Chapitre 1
Transforming the World Begins With You
What if the key to changing the world wasn't about having special powers, extraordinary wealth, or political connections? What if the most powerful force for transformation was already within your reach? In "Change Your World," renowned leadership expert John C. Maxwell and global transformation catalyst Rob Hoskins present a compelling case that anyone-regardless of background, education, or resources-can create meaningful change. The book has resonated with celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, who featured it in her "Books That Help Me Through" collection, and business titans like Richard Branson, who cited it as inspiration for Virgin's community initiatives.
This isn't just another feel-good manifesto. Maxwell and Hoskins have implemented these principles in over 190 countries, creating measurable transformation in communities facing extreme poverty, corruption, and hopelessness. Their approach has been adopted by governments, corporations, and grassroots organizations alike, proving that positive change can start with ordinary people making extraordinary choices. As you'll discover, the question isn't whether you can change your world-it's whether you'll give yourself permission to try.
Chapitre 2
We Can't Wait for Someone Else to Fix Our Problems
Look around. Our world faces staggering challenges: 40 million people trapped in modern slavery, mental health crises escalating, corruption plaguing governments, and communities fracturing under social pressures. The statistics paint a sobering picture, but the most troubling reality is that most of us are waiting for someone else to solve these problems.
"Somebody should do something!" This familiar refrain echoes through our conversations about societal ills. We hope that governments, corporations, or influential figures will step up to address the issues we see. But here's the uncomfortable truth: if we want the world to be better, we need to take action ourselves. We can't wait for change to come from elsewhere.
Transformation begins with a fundamental shift in thinking. Like the classic nine-dots puzzle that can only be solved by drawing lines outside the box, we must challenge our assumptions about what's possible. Gandhi wisely noted, "For things to change, first I must change." This means shifting from believing we can't or shouldn't try to change our world to believing we can and should.
Hope fuels this transformation-not passive optimism that things will magically improve, but active hope that drives us to make things better. As Jonathan Sacks distinguished, "Optimism is the belief that things will be better. Hope is the faith that, together, we can make things better." This active hope becomes the catalyst for meaningful change.
People change when four conditions align: when they hurt enough that they have to, when they see enough that they're inspired to, when they learn enough that they want to, and when they receive enough that they're able to. Your personal transformation often emerges from the intersection of your past experiences, pain points, and deepest passions-revealing your unique purpose for making a difference.
Urgency accelerates this transformation. Those who create meaningful change share a similar internal drive-a healthy impatience with the status quo that propels them to action. As Jim Rohn observed, "Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value." When you combine hope with urgency, you develop the courage to take immediate steps toward positive change, regardless of what others think or say.
Rob Hoskins experienced this firsthand when he accidentally turned down the wrong street near his office and discovered the impoverished Avondale community. Witnessing drug deals, prostitution, and neglected children-conditions mirroring global slums-he pulled over and wept. His emotional response transformed into determination. As leader of OneHope, he mobilized his team to research and serve this community of 3,000 people living in extreme poverty. They founded a charter school, organized ESL classes, hosted health fairs, taught job skills, and provided mentorship. Their efforts dramatically reduced crime from 776 incidents per square mile to the 200s, bringing tangible hope to residents.
The message is clear: If you can see a need for positive change, are willing to learn and live good values, value people, and collaborate with others, then you can change your world. Hope isn't some distant ideal-change is literally in your hands.
Chapitre 3
Becoming a Catalyst for Transformation
A catalyst is someone who creates positive change through ideas, actions, and influence. While many things in life just happen, positive change isn't one of them-it requires someone to initiate action. The first person transformed in any change process is always the catalyst themselves before change ripples outward.
The journey of becoming a catalyst begins with caring enough to make a difference. Though this might sound intimidating, the beginnings of transformation are humble and within anyone's reach. As President Kennedy noted, everyone has a change-the-world seed inside them that just needs nurturing to grow. This seed develops into a cause from the heart, leading to small but meaningful actions.
As you work to make a difference, you begin to change. Your hopes are realized, efforts rewarded, and heart fulfilled. You become a transformation magnet, attracting others who want to join your cause. The shift from "me" to "we" is when being a catalyst becomes truly exciting-when your individual efforts multiply through collaboration.
Timing is crucial for creating change. Like blacksmiths who must "strike while the iron is hot," you must step forward when opportunities present themselves. If you lose your sense of urgency, your cause becomes like cold steel that won't move. As the saying goes, "Initiative on fire accomplishes more than knowledge on ice."
