April 29, 2026 • 12 mins
A surprise meetup at NCASA turns into a deep dive on what values based leadership looks like when you actually practice it every day. We sit down with Gina Watts, VP of U.S. Student Transformation at Growing Leaders, and Molly from the student transformation team, to talk about the Maxwell Leadership principles behind their work and why those principles still matter in real schools with real constraints.
Website: spotlight4success.com
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SPEAKER_00 (00:06):
Welcome to Spotlight for Success with American Book
Company.
I'm your host, Derek Mantozi,and we're here at NCASA in North
Carolina.
And I'm here with our guest,Molly and Gina.
Gina.
And could you guys tell us alittle bit about yourselves?
SPEAKER_02 (00:20):
Sure.
So my name is Gina Watts, and Iserve as vice president of U.S.
Student Transformation forGrowing Leaders.
Growing Leaders is a companypowered by Maxwell Leadership
Foundation, as in John Maxwell.
If you don't know who that is,he wrote a lot of leadership
books.
Like 936?
(00:42):
About to come out with anotherone.
Yeah.
Best New York Times bestsellingauthor.
He's also done a lot more thanthat, but that's what most of
the people remember and know himfor.
SPEAKER_01 (00:50):
Yeah.
And here's here's Molly.
Hey, I'm Molly.
I get to work uh with Gina onour student uh transformation
team working in events, socreating experiences for both
students and schooladministrators and all the
above.
So yep, yeah, glad to be here.
SPEAKER_00 (01:04):
Yes, we're glad to have you here.
And uh I just want to say thatthis is these are very special
guests because Gina actuallymade the program that I learned
most of the skills I use todayfrom Maxwell Leadership, their
youth program.
So it's just it's really cool tofinally meet her.
SPEAKER_02 (01:18):
And we didn't even know you were here.
SPEAKER_00 (01:20):
We didn't, I didn't know she was here.
Not even planned, not even.
This is organic right here.
SPEAKER_02 (01:25):
Seriously.
SPEAKER_00 (01:25):
This is really crazy.
And she works with my mom.
She saw her, what, last week?
SPEAKER_02 (01:29):
I did.
Gave her a hug and a kiss on thecheek.
SPEAKER_00 (01:31):
Hug and kiss on the cheek.
You heard that.
This is not planned at all.
This is just the universe isworking.
So, anyways, um, tell us how youuse the Maxwell skills in your
everyday life.
SPEAKER_02 (01:42):
Yeah, oh, that's a good question.
So do you want me, you want togo first?
Do you want me to give yousomething big?
Oh, yeah.
Oh, I knew she was gonna make medo that.
Okay, so um, well, let me tellyou, can I tell you a brief,
brief little thing?
So 13 years ago, I wasintroduced to what's called the
Maxwell LeadershipCertification.
(02:03):
And um, I was actually teachingat a Big Ten school, uh, Penn
State University.
Yeah.
And um I was like, I loved myjob, but I didn't, I I like
needed I needed something else.
I needn't need another degree, Ididn't need another training, I
needed like something to help meconnect the dots, right?
I was often called upon forleadership, I was well trusted.
(02:25):
I was like 26-ishish at themaybe I was a little bit no, I
was probably like about 32 atthe time.
I know you can't believe I'molder than that right now.
But anyways, I was about 32 atthe time, and I I said, um, all
right, let me find, let me findwhat I'm looking for.
So I happened upon this program.
Now I knew who John Maxwell was.
He's an often called uponleader.
(02:46):
Um, he's an amazing, amazinghuman being and so humble and
cares so deeply aboutindividuals in our world.
And so, anyway, so I I foundthis certification and I went to
this event and I was overwhelmedin the most wonderful way.
And and it gave me what Ineeded, which was these
values-based leadershipprinciples that sometimes we
(03:09):
kind of touch on in our everydaylives, but we don't necessarily
have it in a practical way wherewe say, like, this is what
initiative looks like, or thisis what um responsibility is, or
this is how you lead well.
Um, and he knows how to do thateffortlessly.
And so um that's when my journeystarted with him like 13 years
(03:31):
ago.
I now am on staff working umunder our nonprofit, and um so
in my everyday life, what I'mwhat I deeply value is leading
the team that I'm gifted to leadand helping them see how what
what resources we have, whatservices we provide, we adopt
(03:52):
and we lead that out every day.
Like that we are people ofintegrity, and integrity means
we say what we do and we do whatwe say.
So, like if we say we're gonnado something, we deliver it in
the manner that we commit it to,and we do that day in and day
out.
