John's Blog

Knowing when to make the right decision needs more than just having information, it requires a confidence, a toughness of mind, and an unshakable desire to carry out the decision.  Timing is the creator of good leaders, and undertaker of the bad ones. The leader needs the timing of a decision to be perfect, in order to drive the vision forward. There are few skills as critical as timing to the ongoing development and existence of a leader. In times past, leaders where left to haphazardly discover the value of a well timed move, and to practice it like a blind man throwing darts at a target he has never seen.  The "timing model" in the U49 Leadership System, KAIROS, let's leaders learn decision making with a "safety net" in place. The kairos model divides vision achievement into nine key decision "moments," helping the leader pick the right time to make a decision in the vision's favour. The kairos model plots the vision's posit...

"WTF!" This was my standard response to the "your-daily-habits-are-the -foundation-of-your-success" type leadership quotes, that is, until I discovered the power and purpose of mission.   My dad was a "stand up" guy when it came to work ethic. He would get up at four in the morning, do his daddy chores and still be in the office at 06:30 sharp. He was committed, determined and loyal towards his job, but he was just an average man and for all of his hard work, he never amounted to much.   I don't mean to sound ungrateful, nor am I attacking what my dad did to support his family. The point is that leadership quotes often imply that success is the result of hard work, but evidence in the real world suggests that success needs something more.   Shaun's dad was also commited to family and job, but with very different results. Shaun's dad worked hard at cultivating an attitude of service to others. He also worked to deliberately grow his s...

My mantra for 2020: focus, momentum and mastery! Don't be misled - there is no such thing as multi-tasking, especially when it comes to pursuing your dreams. Multi-tasking dilutes your energy and resources making you less efficient and less effective.  Your dreams deserve laser-like focus, which translates into drama-ignoring commitment and relentless dedication to achieving what's needed today! The law of inertia tells us that a moving object needs less energy to keep it moving. Starting the process is tough! Suck it up buttercup ... create the momentum, get that goal rolling now and the rest will be easier!  Neither focus nor momentum has any value if you do a half-ass job! It's not good enough to "do your best!" Your dreams need ... no .... demand excellence! Become the best at what you have to offer and the best will be returned to you as an offering!!!  Package focus, momentum and mastery as part of your motivational drive this year and you...

Don't busy yourself with the "how" of your success, rather invest in the details of "what". And before you tell me you need the "how" to get results, do something for me... make your left hand into a duck-face, and let it quack 3 or 4 times. Now, how did you do that?  Yes yes, you can tell me about nerves and messages, and muscle control. .. but, howwwwww? You don't know, do you?  You just swallowed ... how? Blinked, breathed, and farted... how? How did you do these things? You maybe know the biology of the mechanism, but how? Ninety percent of what we do daily is handled by our subconscious mind. We merely think about the "outcome" or result, and our unconscious mind sets about implementing systems to achieve that result.  Why can't we use this efficient system to achieve our life goals? 🤷‍♂️ Well, that's the point! You can and should allow this mechanism to help achieve all that you want in life.  How?  Use ...

A Self-indulgent post by John Usher She stepped through the door and awoke the dragon. The conversation stalled as she entered the training room. She was awkward and uncomfortable. Although, thinking back, it was probably because I was openly staring. She introduced herself bluntly and sat down in the front row. Delicious eyelashes generously framed big, curious, beautiful eyes.   I instantly realised that I was in pain.

5 Phases of a Developing Team As obvious as it may be to you and I, there are many people floating about claiming the title of leader when they have no team, they have no followers. What should be obvious is that “leader” is not a title, but rather a role or a function. The leader may not always be the most experienced person, nor the oldest. The leader may not walk in front of the pack, but one thing is for certain, a leader carries that label because of the job they perform. The obvious job a leader performs is to lead a group of people. The path may be from A to B, or from A to B and back again. The path a leader takes a group may cover all the letters in the alphabet, but one thing should not be overlooked: the primary function of a leader is to take his or her people from a frazzled group to a high performance team. 