To become an effective catalyst, you must transition from good intentions to good actions. The biggest gap between failure and success is the distance between "I should" and "I did." As Peter Drucker said, "You cannot predict the future, but you can create it." Don't settle for intentions-focus on actions.
Adopt the mindset of a "possibilist"-someone who neither hopes without reason nor fears without reason. A possibilist sees things as both bad and better, maintaining conviction that progress is possible while not looking away from problems. This balanced perspective allows you to see reality clearly without becoming discouraged, refusing to ignore problems while willingly working to make your world better.
Take ownership of your vision for change. Tyler Perry exemplifies this ownership mentality. Starting as a struggling playwright, he built increasingly larger studios in Atlanta, eventually creating one of America's largest production facilities. When Perry could afford to quit after outgrowing his third studio, he chose to build again because his purpose extended beyond himself. His philosophy: "When you can afford to quit, you can't afford to quit." His ownership of his vision has impacted thousands of lives.
Use your past successes as inspiration for future change. As Plutarch noted, "What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality." Personal transformation qualifies and inspires you to help others change. Dreams aren't measured by project size but by the level of faith and degree of personal change within the leader.
When you become a catalyst, invite others to join your cause by sharing your passion, asking what they think, inviting them to improve your ideas, and explicitly asking if it's something you can do together. Focus on what you can do exceptionally well and what consistently makes a positive impact. As Bill Austin said, "We can't change everything, but we can change something."
Maria Conceicao's story illustrates this principle perfectly. Born in Portugal and orphaned young, she became a flight attendant with Emirates airlines. Visiting Bangladesh's slums in 2005, she was moved by the poverty, especially among young girls. When recession dried up her corporate funding in 2009, she turned to extreme physical challenges-climbing Kilimanjaro, trekking to the North Pole, summiting Everest, and setting multiple Guinness World Records-to raise awareness and funds. After fifteen years, students she helped are now in universities worldwide, proving that anyone can become a catalyst for change, regardless of background.
Chapitre 4
The Power of Collaborative Transformation
Mother Teresa wisely observed, "I can do what you cannot, and you can do what I cannot; together we can do great things." This principle was powerfully demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic when Sam Yoder, owner of Berlin Gardens, faced a painful reality: Ohio's stay-at-home order forced him to close his patio furniture business while trying to figure out how to continue paying his employees.
Three days after closing, Sam received a call from a business friend at TKM Print Solutions about a critical shortage of plastic face shields for medical workers. Though TKM had materials, they lacked manpower and facilities. Sam's team, experienced with plastic, quickly tested production and received approval. With a request for 150,000 masks in just five days, this partnership offered a way to keep employees working while making a difference during the pandemic.
Soon they were making 30,000-35,000 shields daily, with income almost covering payroll. The greatest benefit came from employees working together in one facility instead of scattered across seven buildings, rekindling friendships and sharing a sense of purpose. Community members even volunteered evenings, bringing food and joining the assembly line, feeling they were defeating the virus together.
This story illustrates a fundamental truth: when we work with others to accomplish a vision, everything multiplies. The Law of Significance states, "One is too small a number to achieve greatness." While you can make changes alone, growing transformations require others working alongside you.
Reid Hoffman captured this perfectly: "No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you're playing a solo game, you'll always lose out to a team." Studies show you're 65% more likely to meet goals when committed to another person, increasing to 95% with ongoing partnership. This principle appears throughout nature-wolves hunt in packs, geese fly in formation to increase range by 70%, and horses working together can pull exponentially more weight.
However, not everyone who joins your cause will be equally committed. Some just want to enjoy the ride without rowing the boat. This leads to an important insight: who is more important than how when building a transformation team. Look for people already engaged in your cause-perhaps an existing organization you could join.
When connecting with others, first determine if there's an alignment of values. Like horses that stand in a circle facing each other against threats (versus donkeys who kick each other), teams with shared values experience alignment and effectiveness. Focus on what unites you, not your differences. President Kennedy promoted this approach: "Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring the problems which divide us."
Everyone brings unique value to a transformation team. Don't wish for abilities you don't have-leverage your existing strengths to benefit others. As Rocky Balboa said, "She's got gaps, I got gaps, together we fill gaps." The Law of the Niche says everyone has a place where they add the most value.
