John's Blog

3 Simple Ways to be a Genie Recently I became aware of how many times people use the saying “I wish” in daily conversation, and that set me off thinking... What exactly would it take to be a bone-fide, wish-granting Genie? But, before you think I have gone off the deep end, please know; I am fully aware that no one is about to turn into a tongue-in-cheek, spell-casting, flying-carpet-riding, magic-lamp-dwelling, blue Genie on the basis of this article. But I do want to be more than just a wish-maker. I want to be able to make wishes come true.

How to become a Dream Partner Not tall, nor fat, not ugly, nor rich, with no enemies, nor any friends, our man Jack was average. At the start of this story we find him sitting on the roof of his house somewhere in the middle of an old oak tree. That’s right; his house was in a tree. He sat on the roof, staring at the moon, pondering. This had become a regular occurrence for Jack after his forty-fifth birthday; staring and pondering.

Four Steps to Discover Your Life Mission “What do you do for a living?” It’s a question we all get asked from time to time. This question has an impact, not only how people will see us and relate to us, but on our own worth and value too. So, how do you answer it? Do you tell them about the company where you work? Do you give details of your job title and functions? Personally, I answer the question with a simple statement: I am a teaspoon. Finding your purpose in life is an easy task, but it is not for the feint hearted. In twenty years of teaching leadership and entrepreneurship, there have been countless CEO’s and business owners that told me that they “don’t have time for that psycho mumbo jumbo” in their lives. Who can blame them when you consider how mission and purpose have been made to be wooey and distant.

5 Steps to Authentic Leadership Lack of Integrity and Authenticity is a deal breaker between leader and follower.   Seeking to be authentic is a positive step in any leader’s personal development. Having an authentic leader helps promote mutual trust and respect between leader and follower. Cultivating authenticity in your personal life and leadership style is not arriving at a destination. Authenticity is not a railway station in our leadership journey. Authentic leadership is about making the right decisions within the moment, as each situation arises. The leader is constantly faced with the choice to be authentic or not in: truth, mission and values.

Authentic Culture Authentic Brand Those entrepreneurs that neglect company culture and company brand do so at their own peril. Culture and brand are two sides of the same coin. Culture is the attitudes, expectations expressed through policies and procedures that boil out into action through service. Brand is the culture of your organisation from the customers’ perspective. Brand is how your customers see and experience your company’s culture when they buy your products or use your services.

5 Tips for Leadership Development Evaluation In my quest to learn, grow and share leadership traits, techniques and tips, I recently attended a conference, my first in many years. Several speakers took to the stage, sharing their secrets of success. Each one had a turn on the stage whipping the crowd into frenzied excitement with dance moves, power chants and positive affirmations. I walked away disappointed that leadership development had been reduced to rah-rah tricks and shallow development tips. Understanding the need for enthusiasm at conferences and the hype needed to promote sales, my concern is that this circus has become the expectation for leadership development.