And so my job is to make surethat those folks feel seen,
loved, and valued, and then theyget to live out these leadership
values every day.
(04:13):
So that's probably how I do it.
Thanks for coming to my TEDTalk.
That's nice.
That was so long.
That's awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (04:19):
No, it's so true because uh I'm on Gina's team,
like I said, and she leads sowell through all the principles.
Um what I was thinking about iswhat I value so much and what I
still live by and use in myeveryday is how we take complex
and challenging and notdifficult but complex concepts,
uh like values, and make themeasy to learn for students, but
(04:42):
also for myself.
We'd have a we use images toteach those leadership
principles to make it easier todigest and understand and and
learn and remember.
One of our one of my favoritesuh we use for pressure and like
challenging situations, we use adiamond as an example.
Diamond's something beautiful,but it comes through pressure
and time.
(05:02):
And so it's just a reminder oflike the pressure in the
situation you're in, um, throughtime, it could turn into a
diamond.
But if you allow it to shatteryou, uh it won't be beautiful.
So I think that's just like acomplex idea of like pressure.
How do we like put that intolike how can we make this come
into like a beautiful outcome?
(05:24):
Um, but through the the image ofa diamond makes it easy to like
grasp and understand.
So that's a great example.
SPEAKER_00 (05:30):
Awesome.
And another thing I want to askyou guys is how do you use these
Maxwell skills inside of the umNCASA community?
SPEAKER_02 (05:38):
Yeah.
So uh this year we get to be aum uh president circle sponsor
um and a part of what we'redoing is building relationship.
This is our first year atNACASA, so it it we're it's
allowing us to buildrelationship with teachers and
teacher leaders and those whocare for students uh faithfully
day in and day out.
(05:58):
Because while we have content umand curriculum to serve
students, we also know that uhthings can come and go, but like
caring for our teachers isactually how it is really a core
way of how we can affect thenext generation.
Um so there's two things we do.
One is we have a curriculum,it's called I Lead.
Um, and this curriculum is alittle bit like what Molly was
(06:21):
sharing, is like we take images,and the images have a leadership
principle attached to them.
Uh, and so young kids fromkindergarten through uh 12th
grade are sitting in circles.
Yes, kindergartners are sittingin circles and they're talking
about commitment and initiativeand responsibility and
(06:43):
forgiveness.
And maybe we need adults to doit too.
We'll talk to you about thatlater.
Actually, his mom can talk toyou about it.
But I've heard a lot.
So we do we so we're we havethose curriculum that tools for
the students.
Um, and the way that we'reserving the educators is there's
no lesson planning, there's nolike having to create an
(07:04):
experience.
We do all of that for you sothat the students can have these
really rich conversations.
And then for the for theeducators and for the teacher
leaders, we're providingprofessional development and
training and caring for themwell.
And Molly could tell you aboutlike a really a brand new
resource that we have.
Um one of our um uh authors anduh dynamic speakers just
(07:28):
launched uh his new book, andit's one of the things that
we're serving um, we're using toserve educators around the
country.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (07:36):
Oh yeah, I'd love to share.
Great transition.
Um but one of our values is umor like our mission is to add
value to leaders who multiplyvalue in others, and so that's
also something we love to get todo in this community is empower
school leaders andadministrators and and teacher
classroom teachers to add valueto their students who then get
to turn around and add value toothers.
(07:56):
Um the resource that Gina waskind of talking about is like
like is this new book that uhone of our colleagues wrote.
It's called I Love This Place.
Um, it comes from a story that atea a student wrote on the wall
of their classroom.
Before the walls were beingpainted, the school was like,
You guys can go in and writesomething on the walls.
Um and the student wrote, I lovethis place in a sharpie, um,
(08:17):
which was just a really cool wayof looking, stepping back and
looking and being like, wow,this student wrote, I love this
place, um, but more so thisplace loves me.
Uh and so he wrote this book allabout practical ways.
Our the author was an educatorfor 18 years as a band director
at a very large uh public schoolin a district in Atlanta.
(08:38):
Um but all about how do youcreate a culture on your school
campus where not only thestudents love the place but they
feel loved.
Um, and so through challengesand through overcoming different
groups of students or or peersor teachers and school, uh, you
(08:58):
know, parents, all the things,how do you connect them together
to create a community that'sloved and uh loving to their
their students?
Um and so that's the resourcethat we have, and that's how we
get to we do this through books,through our curriculum, through
speaking events, public umprofessional development.
SPEAKER_02 (09:15):
Um we have so much fun.
Yeah, like as you were talkingabout that, one of the I I think
one of the reasons why Patrickwrote the book, I love this
place, is because he is he isone of our culture champions.