In our divided world, aim beyond mere cooperation to true collaboration. Cooperation means not working against each other; collaboration means actively working for each other toward a shared vision. Like coastal redwoods with shallow but broadly spreading roots that interweave to stand strong together for thousands of years, collaboration makes everyone stronger.
Casey Crawford exemplifies transformation through teamwork. After growing up near Washington, DC and playing football through college and briefly in the NFL, Casey won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At age twenty-five, he decided to retire to transition "from entertainment to impact," seeking to make a meaningful difference in the world.
Casey founded Movement Mortgage in 2008, during the Great Recession, with a vision to create a bank known for loving its team members, customers, and communities. From four initial employees, Movement Mortgage grew to over four thousand staff across nearly eight hundred locations, processing more than $16 billion in loans by 2019. Beyond business success, Casey established the Love Works Fund to support employees in crisis, providing $3.4 million in assistance.
His vision extended beyond his company to struggling communities in Charlotte. He believes in the power of teamwork, stating, "What started as a vision to bring a transformative school to a challenged area of our city turned into a holistic redemptive development. There is something powerful about seeing a community come together."
Chapitre 5
Creating Movements That Transform Communities
Movements bring awareness to problems, mobilize leadership, and inspire action, creating momentum for positive change. Whether small or large, movements can transform the world. But why do people rally around causes in the first place?
People naturally seek connection through various avenues-bars, gyms, clubs, sports teams. While many gather simply for community, those with a desire for accomplishment want more. A shared sense of purpose creates a deeper connection that can spark a movement. Humans search for meaning beyond mere busyness, wanting to engage with like-minded others in pursuits that express their deepest desires and highest aspirations.
While people join causes because they're compelling and important, most also desire personal returns on their investment of time and effort. This begins with the good feeling that comes from adding value to others-the start of the "significance journey." The authors call this the "Inevitable Return": give long enough, and you receive more than you give; love deeply, and love returns tenfold; lift others, and you rise higher.
After decades facilitating transformational movements worldwide, Maxwell and Hoskins have learned what causes movements to fail. The Occupy Wall Street movement demonstrates how gatherings without unified purpose fizzle out. Starting in September 2011 when 200 people camped in New York's financial district to protest income inequality, the movement lacked clear focus. According to the Atlantic, "Occupy was filled with leaders who declared themselves leaderless, governed by a consensus-based structure that failed to reach consensus."
It's difficult to create a focused agenda when you're against something instead of for something. Being against something isn't attractive and doesn't draw positive people who want to work for positive change. Additionally, movements require strong leadership. The civil rights movement succeeded largely because of Martin Luther King Jr.'s leadership. After King's assassination, the movement was never the same, proving that transformational movements aren't sustainable without transformational leaders.
For a movement to be sustainable, it also needs organizational support-dedicated people who help all players work together, communicate, and be more effective. And contrary to popular belief, money alone won't solve problems. The World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group found that half of twenty-five poor countries they invested in had the same or worse poverty rates despite billions in aid.
So what causes movements to succeed? Six pictures illustrate how transformational movements happen:
First, transformation begins with influence that flows from the top down, like a waterfall. For transformation to happen, leaders must be involved. When the Soviet minister of education authorized OneHope's program during the USSR's transition, it allowed them to reach 58 million children.
Second, while influence flows down, transformation climbs up like a ladder. When people improve their lives, they rise up and begin dreaming of a better world. With hope, people can transition from survival thinking to significance thinking, asking not just how to make it through the day but how to make someone else's day better.
Third, every movement begins in someone's heart, flowing from embraced values into behaviors and communication before spreading to others. Transformation isn't imposed from outside but embraced from within.
Fourth, transformation requires many people working together through partnerships. The John Maxwell Leadership Foundation always partners with well-led local organizations and connects with leaders across eight streams of influence: government, education, business, religion, media, arts, sports, and healthcare.
Fifth, transformation starts in an individual's heart and grows around a table. Mass movements don't begin with masses but with a few people sitting together as equals. These tables provide safe places to learn and share good values that can spread throughout communities.
Finally, the ultimate goal of any movement is creating a better future, starting with good values. Good values create growth, which leads to transformation, movement, change, and ultimately a better future.
Chapitre 6
The Foundation of Transformation: Good Values
Shortly after the Enron scandal, John Maxwell was asked to write a book on business ethics for corporate America. Searching for a universal value that transcends culture and religion, he discovered the golden rule appears in nearly every major faith tradition and culture. This became the foundation for his book Ethics 101 and a commitment to teaching values for the rest of his life.
