Week 3: Increasing Influence (10.19.2026)

Podcast: Maxwell Leadership Executive

Description: Leadership is influence and it’s important to develop skills in leading up, down, and across.

Discussion Questions:

Which direction of influence (up, down, or across) do you find most natural, and which is most challenging? Why do you think that is?
When it comes to leading up, what are some practical ways to add value to your leaders without overstepping or undermining authority?
What does it look like to lead down in a way that builds trust, develops others, and fosters loyalty—rather than just managing tasks?
In your experience, what are the biggest obstacles to influencing your peers? How can you cultivate mutual respect and collaboration among equals?
Maxwell says, “Leadership is not about position, but disposition.” What mindset shifts might help you lead more effectively in your current role, even without a formal title?

Required Reading:

How to Win Friends and Influence People
Part Three: How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking

What is your typical response when someone disagrees with you?
Which principles in this section could help a leader handle conflict without becoming passive?
Why is it often counterproductive to begin by proving that someone else is wrong?
How can questions invite ownership and reflection more effectively than commands?
What is the difference between manipulation and wise, loving persuasion?
When should a pastoral leader hold a conviction firmly, and when should they create more room for another perspective?
Think of a recent disagreement. How might it have gone differently if you had begun with common ground?
How does the example of Jesus shape the way we speak truth, ask questions, and invite change?