Yeah.
Like he literally every time wehave a team meeting or an event,
not that everything has to befun or a game, but he uh creates
(09:35):
experiences.
And so the man has 200 differentvirtual games that we play all
the time.
All the time.
And he's like, you know what,we're gonna play a game about
name that value.
And I'm like, how did you make agame out of our values, right?
Like that, because he's thinkingabout how do we love each other
well and how do we love thisplace, and so he just is a
(09:59):
phenomenal um uh presenter, he'sa phenomenal um uh teacher, he's
a phenomenal author.
Um, but we have a very deeproster of people who do that and
create memorable, um,unforgettable experiences for
leaders around the country.
So, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (10:19):
That's amazing.
I I really love what you guyshave to say.
It's really inspiring.
SPEAKER_02 (10:22):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (10:23):
Um, do you have any last words for the NCASA
community?
SPEAKER_02 (10:26):
Yeah.
Well, we're newbies, but wedon't bite.
First year.
And we uh love serving educatorsand the next generation.
It is our deep passion.
You're talking to two ladieshere who not only uh get paid by
profession to do it, but spendsignificant amount of time
volunteering in our localcommunities to add value to the
(10:48):
next generation.
Um we know that our nextgeneration are leaders of now
and not tomorrow.
And we need to take action andcare for um our young people in
ways that maybe we wish we wouldhave had.
SPEAKER_01 (11:03):
Yeah, that's what I would say.
I'd say we're here to serve you.
Um, we're here to serve thecommunity here in North
Carolina, and so we're reallyhonored to be here, and neither
of us are from here, and so umwe want to empower you guys.
But also if you have any goodrestaurant recommendations,
we'll take you up on that.
We're foodies.
SPEAKER_00 (11:21):
So and uh one last thing.
Um where can we find out moreabout um the Maxwell Leadership
Program?
SPEAKER_02 (11:29):
Yeah, you can actually go.
I know it's confusing because Iwe gave you two names, but you
can go to growingleaders.com.
That's g-r-o-w-in-g L E AD-E-R-S.com.
SPEAKER_01 (11:43):
That's right.
SPEAKER_00 (11:44):
Great.
Well, there you have it.
Go to growingleaders.com, findout more about what they do.
They do great work, and I'm anattestament to that.
They have to know you.
They taught me well, so I wouldhighly recommend checking them
out.
Thanks for tuning in.
Thank you guys for coming on.
SPEAKER_02 (11:58):
Thank you.
Thank you.
Welcome to Spotlight for Success with American Book
Company.
I'm your host, Derek Mantozi,and we're here at NCASA in North
Carolina.
And I'm here with our guest,Molly and Gina.
Gina.
And could you guys tell us alittle bit about yourselves?
SPEAKER_02 (00:20):
Sure.
So my name is Gina Watts, and Iserve as vice president of U.S.
Student Transformation forGrowing Leaders.
Growing Leaders is a companypowered by Maxwell Leadership
Foundation, as in John Maxwell.
If you don't know who that is,he wrote a lot of leadership
books.
Like 936?
(00:42):
About to come out with anotherone.
Yeah.
Best New York Times bestsellingauthor.
He's also done a lot more thanthat, but that's what most of
the people remember and know himfor.
SPEAKER_01 (00:50):
Yeah.
And here's here's Molly.
Hey, I'm Molly.
I get to work uh with Gina onour student uh transformation
team working in events, socreating experiences for both
students and schooladministrators and all the
above.
So yep, yeah, glad to be here.
SPEAKER_00 (01:04):
Yes, we're glad to have you here.
And uh I just want to say thatthis is these are very special
guests because Gina actuallymade the program that I learned
most of the skills I use todayfrom Maxwell Leadership, their
youth program.
So it's just it's really cool tofinally meet her.
SPEAKER_02 (01:18):
And we didn't even know you were here.
SPEAKER_00 (01:20):
We didn't, I didn't know she was here.
Not even planned, not even.
This is organic right here.
SPEAKER_02 (01:25):
Seriously.
SPEAKER_00 (01:25):
This is really crazy.
And she works with my mom.
She saw her, what, last week?
SPEAKER_02 (01:29):
I did.
Gave her a hug and a kiss on thecheek.
SPEAKER_00 (01:31):
Hug and kiss on the cheek.
You heard that.
This is not planned at all.
This is just the universe isworking.
So, anyways, um, tell us how youuse the Maxwell skills in your
everyday life.
SPEAKER_02 (01:42):
Yeah, oh, that's a good question.
So do you want me, you want togo first?