Leadership rises on two foundations: competence and values. Values are guiding principles for decisions and behaviors that, when good, benefit rather than harm others. Simon Sinek distinguishes between our "why" (our origin story from the past) and a "just cause" (our vision of a better future). Transformation represents a just cause worth committing to, which must be affirmative, inclusive, service-oriented, resilient, idealistic, and based on good values.
While many acknowledge the importance of values, they often rush to discuss strategy instead, taking values for granted. However, being must precede doing to effectively change the world. Unlike talents and abilities determined at birth, values can be learned, embraced, and practiced by anyone regardless of circumstances-it's entirely a matter of choice.
When the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation begins transformation initiatives, they ask representatives from eight streams of influence to select values they want taught to their people, offering options like attitude, commitment, courage, forgiveness, integrity, kindness, and teamwork. These values are accessible to everyone who chooses to embrace them, making positive change possible.
The standard for determining whether a value is good is simple: it must value all people, all the time, in all situations. No shortcuts, no rationalizations, no exceptions. Good values align with the golden rule, are inclusive, and draw people together despite differences. Many people feel devalued, which prevents them from enjoying life and reaching their potential.
Bill Perkins distinguishes between practices (situational actions), principles (external truths), and values (internalized principles that guide decisions). Values are principles we've deemed important enough to internalize as our internal map for life. To change your world, you must first internalize good values yourself. As Rob says, "transformed people transform communities."
Without values, a person is "empty and weak," like an empty bag that can't stand up straight. Jobs, education, technology, and financial advantages aren't enough to create stability. Good values provide structure, meaning, and stability. As Stephen Covey wrote, a meaningful life isn't about speed or efficiency but "what you do and why you do it."
Trust forms the foundation for thriving partnerships and movements. Rob describes trust as a three-legged stool built on generosity (giving up resources for the whole), humility (giving up importance, position, and power), and integrity (maintaining truthfulness so others can depend on your character). These values align with wisdom from Proverbs: generosity is the fuel for transformation, humility is the spirit of transformation, and integrity is the strength of transformation.
Words alone mean nothing without corresponding actions. Even Enron had impressive published values of respect, integrity, communication, and excellence, but their corporate officers' actions-resulting in bankruptcy, $74 billion in shareholder losses, and criminal convictions-completely contradicted these stated values. For leadership to be good and lasting, it must be preceded by good living that comes from good values.
Bantrab, a large Guatemalan bank with 157 branches and 4,200+ employees, implemented values roundtables in 2014 through the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation. The results exceeded expectations: customer experience improved, the bank ranked in the top three for ROA and ROE in Guatemala's financial market, its portfolio grew nearly 20%, and it earned Great Place to Work certification for three consecutive years. CEO Michel Caputi reported three key outcomes: the bank's best financial year ever, development of a leadership culture, and transformation of employees' families as values spread beyond the workplace.
Chapitre 7
Transformation Happens One Table at a Time
After fifty years of helping others through various methods-counseling, teaching, conferences, books, and resources-John Maxwell has concluded that the most dramatic and lasting transformation happens one table at a time. Small groups gathered around tables create environments where values are learned, shared, and practiced, leading to powerful personal change.
Maxwell reflects that his own values were formed around his family's dinner table and his leadership lessons learned in small groups around conference tables. The power of gathering around tables-whether for mentoring, finding common ground, or breaking bread with enemies-creates an environment where transformation happens. This insight has reshaped how his nonprofit organizations operate, making values-based training in small groups the centerpiece of community transformation.
Transformation can begin with just one person who believes in personal improvement and helping others. No organization, education, or formal training is needed-just the ability to gather three others around a table, commit to growing together, and begin learning. Anyone answering "yes" to two simple questions-"Do you think your community will improve if you improve yourself?" and "Do you think others want to improve their lives?"-is ready to start.
Transformation tables create the common ground where connections form, relationships build, and trust develops around shared values. Tina L. Singleton exemplifies this through her nonprofit Transformation Table, which uses shared meals to bridge differences. Drawing from her Peace Corps experience and inspired by Bernice King's call for intentional connection after the 2015 Charleston church massacre, Singleton hosts monthly dinners bringing together ten strangers to share foreign cuisine in someone's home.
