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...

  Are leaders born or are they made? This debate reaches far and wide and has been around for as long as leaders have had a title. Let's look at why the born or made debate matters to you: People from all over get involved in the debate about whether leaders are born or made. This topic ranks high on YouTube and Google search analytics. People want to know. The internet is full of articles, blogs, videos and podcasts detailing the creators' opinion, showing that the divide is wide and the debate is as heated as ever. The question strikes a chord with all kinds of people at various levels of life, provoking leaders and non-leaders alike. The non-leaders are prone to taking a dogmatic stance, selecting their view in the face of evidence that states otherwise. It is safe to say that people are passionate about their opinions. Although, leaders don't seem as protective about their view on the matter, maybe because they have the title already. Polls and discussions on ...

As a life coach, I often deal with people that are crystal clear about their wants, while oblivious to what they need. This awareness is a result of focus on the rewards without recognizing the efforts that will give them the rewards.  What we want and what we need are not always the same thing. Someone may want a nice new car, but what they need is a job to pay for the car.  In many of the coaching sessions that I offer, I find that people come seeking goals when what they need is clarity. They feel a lack of ambition when actually it's a lack of focus. People want to give up for a lack of feedback when the root is a lack of momentum, and they complain about a lack of support or poor response when it's a lack of communication.  At the root of goal achievement, or success of any description, is the foundation stones of clarity, focus, momentum and communication.  Do you want to level up your success?  Stop, take a deep breath and ask: what lies below my wants ...

So, some kooky clown on a little blog wants to mash quantum physics and leadership together, so what!  How does this affect you and why should you care?   Here's why:  Truth is truth on all levels. When you find a principle that works, it will work for everyone - rich, poor, clever, stupid, young, old, leader or not leader.  Quantum physics has revealed some crazy and interesting principles that apply to particles on the tiniest of levels.  As humans, we are made of particles, we are also surrounded by particles - so those truths are true for us as people and true for our circumstances.  What happens to particles has consequences in our personal lives. So, maybe we should pay attention, and learn how to get the best from our quantum make up.  The simple principles and processes of quantum leadership offers tried and tested options that can be applied to fishing or to business alike, with results and explanations that will suit your curiosity and a...

I was burning to test the 3 fresh leadership models on someone, but most people looked at me as if I was nuts. No one was prepared to put their profits on the line for my crazy experiment, but I don't really blame them. So, I went fishing.   It's amazing how the brain finds answers when not looking for them. While fishing I decided to pick and start an obscure task, project or business in which I could experiment. In that way, I could test the leadership models, from scratch, without risking existing businesses or relationships.  Then, the genius really struck! Hahaha  Fishing! My obscure task was ... fishing. In fact, the goal was to catch 100 fish in 100 days ... in winter ... even though I had only been fishing a handful of times in my life ... even though I could count the fish I've caught on one hand.  The plan was to use the 3 models in a way that maximized my chances of reaching the goal. No relations or businesses would be adversely affected, except ...

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...

A leader is defined as someone that guides a team to achieve a vision for a cause, a company, or even a country. The vision can be as simple as planting a tree, or as complex as taking a country to greatness. This definition of a leader touches every person, even you, in the process. Whether you are the creator of the vision, or someone contracted to help achieve it, the U49 Leadership System has something special for everyone. With its unique philosophies and tools, the U49 is a development system for everything related to the achievement of a vision, offering advice and guidance to the beginner, and the seasoned leader. The U49 Leadership System has four legs, including: leader, team, action, and vision. Each leg is loaded with laws, principles, and strategies that shape the leader's knowledge, skills, and attitude, equipping them with the mastery needed for successful vision achievement. The four legs of the U49 melt effortlessly into three simple models that offer ...

There are few things as valuable as having confidence in your own ability. Your ability will open doors and paint your trail with greatness, if ... you trust it.  Many people make a decision only to be racked with doubt. Second guessing your decision undermines the choice, weakening its foundation, making it vulnerable to collapse.  As a leader, there is a lot at stake when you make a choice. Even though we know - he who hesitates loses - we still succumb to doubt and insecurities. I've seen more owners destroy their businesses by not making a definitive decision, than those that made a bad choice and stuck with it.  Confidence will make up for some incompetence, but indecisiveness will erode even the most lucrative of ideas. The U49's Axios Model put a "choice assistant" in the hands of the decision maker, boosting confidence in the choice taken. The extra confidence stirs faith in the heart of those willing to attempt the impossible, setting the sta...

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...

When the goal is not "materialism," but "manifestation," the meaning of life becomes clear.  Chill! I'm not about to condemn the house, cars and other toys that litter your life. Materialism has a place in our world as the reward for the pursuit of fulfillment. Read that again.  People populate vision boards with "things" as the point of purpose. We get sold the dream of financial freedom as being able to do what we want, when we want, and how we want. And so the cars, houses, and luxury holidays take over the "meaning of life." It works so well for the most part, because it so closely imitates the truth. Yet, it subtly changes people's focus from purpose to purses.  Am I saying you mustn't pursue materialist wealth? Yes ... and no! The "goodies" will come into your life, of that I am sure. But they shouldn't be the aim of pursuit. "Things" are not the meaning of life, but the tools and reward for cre...

The saddest stories are the ones where people's dreams are on hold for "when it..." is ideal.  Every one has something that ties them down, occupies, and limits their ability to live out "the dream." Some are waiting for money, some are waiting for a golden opportunity, and others are waiting... just waiting.  Most people use dreams as a crutch to help them limp through the day. Others see their dream as the light at the end of the life tunnel. A limited few use dreams as a target to focus their efforts. For all of them, the dream is never realised.  We are not called to to strive for "I will," " I could," or even "I should." We are, however, called to live out our "I am." Our hopes and dreams are the the guidelines to do just that. By putting our dreams on ice, we freeze our true identity.  Dreams are God's vehicles that carry us to our purpose, which we "sell out" for that romance, for that bond ...