Podcast
Maxwell Leadership Podcast
The Maxwell Leadership Podcast is a regular examination of what it means to be a transformational leader—someone who daily influences people to think, speak, and act to make a positive difference in their lives and in the lives of others. This podcast will teach you the principles, practices, and process of becoming a transformational leader because leadership isn't an event—it's an uphill journey. Every week we will offer a free tool to help you on this journey, so let leadership authority Dr. John C. Maxwell show you the way.
- Education chart
- #120
- Episodes
- 482
- Releases
- Weekly
- Typical length
- 36 min
- On air since
- 2018
- Latest episode
- 6 days ago
Episodes
482 episodes, newest first
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38 min
Rewind: Making Great Decisions (Part 1)
Show notes
The best decisions often become great when they're managed, not always when they're decided. In this week's episode—part 1 in a replay series from 2024—John Maxwell reveals the often-overlooked art of managing your decisions daily so that you can transform good intentions into great results that last.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Traci Morrow provide real-world strategies to help you put John's decision-making principles into action right away.
Key takeaways:
•
Good decision-making isn't always about making right decision, but managing and implementing the decision every day.
•
Prioritizing decisions based on payoff, alignment with your goals, and effective delegation helps leaders focus on what matters most.
•
Activity doesn't equal accomplishment; ownership and follow-through are essential to turn choices into outcomes.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the My Decision Log, a practical tool for empowering you to make strategic decisions. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Decisions and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Discover your superpower with Brian Ruffner's Live Unstoppable
Through 11/3: Use code POD15 to get 15% off The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership or Developing the Leader Within You
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42 min
How to Lead Like a Coach with Coach Tom Mullins Bonus
Episode 16
Show notes
The impact a true coach can have on unlocking hidden potential within a team is immeasurable. In this week's bonus episode of the Maxwell Leadership Podcast, Jared Cagle dives in with Coach Tom Mullins to explore the power of adopting a coach's mindset in leadership and how it can help you empower and develop champions.
Key takeaways:
•
Great leaders consistently look for and call out hidden potential in those they lead.
•
Creating space for others to lead—especially young leaders—requires intentional training and entrusting responsibility.
•
A culture of celebration forges stronger teams and keeps everyone focused on the mission.
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Discover how to lead like a coach with Tom Mullins' the Coach's Playbook
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31 min
What Successful People Know and Do (Part 2)
Show notes
Are you simply focused, or are you fixated on your goals? The difference could define your level of success. In this week's episode, John Maxwell concludes his lesson on the habits of successful people with four essential strategies that set them apart.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Robinson provide practical applications and coaching to help you turn John's principles into results today!
Key takeaways:
•
Invest 80% of your energy where you are strongest and allow your values to direct both your time and your money.
•
True innovation means challenging old assumptions, seeking new perspectives, and not being afraid to break what already works to build something better.
•
Your integrity forms the foundation that ensures all other leadership skills truly matter.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the What Successful People Know and Do (Part 2) Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/SuccessfulLeader and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
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32 min
What Successful People Know and Do (Part 1)
Show notes
What sets truly successful people apart from others isn't their achievements—it's all the work they did beforehand. In this week's episode, John Maxwell starts a new two-part lesson revealing the 10 essential lessons he's observed from successful leaders.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Robinson share practical strategies and real-life stories to help you immediately put John's success strategies into action.
Key takeaways:
•
Goals are nothing without action. Don't be afraid to get started now.
•
Never stop learning.
•
A minute of thought is worth more than an hour of talk.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the What Successful People Know and Do (Part 1) Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/SuccessfulLeader and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the High Road Leadership online course for 33% off
-
51 min
How to Get More Done in Less Time
Show notes
Find out exactly what John Maxwell means when he says, "You have to give up to go up." In this week's episode, John reveals fifteen time-tested strategies to help you get more done in less time and take back control of your effectiveness as a leader!
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Belay CEO Tricia Sciortino deliver actionable steps and real-world strategies so you can immediately start maximizing your productivity with John's principles.
Key takeaways:
•
Never begin the day until it is finished on paper.
•
Clarity is the most important concept in personal productivity.
•
"Self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not." — Elbert Hubbard
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the How to Get More Done in Less Time Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Effective and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
This episode is sponsored by BELAY:
Leaders, stop trying to do it all yourself. The best leaders know their limits, operate out of their strengths, and set others up for success. Find freedom with BELAY — pairing you with vetted U.S. virtual assistants so you can focus on what matters.
