fully aligned with what I believe I’m here to do. And yet, here I am tonight, writing to you from Guatemala City!

The real truth of the matter is, whatever happens with the people and the culture here, I am already forever changed by this experience. I am more deeply connected with my John Maxwell colleagues, more aware of myself (thoughts, beliefs, preferences, etc…), and I am grateful. If all I am able to accomplish this week is to leave some people with hope for a better future, I will have been successful.

More to come, to be sure, as we are just beginning. Tomorrow, we meet with and get to know our translators; spend some time fine-tuning our process and personal stories; and in the evening, we have been invited to the Presidential Palace.