These tables work through three key principles: proximity, environment, and repetition. You can only impact people up close, not from a distance. Environment matters more than motivation-we become like those we spend time with. And change requires time and repetition until behaviors become automatic.
Values form the core of identity, and transformation tables help reinforce positive aspects while replacing poor values with good ones. James Clear notes that identity emerges from habits-"your repeated beingness." Lasting change happens from inside out (identity) rather than outside in (outcomes). Charlie Wetzel's smoking cessation success came when he changed his identity from "smoker trying to quit" to "nonsmoker."
Transformation tables connect self-awareness to application using Dawn Yoder's Round Table Methodology. Participants learn about a value, examine themselves in relation to it, share self-assessments with the group, and commit to specific actions for improvement. At the next meeting, everyone reports on their follow-through, creating accountability.
When people gather at transformation tables, they create opportunities to alleviate community problems by developing core values that empower them to create their own future. Maxwell notes that whenever people join new groups, they internally ask three questions: "Do you care for me?", "Can you help me?", and "Can I trust you?" People who learn good values at transformation tables become individuals who genuinely care, help others, and earn trust.
Chapitre 8
Measuring What Matters for Lasting Change
Maxwell opens with a personal story about bowling for the first time in forty years. Despite rolling many gutter balls, he eventually got a strike that his friends celebrated. This experience led him to realize that without pins to knock down-without measurement-bowling would quickly lose its purpose and enjoyment.
Tom Rath's book "Life's Greatest Question" emphasizes that finding your strengths should be about adding value to others rather than self-satisfaction. Martin Luther King Jr.'s question "What are you doing for others?" serves as the book's inspiration. Connecting your work to how it benefits others leads to better results, greater satisfaction, and personal well-being.
Google's success came through measurement using OKRs (objectives and key results), a system investor John Doerr taught to Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Page acknowledged that "good ideas with great execution" create magic, even though he disliked process. This principle of measurement applies universally across businesses, nonprofits, and individual efforts.
Maxwell emphasizes that "we measure what we treasure," comparing it to monitoring health or finances. He shares Rob's experience in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), where despite implementing character education programs in schools, HIV/AIDS rates were increasing dramatically. This led Rob to realize they were measuring activity rather than results.
Rob developed a circular framework called the Five Ds to ensure effective measurement of transformation:
1. Discover: Research is simply discovering truth. Pausing to discover allows you to determine what's working, what isn't, and what needs improvement. Discovery conversations with experts, veterans in the field, or those affected by your work can reveal patterns and insights, especially when listening to diverse perspectives.
2. Design: Once you've discovered the facts, you can design solutions grounded in reality. Begin with the end in mind-envision what success looks like before starting the journey. The design phase involves describing your current reality, identifying your target destination, mapping necessary steps, determining required resources, and creating a realistic timeline.
3. Deploy: After researching and planning, there's danger in thinking you're done without taking action. As Walt Disney said, "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." Start small to easily track progress toward your goal, allowing for adjustments along the way.
4. Document: Documentation is essential for tracking real progress. Rob follows W. Edwards Deming's logic: "In God I trust; all others must bring data." When measuring transformation, remember that big change comes through a series of small changes. The John Maxwell Leadership Foundation aims to train 1% of a country's population as facilitators who then train 10% in good values-the tipping point where ideas spread like wildfire through society.
5. Dream: After documenting progress and analyzing successes and failures, it's time to dream bigger and better. This final step completes the cycle, using momentum from your progress to set more ambitious goals.
Missy Hammerstrom exemplifies this approach. After giving her apple to a hungry schoolgirl in Louisville, Kentucky, she packed food in backpacks for students to take home on weekends. What began in her garage in 2005 grew into Blessings in a Backpack, now feeding 87,300 children nationwide. Whether improving your family, community, or launching global initiatives, measuring your actions ensures desired results.
Chapitre 9
The Power of Positive Communication
Transformation happens through positive communication. When we live "on the other side of yes," we open ourselves to abundance and opportunity. As Larry Stockstill says, "The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized within the lifetime of the opportunity." This positive mindset becomes the foundation for community transformation.
When you live on the other side of yes, you believe there's always an answer-not just one, but many good answers. This belief motivates you to find solutions and energizes you to be part of implementing them. People who embrace "yes" find hope in every situation. They believe everyone is worth helping and can be helped.
Roy Moore faced this challenge when his seemingly thriving thirteen-year-old son Matthew became suicidal after being bullied at boarding school. When Roy discovered Matthew had the intent, plan, and timeframe for suicide, they found a residential treatment facility. After months of helplessness, Matthew eventually turned the corner.