To help you get started, BELAY is offering Maxwell Leadership listeners a free download of their resource, The Financial Blind Spot Checklist. Just text MAXWELL to 55123 for FREE access.
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the Every Day with Purpose online course for 75% off
-
35 min
Be Aware of Your Blind Spots (Part 2)
Show notes
Don't let your blind spots stay your blind spots. In this week's episode, John Maxwell continues his lesson on the most common blind spots that derail leaders—and how awareness unlocks your influence and potential.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Traci Morrow unpack the practical steps you can take to apply these principles in your own leadership.
Key takeaways:
• Insecurity causes a leader to think only of themselves, and the very essence of leadership is others.
• Pride is concerned about who's right. Humility is concerned about what's right.
• Character doesn't make you a leader, but it protects you as a leader.Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Be Aware of Your Blind Spots (Part 2) Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/BeAware and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the 21 Laws of Leadership online course for 20% off
How to Make Your Future Bigger than Your Past Podcast Episode
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33 min
Be Aware of Your Blind Spots (Part 1)
Show notes
What you don't know could be hurting your leadership. In this week's episode, John unpacks why blind spots are inevitable in leadership—and how their unseen impact can shape every decision you make.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Traci Morrow provide practical strategies and real-life stories to help you recognize and address your own leadership blind spots, starting today.
Key takeaways:
•
We don't see others as they are; we see others as we are.
•
The first person we must examine is ourselves.
•
Followers are inward focused; leaders are outward focused.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Be Aware of Your Blind Spots (Part 1) Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/BeAware and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the 15 Laws of Growth online course for 80% off
Up-level your leadership for life at Live2Lead
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30 min
Listener Questions: Timeless Leadership In a Data-Driven Age
Show notes
Good leaders ask great questions—so this week, in our (first-ever!) call-in episode of the Maxwell Leadership Podcast, Mark Cole answers your real-world leadership questions. Find out how to stay influential (especially in an age of AI), tackle people problems behind data indicators, and persevere when opportunities seem elusive.
Key takeaways:
•
The most powerful tools in a leader's arsenal—relationship, trust, discernment, and values—can never be outsourced.
•
Strong teams are built by leaders who confront problems head-on instead of avoiding them.
•
Leadership is measured by influence, not position.
Have questions for a future call-in episode? Join our Maxwell Leadership Podcast Social Community here to submit your question!
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
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41 min
Success and Gratitude: Why Great Leaders Revisit Where They Came From
Show notes
How do great leaders keep success from breeding entitlement? In this week's episode, John Maxwell teaches why revisiting where you came from—and cultivating gratitude—creates the stable foundation every leader needs to rise higher.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Goede discuss real-life strategies to help you anchor your leadership in authentic gratitude and apply John's insights today.
Key takeaways:
•
To balance an entitlement mindset, put gratitude beside it.
•
You always need to go back and visit where you came from.
•
You never want to forget all the people and all the places that made you who you are today.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Success and Gratitude: Why Great Leaders Revisit Where They Came From Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Revisit and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the Change Your World online course for 66% off
-
40 min
Leaders Who Get the Most Give the Most
Show notes
Anne Frank said, "None has ever become poor by giving." In this week's episode, John Maxwell unpacks the three types of generosity that set extraordinary leaders apart and reveal the true path to influential leadership.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Traci Morrow share practical strategies for weaving generosity into your leadership journey, equipping you to start making a bigger impact today.
Key takeaways:
•
A clenched fist gives nothing but is also unable to receive anything.
•
If you sow a lot of seeds, the harvest takes care of itself.
•
If you don't give away what you've got now, you won't give away what you're going to get later.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Leaders Who Get the Most Give the Most Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Give and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
This episode is sponsored by BELAY:
Leaders, stop trying to do it all yourself. The best leaders know their limits, operate out of their strengths, and set others up for success. Find freedom with BELAY — pairing you with vetted U.S. virtual assistants so you can focus on what matters.
To help you get started, BELAY is offering Maxwell Leadership listeners a free download of their resource, The Freedom Framework. Just text MAXWELL to 55123 for FREE access.
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the 15 Laws of Growth online course for 80% off
Discover John Maxwell's faith-oriented nonprofit work
Learn more about John Maxwell's leadership foundation
-
33 min
The Growth Guarantee (Part 2)
Show notes
What separates leaders who keep expanding their impact from those who quietly plateau? In this week's episode, John Maxwell continues revealing the promises and pitfalls on the path to continual, intentional growth.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Robinson share how to recognize your growth zone and offer strategies you can use to keep advancing in your leadership journey.
