John's Blog

  The Myths and Magic of Influence in Leadership Leadership cannot be assigned, delegated, or awarded. Rather, it is recognised within someone by their ability to influence people, organisations, situations, and paradigms.  The essence of true leadership lies in influence. A leader is measured by their ability to influence, and this cannot be “passed on” to someone else. Instead, leadership and influence must be earned. All the skills and strategies one learns as a leader are aimed at influencing effectively. The Myths of Influence Three common myths feed misconceptions about the source of influence: The Management Myth: Managers are Leaders This myth assumes that managers are automatically leaders. However, management mainly involves processes, systems, and administrative controls. While managers can maintain the direction set by a leader and assist in moving people forward, they are not inherently leaders. In rare instances, managers can fulfill a leadership role, but this d...

 Coaching Toolbox - Similar effort produces similar results. People want an instant "change-now" wand so that they don't have to put in extra effort to get the results they long for. They want hacks and tricks to change their habits to something that will bring them never-ending success and wealth without the sweat of changing their behaviours, mindsets or attitudes. They want to put in the same effort and actions but get better results. This expectation defies the natural laws of the universe, but people still expect it to happen. Read the whole article here:  https://www.mindmuttermatters.com/post/similar-effort-produces-similar-effort

People confuse ambition with the rewards of their efforts.  A businessman spent the morning telling me of cars, houses and holidays he wants when I asked him about his ambition. No buddy, that's the rewards you get for achieving your ambition.  Ambition is your role, your contributions to society. It's you making your voice heard, your efforts to improve your local or international community.  No, no one is asking you to change the world, so relax. There is, however, a need for your voice, your contribution to make the world a little better, a little sweeter.  Hell, it doesn't have to be the world, if what you have to offer influences more than just you, touching a few other lives, well, then you are living out your ambitions.  Once on the road to fulfilling that ambition, then the rewards will come ... and stay. If you get the order wrong, you may find that the rewards come and go.  So, today... in some small way, do something for someone else. Share wit...

Four years ago, I started to play with the idea of quantum leadership, a leadership theory that aligns with the principles of quantum physics.   Boy, was I confused.  After six long months of struggling to merge physics and leadership, I gave it up as a nice, but impractical idea.  Then, one day a couple of years ago, I sat down to make a tangible 3D model of leadership. I wanted a model I could put in my pocket to use in a pinch.  The information poured onto the page. It took three days to come up with three original, but elegant models that help a leader plot and track progress made.  It was also horribly complicated!  I spent the next two years simply trying to make sense of the complexity that I dumped onto paper.  The only way to make real sense of the models was to practically apply them in a real leadership situation.  To my surprise , none of my business owner friends wanted me to apply the crazy and complicated model to their busines...

 The mention of the word quantum in any conversation has people sucking air in through their teeth and mumbling, "gosh, you must be intelligent." There is no doubt in my mind that leadership, like quantum physics is complex, but by no means is it intended for a select number of people. Quantum Leadership is as relevant to the janitor as it is to the company CEO, and will change not only your life, but also the world in which you live.  Modern leadership is cluttered with strategies, tactics and gimmicks, which simply distract from what leadership is - a person guiding a collection of people to achieve a desired goal or outcome intended for the greater good. Quantum leadership strips away fads, to reveal the minimum elements and processes needed to birth a vision, gather a team, act as a guide and achieve the results. It’s a raw and efficient approach to vision achievement. Obviously, we all want to add adjective to leadership that drip with success, such as "sign...

The biggest obstacle in search of a "better life" is not found in the environment, but inside of you!  Your greatest challenge in search of fulfullment has been and always will be your self talk, your inner voice or mind mutter.   Mind mutter is to you the same as the ocean is to fish. Fish aren't conscious of the water that regulates their lives ... that is, until they try to fly.   With a splash, flying fish realise they are eternally bound to water, dependant on it to breathe, eat, and move - as you are to your inner voice, as you live a life governed by it. Don't believe me? Try this as an experiment: stand in front of a mirror for a moment, connect with yoursellf in the reflection, then say: "I deserve a better life."  If you're lucky, your internal voice will agree wholeheartedly, offering advice to achieve a better life. For most people however, the response is more likely to be: "Hahahahah! Who do you think you are wanting a better life?...

One would think that the actions taken to achieve a vision would actually take you closer to that goal. Indeed, successful people and companies alike focus on doing only the tasks and activities that carry them closer to their destination. This is called "efficiency."  It's staggering to observe just how much "inefficiency" happens. People get caught up, worn down, and burnt out, committed to actions that at best, takes them no where, and at worst, takes them further away from their goal.  What's really shocking is how many people actually take no action towards achievement of their ideal life at all, leaving the outcome to "che sera, sera, whatever will be will be." If they had no ambition, this attitude would be perfectly reasonable, but it is usually people with a dream that do nothing about it.  "Faith," I hear you bellow. "The non-active are believing for the outcome" you reason. Possibly. However, faith is a stro...