Roy discovered the widespread problem of bullying, worsened by social media that follows children everywhere, contributing to twenty teen suicides daily in the U.S. Finding no effective organizations addressing this issue, Roy decided to create one himself. He founded Be Strong, recruiting Nick Vujicic as the main communicator. The organization uses positive communication to reduce bullying and prevent suicides through large events, student leadership programs, and a help app.
The Law of Communication states "interaction fuels action." Without communication, positive change doesn't happen. Sadly, positive conversations are becoming a lost art as people fixate on problems instead of solutions, talk instead of listen, and focus on divisions rather than commonalities.
Transformation conversations start with reality. Just because transformation conversations are positive doesn't mean they ignore reality. You don't solve problems by avoiding them. Peter Drucker warned that "a time of turbulence is a dangerous time, but its greatest danger is a temptation to deny reality."
When you live on the other side of yes and engage in transformation conversations, you stimulate better solutions. Dialogues always outperform monologues, and polylogues involving three or more people generate even more ideas.
Hope defines transformation conversations. Without it, people won't persist toward transformation. Psychologist Shane Lopez distinguished hope from mere wishful thinking: "When we hope, we have high expectations for the future and a clear-eyed view of the obstacles that we need to overcome." Hope combines realistic thinking with the desire for a better future, the energy to act, and taking responsibility for change.
Storytelling is one of the most powerful communication tools that forges connections between people and ideas. Research shows stories are remembered up to twenty-two times more than facts alone because they release oxytocin. When people hear transformation stories, they put themselves into them, which inspires their own change.
The highest goal of transformation conversations is activating potential in others. When Morgan Jackson asked Rob "Are you potted or planted?" after telling him about trees of the same age with vastly different growth outcomes, it forced Rob to wrestle with his future. After hours of thinking and praying, Rob decided to plant himself in the vision of OneHope despite his insecurities and fears. "I didn't want to live a potted life," he explained.
Chapitre 10
Your Turn to Change Your World
The journey to transformation follows a four-phase road map: from wanting to make a difference, to collaborating with others, to living values that drive change, to taking measurable action. This model of transformational change has been experienced by the authors and provides a framework anyone can follow.
Phase 1 begins with the desire to make a difference. The authors aim to nurture seeds of compassion and conviction into hope that can be harnessed for positive change. Stories of ordinary people who became catalysts show how channeling emotions into doing good produces personal change first, which then enables adding value to others.
Phase 2 recognizes that change is greater when people collaborate, each bringing unique skills and talents. When people who care align on shared values, movements start and transformation occurs on a larger scale, impacting more people and making a greater difference.
Phase 3 emphasizes that positive change and community transformation only happen when good values are embraced. Living good values will expand anyone's hopes and dreams for positive change. Transformation tables provide the best way to help people live good values.
Phase 4 focuses on taking action with practical principles to ensure efforts create the desired difference. While hope is powerful, action is what actually makes the difference, and ongoing transformational conversations sustain the momentum.
The authors share Charlee Tchividjian-Sherry's story as an example of blazing one's own trail. After dropping out of high school and interning with OneHope in South Africa, Charlee was transformed when she held a rescued newborn baby. She realized that supporting mothers could prevent such abandonment. Though initially planning to start a maternity home in Africa, she first got a college degree and began working with struggling mothers in Lynchburg, Virginia through a program called Ema (Every Mother's Advocate). After relocating to South Florida, she restructured Ema to focus on reducing foster care placements by supporting struggling mothers. In its first year with the new focus, Ema reached 269 mothers and children and kept 96 children out of foster care.
For those who prefer following an existing framework rather than blazing their own trail, the authors share Becky Bursell's story. Despite building a massive business with 800,000 sales representatives across 60+ countries and generating over a billion dollars in sales, she felt unfulfilled at age 41. After selling her business and reexamining her values, she connected with John Maxwell and began leading transformation tables. She now trains others to facilitate transformation tables using a simple six-step process: facilitate tables, complete the curriculum, live the values, share transformation experiences, invite others to facilitate, and repeat.
The authors encourage readers to take action to change their world, reminding them they don't need to transform the entire world-making things better for someone in their world is enough to experience the joy of making a difference. Transformation is possible for anyone willing to learn and live good values, value people, and collaborate to create a positive values culture.