Key takeaways:
•
Don't be a know-it-all. Be a learn-it-all.
•
You don't coast to greatness.
•
Everything you want but don't have, and everything you need but don't have, is outside your comfort zone.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Growth Guarantee (Part 2) Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Guarantee and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the 15 Laws of Growth online course for 80% off
Break through your limitations with Stan Lewis' guide to clarity, confidence, and courageous action
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29 min
The Growth Guarantee (Part 1)
Show notes
Growth isn't automatic, but it can be guaranteed. In this week's episode, the first in a two-part series, John reveals his personal blueprint for guaranteed growth and the three simple disciplines that set extraordinary leaders apart.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Robinson offer strategies to help you turn intentional growth into a daily habit, no matter where you're starting.
Key takeaways:
•
You can't learn anything while you're talking.
•
Sustained thinking will change your life.
•
Your growth must be intentional.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Growth Guarantee (Part 1) Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Guarantee and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the Every Day with Purpose online course for 75% off
Rise with strength, clarity, and purpose with Kelvin Henry's guide to resilience
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35 min
What People Misunderstand About Success (Part 2)
Show notes
This week on the Maxwell Leadership Podcast, find out what an ice cube can teach you about patience and results. Today, John Maxwell finishes up his two-part lesson on the compounding power of daily action, reflection, and intentional growth on the path to lasting leadership success.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Goede dive into real-world strategies and personal stories to help you immediately implement John's teaching.
Key takeaways:
•
Your first step is your most important step.
•
Success is a series of steps, not one giant leap.
•
If you can't get happy where you are, you can't get happy where you're going.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the What People Misunderstand About Success (Part 2) Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Misunderstand and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the 21 Laws of Leadership online course for 20% off
-
41 min
What People Misunderstand About Success (Part 1)
Show notes
The real measure of success isn't the recognition you receive, but the daily choices no one sees. In this week's episode—the first in a two-part series—John unpacks the misunderstood foundations of success and reveals why consistency, not accolades, is the true driver of extraordinary results.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Goede share practical strategies for applying John's success journey to your own leadership and team impact.
Key takeaways:
•
Desire is the seed of every great accomplishment.
•
The greatest way to make progress is to move forward.
•
You get perfect as you take the steps; you don't get perfect to take the steps.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the What People Misunderstand About Success (Part 1) Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Misunderstand and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
This episode is sponsored by BELAY:
Leaders, stop trying to do it all yourself. The best leaders know their limits, operate out of their strengths, and set others up for success. Find freedom with BELAY — pairing you with vetted U.S. virtual assistants so you can focus on what matters.
To help you get started, BELAY is offering Maxwell Leadership listeners a free download of their resource, The Difficult Conversation Playbook. Just text MAXWELL to 55123 for FREE access.
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the Every Day with Purpose online course for 75% off
-
32 min
Are You Leading a Good Life or Just Maintaining a Good Image?
Show notes
Are you leading a life of real impact, or just working hard to perfect your image? In this week's episode, John Maxwell teaches how embracing authenticity over appearance is a central pillar for meaningful leadership and lasting success.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Robinson share practical strategies to help you bring authenticity to the forefront of your leadership—on your team, at home, and beyond.
Key takeaways:
•
The way to balance and stabilize an image issue is authenticity.
•
You lose your authenticity when you try to hold onto things that you no longer believe, accept, or think.
•
"Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position." — Mahatma Gandhi
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Are You Leading a Good Life or Just Maintaining a Good Image? Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Image and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the 15 Laws of Growth online course for 80% off
Learn more about leadership, love, and excellence from Marcus Buckingham
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39 min
Good Leaders Make Friends, Not Fans
Show notes
Are you letting your success create distance between you and your team? In this episode, John Maxwell unpacks why leadership success can easily lead to isolation—and what you can do to resist it. Discover how making friends (not just fans) helps you stay relatable, authentic, and influential.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Goede dive into real-life strategies to help you put connection at the heart of your leadership journey.
Key Takeaways
•
Success can isolate, but connection is the cure. Intentional relationships keep leaders grounded and approachable.
•
Service trumps titles. The more you value and serve those around you, the greater trust and real influence you build.