On a recent visit to a friends house, I met their baby boy of six months. Having arrived near the toddlers dinnertime, I got to witness the professional couple struggle to feed this "obviously contented" baby for more than an hour.  I watched as the couple bickered and argued about the best way to get baba to eat. They even resorted to tricking the kid, teasing him with a dummy, only to swap it with food at the last moment. He then promptly spat the food out with a giggle. He wasn't eating, simply because he wasn't hungry yet. But, knowing the benefits of timely nutrition, the new parents stumbled and plotted about ways to feed their child, hoping to give him a good start in life.  The most disturbing divide between people is not one of race, but the one between the "wants to" and the "does not want to" of the world, and that gap is big. These polar opposites are defined by those that want to make something of this life for themselves and b...

Entrepreneur, manager, and politician are roles that each require it's own set of unique skills, but does not guarantee that the title holder is a leader.  A person gets the title of leader by way of birthing a vision. The leader was, is, and always will be the vision owner and curator, responsible for taking it from inception to completion, with the effective and efficient help of a team.  Anyone that feels strongly enough to act on a vision can lead. Having a vision obviously doesn't mean the person will be a good leader. Like any skill, leadership is loaded with various principles, strategies, and techniques, requiring study and practice to master.  Many visions lay dormant on the shelf of "one day," collecting dust. The owners of the " vision-in-storage" become reluctant to dust the vision off and make it happen, because they feel unworthy of the leader position.  Instead of letting your vision decay into "regret," equip yourself wi...

You cannot grow and improve inwardly, but remain stagnant outwardly.  The driven work endlessly to refine and reshape what they understand to be the soul, to better reflect devine intent. This work, can at times, become overwhelming, with no apparent end in sight. The goal too seems to be ever moving further and further away, dragging with it all hopes of sudden victory.  The drained glimpse over a weary shoulder, wishing to see relief's sweet approach. Occasionally, they scan the horizon, longing to see anything that resembles their "ship" coming home to dock. All the while they deliberately grow, forcing themselves into better moulds.  Faint not, seeker, for in due season you shall reap. The constant labour you exert to become great inwardly, prepares the road for greatness outwardly. Today, you stand in your work clothes, at the work bench, still toiling at and pondering about a more desired life. Tomorrow, sweaty and fatigued, you will open the door to more...

It's amazing how quickly carrying a kid on your back around the zoo can drain your energy and enthusiasm. The same is true for your vision, but the ones you piggyback don't always deserve the lift. Momentum-leeches will ride you like a vision-uber, with no interest in your goals, and will desert you when they get to their destination at your expense.   There are few things in life that are as infectiously beautiful as a playful puppy, a baby laughing, and someone with a vision. The energy and vibrancy oozing from a new visionary is attractive, designed to draw in a capable team, enthusiastic supporters, and willing sponsors.  Once your vision gains a little momentum, it gains the attention of those around you. Excitement, hope and structure drives you to your end picture, and attracts help and opportunities needed to turn your vision into reality. It also signals the momentum vampires to move in.   Arriving with fanfare, energy thieves blister you with complim...

I'm doing a "100 Articles in 100 Days" challenge, with approximately sixty five articles left. "Why 100 days? Why not just 30 days like all the other challenges," I hear you ask. Let me explain:  First, leaders forge mastery, then, Mastery creates leaders.  The unique leadership model, the U49, guides potential leaders through a growth program, aimed at fostering focus, momentum and mastery, establishing reliability and reputation along the way. All of these elements need time and effort to grow ... enter the 100 Challenge.   The strength of the 100 Challenge is in the incredible personal growth and understanding the leader gains as they establish momentum in their core skill. It takes a minimum of forty days exercising a skill for it to become grounded. In other words, in the first forty days, you just start to understand the subtly of the tasks you do.  The next sixty days of the Challenge takes the growing leader beyond mere understanding, past s...

Sometimes, love is like giving water to someone that has a cracked cup. They can't quench their thirst, because they are broken, and incapable of drinking the water.   People are offended when those of low self worth don't respond to love in an expected manner. The offence comes from the inherent belief that love cures all: "If I love a broken someone, they should heal, and blossom." Love does indeed heal all things, and it does make people whole, but sometimes that love isn't in a shape you recognise.  It's not hard to understand that people from different walks of life view success differently. Some people regard fast cars and big houses as symbols of winning. Others want success to create happy families and caring spouses. Both views of success are okay. So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that some people need a different expression of, and respond differently to, love.  Many people accuse the "broken" of being selfish, even contro...