Do you want me to give yousomething big?
Oh, yeah.
Oh, I knew she was gonna make medo that.
Okay, so um, well, let me tellyou, can I tell you a brief,
brief little thing?
So 13 years ago, I wasintroduced to what's called the
Maxwell LeadershipCertification.
(02:03):
And um, I was actually teachingat a Big Ten school, uh, Penn
State University.
Yeah.
And um I was like, I loved myjob, but I didn't, I I like
needed I needed something else.
I needn't need another degree, Ididn't need another training, I
needed like something to help meconnect the dots, right?
I was often called upon forleadership, I was well trusted.
(02:25):
I was like 26-ishish at themaybe I was a little bit no, I
was probably like about 32 atthe time.
I know you can't believe I'molder than that right now.
But anyways, I was about 32 atthe time, and I I said, um, all
right, let me find, let me findwhat I'm looking for.
So I happened upon this program.
Now I knew who John Maxwell was.
He's an often called uponleader.
(02:46):
Um, he's an amazing, amazinghuman being and so humble and
cares so deeply aboutindividuals in our world.
And so, anyway, so I I foundthis certification and I went to
this event and I was overwhelmedin the most wonderful way.
And and it gave me what Ineeded, which was these
values-based leadershipprinciples that sometimes we
(03:09):
kind of touch on in our everydaylives, but we don't necessarily
have it in a practical way wherewe say, like, this is what
initiative looks like, or thisis what um responsibility is, or
this is how you lead well.
Um, and he knows how to do thateffortlessly.
And so um that's when my journeystarted with him like 13 years
(03:31):
ago.
I now am on staff working umunder our nonprofit, and um so
in my everyday life, what I'mwhat I deeply value is leading
the team that I'm gifted to leadand helping them see how what
what resources we have, whatservices we provide, we adopt
(03:52):
and we lead that out every day.
Like that we are people ofintegrity, and integrity means
we say what we do and we do whatwe say.
So, like if we say we're gonnado something, we deliver it in
the manner that we commit it to,and we do that day in and day
out.
And so my job is to make surethat those folks feel seen,
loved, and valued, and then theyget to live out these leadership
values every day.
(04:13):
So that's probably how I do it.
Thanks for coming to my TEDTalk.
That's nice.
That was so long.
That's awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (04:19):
No, it's so true because uh I'm on Gina's team,
like I said, and she leads sowell through all the principles.
Um what I was thinking about iswhat I value so much and what I
still live by and use in myeveryday is how we take complex
and challenging and notdifficult but complex concepts,
uh like values, and make themeasy to learn for students, but
(04:42):
also for myself.
We'd have a we use images toteach those leadership
principles to make it easier todigest and understand and and
learn and remember.
One of our one of my favoritesuh we use for pressure and like
challenging situations, we use adiamond as an example.
Diamond's something beautiful,but it comes through pressure
and time.
(05:02):
And so it's just a reminder oflike the pressure in the
situation you're in, um, throughtime, it could turn into a
diamond.
But if you allow it to shatteryou, uh it won't be beautiful.
So I think that's just like acomplex idea of like pressure.
How do we like put that intolike how can we make this come
into like a beautiful outcome?
(05:24):
Um, but through the the image ofa diamond makes it easy to like
grasp and understand.
So that's a great example.
SPEAKER_00 (05:30):
Awesome.
And another thing I want to askyou guys is how do you use these
Maxwell skills inside of the umNCASA community?
SPEAKER_02 (05:38):
Yeah.
So uh this year we get to be aum uh president circle sponsor
um and a part of what we'redoing is building relationship.
This is our first year atNACASA, so it it we're it's
allowing us to buildrelationship with teachers and
teacher leaders and those whocare for students uh faithfully
day in and day out.
(05:58):
Because while we have content umand curriculum to serve
students, we also know that uhthings can come and go, but like
caring for our teachers isactually how it is really a core
way of how we can affect thenext generation.
Um so there's two things we do.
One is we have a curriculum,it's called I Lead.
Um, and this curriculum is alittle bit like what Molly was
(06:21):
sharing, is like we take images,and the images have a leadership
principle attached to them.
Uh, and so young kids fromkindergarten through uh 12th
grade are sitting in circles.
Yes, kindergartners are sittingin circles and they're talking
about commitment and initiativeand responsibility and
(06:43):
forgiveness.
And maybe we need adults to doit too.
We'll talk to you about thatlater.
Actually, his mom can talk toyou about it.
But I've heard a lot.
So we do we so we're we havethose curriculum that tools for
the students.