•
Shrink the gap with authenticity: practice humility, seek honest feedback, and be present with your people.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Good Leaders Make Friends, Not Fans Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Friends and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the Change Your World online course for 66% off
What Serving Others Has Taught Me Podcast Episode
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37 min
How to Stabilize Your Success
Show notes
How do you keep your success from becoming the very thing that sabotages your leadership? In this week's episode, John Maxwell reveals the overlooked practices that stabilize lasting achievement and keep leaders grounded at every stage of their journey.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Robinson share real-world strategies and thoughtful application to help you translate John's insights into leadership habits you can use today.
Key takeaways:
•
True success starts within—before you pursue outer victories, define what success means to you at the deepest level.
•
Power without accountability destabilizes leaders; the healthiest teams and organizations actively cultivate structures of honest feedback.
•
Those closest to you, who know your flaws and strengths, should respect and love you most—a leader's greatest validation comes from authenticity, not applause.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the How to Stabilize Your Success Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Stable and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the 21 Laws of Leadership online course for 20% off
Preparing is Caring Podcast Episode
-
36 min
Learn These Skills to Become a Memorable Leader: A Fireside Chat with John Maxwell and Jeff Henderson
Show notes
Do you want to be the kind of leader people never forget? This week in a first-of-its-kind react-style Maxwell Leadership Podcast episode, John Maxwell sits down with Jeff Henderson to share the essential skills that turn everyday leadership into a lasting legacy. As John teaches, Mark Cole provides practical strategies to help you activate John's teachings and elevate your impact right now.
Key takeaways:
•
Empowering others doesn't diminish your influence—it multiplies it, as the best leaders know they're always stronger together than alone.
•
Authentic leadership requires living the message before you teach it so your words carry moral authority and genuine connection.
•
Every growth opportunity comes with a trade-off, and true leaders relentlessly trade comfort for progress and excuses for action.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Learn These Skills to Become a Memorable Leader Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Memorable and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
This episode is sponsored by BELAY:
Leaders, stop trying to do it all yourself. The best leaders know their limits, operate out of their strengths, and set others up for success. Find freedom with BELAY — pairing you with vetted U.S. virtual assistants so you can focus on what matters.
To help you get started, BELAY is offering Maxwell Leadership listeners a free download of their resource, The Difficult Conversation Playbook. Just text MAXWELL to 55123 for FREE access.
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the High Road Leadership online course for 33% off
Book bundle discount: Get the books from today's episode at 35% off, today through 7/21!
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46 min
The Five-Step Cycle That Turns Failure into Your Fastest Path to Growth
Show notes
Your failure is the most effective engine for your growth — and the most underutilized. In this week's episode, John reveals the five-step cycle that transforms every setback into your next leap forward as a leader.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Goede dive into real-world strategies to help you put this growth cycle into action and boost your team's innovation.
Key takeaways:
•
True innovation thrives when leaders create a culture where failing is seen as a crucial part of learning and improving.
•
The sequence of testing, failing, learning, improving, and re-entering ensures that mistakes become stepping stones, not stumbling blocks.
•
Sustainable growth comes from asking, "What did I learn?" after every setback and quickly applying those lessons to move forward stronger than before.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Five-Step Cycle That Turns Failure into Your Fastest Path to Growth Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/Cycle and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the Every Day with Purpose online course for 75% off
Success and Failure: The Partnership that Fuels Growth Podcast Episode
-
37 min
How Great Leaders Stay Focused When Everything is Falling Apart
Show notes
You've been there: Pressure is high. Priorities are competing. Everything feels urgent. How do you stay focused when you're being pulled in a million different directions? In this week's episode, John Maxwell reveals the mindset and habits that empower leaders to bring stability and hope to the seasons that matter most.
After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Goede provide practical strategies you can use right now to lead your team through challenging times with clarity and confidence.
Key takeaways:
•
Traction comes from focusing on what you can control and letting go of what you cannot. Write it down, put it before you, and act on it every day.
•
Difficult times don't develop leaders—they reveal them. Who you are when pressure mounts determines your influence and your team's trust.
•
When clarity about the future is impossible, focus instead on certainty for the next step, showing up with confidence, steadiness, hope, and presence for those you lead.
Our BONUS resource for this episode is the How Great Leaders Stay Focused When Everything is Falling Apart Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting https://maxwellpodcast.com/StayFocused and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."
Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!
References:
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Get the 21 Laws of Leadership online course for 20% off
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