Asking someone to believe in their own greatness may be too much. Instead, ask them to believe in the calling, and the Caller.  A lone bush burning in the desert may not seem strange to some folks, but it caught the attention of the only person camping nearby as odd. Then, to make things really creepy, the bush spoke, nearly causing Moses to seek shelter inside his own belly button.   The story of God calling on Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egyot strongly resonates within me, not that I've ever heard God speak from a burning bush. I like Moses's story, because it's so honest... funny, but honest. It represents the way in which so many of us respond to the calling on our lives.  The excuse Moses used to delay his calling was "I, I, s, stu, I stutt, I s, s, I stutter..." If only I could get dollar for every time someone used an excuse to get out of their calling, I'd be a gazillionaire! Even though he was raised in a royal house, our ...

We all look up to and admire a good leader, impressed by their skill, tenacity, and authenticity. We recognise that rallying people behind a single objective in a mutually beneficial way is extremely difficult. We even recognise that not everyone can be a good leader, and that it takes a special kind of person to fill leadership shoes.  So, why is it that we call leadership a "soft skill"? Why is it that a "leadership course" shouldn't be longer than four days? Why is it that the teaching of leadership, a skill globally recognised as prolific and difficult, is treated with such contempt? Maybe insecure people in leadership positions don't want competition and downplay proper training. Maybe labelling leadership as a soft skill was a marketing mistake made universities and educators.  Soft skills...! Don't talk stupid.  People don't enlist for leadership training for two main reasons: first, leadership is horribly misunderstood. Second, lead...

"Overnight succes;" "so lucky;"and "instant fortune" are the excuses the lazy and uninspired slap on those that are successful, oblivious to the hours, the sacrifices, and the growth it took to reach the top.  "Let's imitate them," is a great strategy to duplicate success, but you can't start imitating where they are now in hopes of an equal results. You have to start at the same point they did and follow their original path.  All of a sudden success, fame, and fortune, with all the trimmings doesn't sound as attractive! "Oh, it's still attractive, it's just the 'effort' thing that's not going to happen."  The general population would rather slog it out for a boss, in poverty, before they invest time, effort, and education in their own success. "I'm tired" is the greatest motivator of the unmotivated to do nothing in life.   The perception is that life and success needs work, cre...

Walking along a desolate sandbar on the shores of an Indian river, Payeng's heart broke as he wept aloud for the death he witnessed.  All forms of reptiles and birds had died of exposure to a terrible storm on the river banks just days before. The cruel sandbank offered the animals no protection from the elements.    Fourteen year old Payeng went home and devised a plan. It was simple, he would plant and nurture saplings on the desolate sandbank until there was enough habitat to offer protection to all the animals. This plan would also prevent soil erosion on the largest river island, Majuli.  Thirty years later, Mr. Payeng has planted enough trees to create a forest covering 550 hectors, the equivalent of fifteen football stadiums. The Molai forest, created by Payeng, is now home to deer, tigers, rabbits, birds and more. How is this possible?  The dedication of one person to do something each day that may only make a small difference in the moment,...

There are no hop, skip, or jumps to greatness. Success in life is a systematic process, where one step follows the next. You can turn the speed dial any way you like, but you can't miss steps.  Have you heard the one where the computer programmer comes home with six cartons of milk. His wife, with a belligerent look on her face , says: "I told you to bring one carton of milk, and if they have apples, bring six." "Exactly," said the husband.  The husband and programmer, in this story followed his wife's instructions in the same way that he would program a computer. A computer carries out instruction one line at a time. If the supermarket didn't have apples, he would have brought home only one milk carton. This addition to the computers instruction is called a "condition."  Some people would argue that the wife implied that the husband should bring home six apples if the store had them in stock. Yes, this was implied, but a computer...

You have never seen your own face! You have only seen a reflection of your face! This is the reason using a mentor is critical to your personal and leadership development.   Well, not the exact reason, but it relates, strongly, to the reason you need a mentor.    Because our eyes are a part of our face, essentially - in our face, looking out - we never actually see our face. We use a mirror as an aid for feedback as to show us how presentable we are... or aren't.   The mirror is not us, it will never be us. It can't decide what we should look like or what we should wear. A mirror merely reflects back to us the image we present to the world. It let's us see hair out of place, sleep crust in the corner of the eyes, and reflects back the radiant, or not, smile that we give others.   The primary role of a mentor, like the mirror, is to reflect back the image we present to the world through our vision, mission, goals, hope's and dreams. https://ww...

When explaining basic firefighting to beginners, we teach them that the "fire triangle" represents the three core elements of a fire, namely; oxygen, heat and fuel. If you effectively remove one of these three elements, you will extinguish the fire.  Similarly, a developing leader has a "fire triangle" with three core elements: Value, mission and engagement. Remove just one of these elements and the developing leader will be extinguished.  The first "leader triangle" element is value, which talks to the value perceived by all the role players around the leader's vision. In other words, if people believe in your vision and see the need, they will invest in it. If people benefitting from your vision have the need, they will gladly receive it.  There is no point in selling your vision to an audience that doesn't recognise the need that your vision addresses. Weak or random needs will not attract a talented team nor inspire "customers...