The 18-Wheeler of Life   The secret to successfully living an authentic life is congruence. Congruence implies that we should have a straight line of agreement between vision, goals and behaviour. See the “Authenticity: The Pudding of Congruence” Blog Post . As basic as the concept of a straight line may be, it does require some conscious focus and attention. The concept is equal to the wheel alignment on an eighteen wheel truck.   To move a heavy vehicle safely and efficiently we need all the wheels to be balanced, correctly inflated and all pointed in the same direction. Our lives can easily be represented by the eighteen wheeler truck rig: The cab with the driver would represent our focus and vision in life. Sitting at the front of the vehicle our whole life will follow the course we select from in the cab. The Trailer would represent how we contain life, with all our own personality, attitude and emotions. What happens in life only has the meaning that we ...

Be A SMARTY Pants Some things work. Some things do! In my drive for getting to that section of life I really want to be I am busy evaluating what works for me, and what doesn’t. Things that don’t work I politely but decisively remove from my thinking process (I will share some secrets with you on how to do that without endless affirmations and mishaps in a future article!). Sometimes things work partially and need some adjustment.  One such principle I have adjusted to better suit me and my way of thinking is the (in)famous goal setting aide called S.M.A.R.T. This acronym is used to evaluate a goal set. It is a way to test the comprehensive development of a goal once it has been set. Until I started putting my own twist on it, SMART did not work for me. The new SMARTY is dynamic and living.  I use it not to evaluate the goal once I have defined it, I USE IT TO DEFINE THE GOAL AS I SET IT. May I share this twisted SMARTY version of goal setting with you.

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time Related.   These five words have stood the test of time to represent goal setting.   I am not certain exactly who or when SMART was introduced.   I remember using the acronym to set goals in high school back in the 1980's. In twenty five years of lecturing, the SMART system has not changed much, even in the face of new techniques and strategies that have emerged. SMART is effective because it is simple. It is easy to use, and if used correctly it will produce the results desired.   So, let's briefly look at SMART.   The first letter represents the word Specific.   This implies that goals set should be specific, with a clear, well described result that has all of the details in the final outcome of achieving the goals.   A clearly visible target is easier to hit than a blurred confusion. The letter M in SMART represents the word Measureable. There should be a clear, easy way in which one can m...

Some things work. Some things dont! In my drive for getting to that section of life I really want to be, I evaluate what works for me, and what doesn’t.

Many changes in my life recently have forced me to evaluate where I stand. It hasn't been easy nor has it been pretty. But, I figure if I keep doing what I always did, I will continue to receive much of the same results as the past 20 years. Read the full article here!

All of the beliefs included in this 10 part Formula for Success Series encourages people to deal with their own perspective on the world. It seems that in this world perspective is the difference between those that achieve their own desired results and those that live in a bitter place. Even Einstein based his Theory of Relativity on the principle of perspective. This discovery made me analyse all of my beliefs differently. As I uncover my beliefs I ask the following questions: What perspective does this belief give me of the world in which I live? What can I learn from this belief and the perspective it offers? How can I alter the belief to give me a better perspective? These questions give me an opportunity to evaluate my own attitude and perspective of my world and my surroundings. If attitude determines altitude, then beliefs are the attitude adjusters! My most limiting attitude has to be the one directed at people. I have caught my-self remarking on people’s intelli...

Our beliefs are what makes us, and our beliefs are what breaks us. Our internal world has such a major impact on the outward consequences. So, it was no surprise to me that amongst the most common beliefs of excellence held as true by the top performing companies is a statement that talks directly to our internal resources. Well, sort of. The eighth belief of excellence that I would like to share with you here is : People have all the resources that they need. "No I don't!" This was my initial reaction to this statement. I looked at my business, the cash flow, my bank statements and thought how I could use a lot more resources than I possessed at the time. I am sure everyone would like to have ac-cess to a little more resources than they have available to them. Especially newly launched entrepreneurs, struggling with cash flow in their start-ups. I regard myself as a tea-spoon in life. I believe my function in the bigger picture is to stir people. Awaken th...