Um, and the way that we'reserving the educators is there's
no lesson planning, there's nolike having to create an
(07:04):
experience.
We do all of that for you sothat the students can have these
really rich conversations.
And then for the for theeducators and for the teacher
leaders, we're providingprofessional development and
training and caring for themwell.
And Molly could tell you aboutlike a really a brand new
resource that we have.
Um one of our um uh authors anduh dynamic speakers just
(07:28):
launched uh his new book, andit's one of the things that
we're serving um, we're using toserve educators around the
country.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (07:36):
Oh yeah, I'd love to share.
Great transition.
Um but one of our values is umor like our mission is to add
value to leaders who multiplyvalue in others, and so that's
also something we love to get todo in this community is empower
school leaders andadministrators and and teacher
classroom teachers to add valueto their students who then get
to turn around and add value toothers.
(07:56):
Um the resource that Gina waskind of talking about is like
like is this new book that uhone of our colleagues wrote.
It's called I Love This Place.
Um, it comes from a story that atea a student wrote on the wall
of their classroom.
Before the walls were beingpainted, the school was like,
You guys can go in and writesomething on the walls.
Um and the student wrote, I lovethis place in a sharpie, um,
(08:17):
which was just a really cool wayof looking, stepping back and
looking and being like, wow,this student wrote, I love this
place, um, but more so thisplace loves me.
Uh and so he wrote this book allabout practical ways.
Our the author was an educatorfor 18 years as a band director
at a very large uh public schoolin a district in Atlanta.
(08:38):
Um but all about how do youcreate a culture on your school
campus where not only thestudents love the place but they
feel loved.
Um, and so through challengesand through overcoming different
groups of students or or peersor teachers and school, uh, you
(08:58):
know, parents, all the things,how do you connect them together
to create a community that'sloved and uh loving to their
their students?
Um and so that's the resourcethat we have, and that's how we
get to we do this through books,through our curriculum, through
speaking events, public umprofessional development.
SPEAKER_02 (09:15):
Um we have so much fun.
Yeah, like as you were talkingabout that, one of the I I think
one of the reasons why Patrickwrote the book, I love this
place, is because he is he isone of our culture champions.
Yeah.
Like he literally every time wehave a team meeting or an event,
not that everything has to befun or a game, but he uh creates
(09:35):
experiences.
And so the man has 200 differentvirtual games that we play all
the time.
All the time.
And he's like, you know what,we're gonna play a game about
name that value.
And I'm like, how did you make agame out of our values, right?
Like that, because he's thinkingabout how do we love each other
well and how do we love thisplace, and so he just is a
(09:59):
phenomenal um uh presenter, he'sa phenomenal um uh teacher, he's
a phenomenal author.
Um, but we have a very deeproster of people who do that and
create memorable, um,unforgettable experiences for
leaders around the country.
So, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (10:19):
That's amazing.
I I really love what you guyshave to say.
It's really inspiring.
SPEAKER_02 (10:22):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (10:23):
Um, do you have any last words for the NCASA
community?
SPEAKER_02 (10:26):
Yeah.
Well, we're newbies, but wedon't bite.
First year.
And we uh love serving educatorsand the next generation.
It is our deep passion.
You're talking to two ladieshere who not only uh get paid by
profession to do it, but spendsignificant amount of time
volunteering in our localcommunities to add value to the
(10:48):
next generation.
Um we know that our nextgeneration are leaders of now
and not tomorrow.
And we need to take action andcare for um our young people in
ways that maybe we wish we wouldhave had.
SPEAKER_01 (11:03):
Yeah, that's what I would say.
I'd say we're here to serve you.
Um, we're here to serve thecommunity here in North
Carolina, and so we're reallyhonored to be here, and neither
of us are from here, and so umwe want to empower you guys.
But also if you have any goodrestaurant recommendations,
we'll take you up on that.
We're foodies.
SPEAKER_00 (11:21):
So and uh one last thing.
Um where can we find out moreabout um the Maxwell Leadership
Program?
SPEAKER_02 (11:29):
Yeah, you can actually go.
I know it's confusing because Iwe gave you two names, but you
can go to growingleaders.com.
That's g-r-o-w-in-g L E AD-E-R-S.com.
SPEAKER_01 (11:43):
That's right.
SPEAKER_00 (11:44):
Great.
Well, there you have it.
Go to growingleaders.com, findout more about what they do.
They do great work, and I'm anattestament to that.
They have to know you.
They taught me well, so I wouldhighly recommend checking them
out.
Thanks for tuning in.
Thank you guys for coming on.
SPEAKER_02 (11:58):
Thank you.
Thank you.
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