My mother has the gift of the gab. She always has an answer regardless of the situation. Sometimes these are funny chirps, but most often they are comments with a bit of zing in them. Yet strangely, it is when she remains silent in a situation that she communicated the loudest of all. The seventh statement in our beliefs of excellence series is: You cannot not communicate! Yes, I know! It has a double negative in the sentence. But for a moment imagine my 4 foot 8 inch tall Scottish mother, hand on hip, evil angry glint in her look, silent. Is she saying anything? No! Is she communicating? Oh yes! I am a firm believer that effective communication is the backbone of every successful functioning organisation, of every team, of every family and of our personal achievement of goals and dreams. Studies show that more than 50% of divorces occur due to poor communication. A management survey revealed that more than 60% of all management problems have their root in poor communicatio...

Mind And Body United The greatest companies of our time have one thing in common, as discovered by researchers—a set of common beliefs of excellence. We all have beliefs, at to some degree or another our beliefs either limit or potential or unlock our greatness. It seems that these common beliefs bring success to those that are taught them and apply them in their business dealing. Are these magical statements or chants with mystical powers. No, not at all. They are beliefs, that if held as true, change the holders view of the world, making people better learners, patient, inquisitive and curious. All of these are the underlying traits of great business. In a series of articles I have discussed 5 of these beliefs. With there being a total 10 beliefs of excellence, I continue the series here with the belief statement: Mind and Body are part of the Same System. This may seem as if I am stating the obvious here, however, very few people understand the concept. I cannot s...

Each belief you hold either empowers you to reach greatness or it inhibits you. Each leader within the best companies in the world has chosen to hold true the beliefs of excellence, and reaped the rewards. Their testimony is, hold the 10 beliefs of excellence as true and you too will embrace your potential. There is however, no belief that evokes such an emotional reaction as the one we discuss here: BEHIND EVERY ACTION IS A POSITIVE INTENTION. Without fail, resistance is the initial reaction to this statement. People are so programmed to judge and condemn others purely on the basis of their actions, that very few people are willing to reserve the judgement until they have discovered the intention behind the action. What makes this so ironic, is that when people make a mistake, or do something to hurt or offend someone else, you will often hear—"I am sorry, that wasn't what I meant! That wasn't my intention!" People will quickly judge another's actions...

What is Mind Mutter? Part 2 – The Force Within Condescending, encouraging, rebuking and challenging! The relentless muttering of our internal voice is ceaseless and extremely effective! You cannot out shout Mind Mutter! You cannot kill it with affirmations. It won’t reduce because you ignore it. Mind Mutter is the driver of the force that is within you, and is unwilling to let go of that steering wheel. It is time to stop ignoring it or running from it. It is time to embrace your only true motivator. It is a fact that mind mutter matters most in effective and efficient self-development.

The Average Enforcer When introducing the wonders of Mind Mutter, what it is and how it works, it is beneficial to look at the effects it has on people like us. This article will take a brief look at how Mind Mutter affects peoples thinking, their achievements, their successes and failures. Have you ever wondered why people at the top of their game somehow fail - spectacularly? Think of people in sports, and how at the pinnacle of their career, they make a blunder that destroys their reputation. A top marathon runner, a shy person that shuns media attention, causes such a media spectacle in a top class race, then drops from the "scene" completely, never to be heard from again. How does this happen to world class athletes?

No one wants to look at the mess in their lives, thinking: this mess is as a result of what I think and believe!   That just demoralizes people completely. Sadly, the statement is true. So maybe, investing some time and effort (that’s all it will cost) in success-bringing beliefs is required.   As shared in part one—A survey of the Top 500 companies in the world revealed that they share a common denominator. All 500 companies hold the same, or at least very similar, beliefs of excellence. Furthermore, they are convinced that by applying this formula, any person or business will be able to duplicate their excellence. The first of these beliefs was: THE MAP IS NOT THE TERRITORY. The second is : PEOPLE WORK PERFECTLY   As goal achieving, purposeful systems, people are remarkably effective. We are born fearless and without opinion. We learn every behaviour, fear and habit. We have learned how to respond in certain situations. All these behavi...

I was never the most enthusiastic kid in the class when it came to mathematics. I barely scrapped by. It wasn't until I took up art and painting portraits that I began to see the value of numbers. I began to explore the usefulness of mathematics in art and discovered its presence in music. Recently, I discovered that mathematics and motivation have a relationship too.