John Lusher
The One Sentence That Revealed a Leadership Problem In a recent leadership meeting, I heard a sentence that immediately told me something was wrong. A senior team member finally said: “Just tell us what you want and how you want it — and we’ll do it.” Think about that. That statement didn’t come from…
On March 20th, Bob Chapman passed away at the age of 86. A few years ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Bob, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller and author of Everybody Matters. Bob built a $3 billion global company—but what made him extraordinary wasn’t just the business success. It was how he viewed leadership. Bob believed leadership and…
Last week I spoke about a moment every leader eventually faces: Go or no-go. But there’s another risk that doesn’t get talked about enough. Waiting too long to decide. Think about an airplane accelerating down the runway. Pilots are watching everything—speed, engines, weather, runway conditions. They know there’s a precise moment when they must…
Right now, a lot of companies are waiting. Waiting feels safe. But hesitation kills velocity. Now—velocity isn’t about moving fast. Sometimes the smartest move is to pause and ask: “What’s not working?” But there’s a point—like a plane on a runway— where waiting becomes the biggest risk. That’s when leaders must decide: Go or no-go. Not…
AI can write emails. AI can analyze data. AI can generate ideas. So if everyone has access to the same powerful tools, why do some leaders still outperform everyone else? Because the real advantage has nothing to do with technology. In the end, success will belong to those who know exactly where they’re going and have…
We just watched the Olympics — the best in the world. They’re already champions. Already proven. And yet they train like they have everything to prove. Why? Because they understand a truth most leaders forget: Past success is the fastest path to complacency. You’ve built revenue. You’ve built a reputation. You’ve built a team. But…
In the mid-2000s, I was lying in a hospital bed recovering from back surgery when a difficult question hit me: What haven’t I done with my life? And why? When you’re forced to slow down, clarity shows up. I realized that unrealized goals rarely come down to talent or opportunity. They come down to three…
Most professionals ask the wrong question. They ask: “How do I improve what I’m already doing?” High performers ask: “What outcome do I really want to achieve?” That shift changes everything. Because when you focus on activity, you stay busy. When you focus on outcomes, you become strategic. And here’s the real problem… We let…
Things like AI and other issues come second. The first question is: what do you want to achieve for yourself? If you are not happy with what you are achieving on an annual basis, what would make you happy? What would make you feel fulfilled? It has to be specific, and it has to be…
Let’s talk about what’s happening in the market right now: tariffs, inflation, supply chain pressure, price. Customers are cautious. Decisions are slower. And suddenly everyone’s favorite strategy is discounting, because nothing says “premium solution” like dropping your price faster than your confidence. Inside the company, it usually sounds like this: Sales says, “We’ve got to…
The One Sentence That Revealed a Leadership Problem In a recent leadership meeting, I heard a sentence that immediately told me something was wrong. A senior team member finally said: “Just tell us what you want and how you want it — and we’ll do it.” Think about that. That statement didn’t come from…
On March 20th, Bob Chapman passed away at the age of 86. A few years ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Bob, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller and author of Everybody Matters. Bob built a $3 billion global company—but what made him extraordinary wasn’t just the business success. It was how he viewed leadership. Bob believed leadership and…
Last week I spoke about a moment every leader eventually faces: Go or no-go. But there’s another risk that doesn’t get talked about enough. Waiting too long to decide. Think about an airplane accelerating down the runway. Pilots are watching everything—speed, engines, weather, runway conditions. They know there’s a precise moment when they must…
Right now, a lot of companies are waiting. Waiting feels safe. But hesitation kills velocity. Now—velocity isn’t about moving fast. Sometimes the smartest move is to pause and ask: “What’s not working?” But there’s a point—like a plane on a runway— where waiting becomes the biggest risk. That’s when leaders must decide: Go or no-go. Not…
AI can write emails. AI can analyze data. AI can generate ideas. So if everyone has access to the same powerful tools, why do some leaders still outperform everyone else? Because the real advantage has nothing to do with technology. In the end, success will belong to those who know exactly where they’re going and have…
We just watched the Olympics — the best in the world. They’re already champions. Already proven. And yet they train like they have everything to prove. Why? Because they understand a truth most leaders forget: Past success is the fastest path to complacency. You’ve built revenue. You’ve built a reputation. You’ve built a team. But…
In the mid-2000s, I was lying in a hospital bed recovering from back surgery when a difficult question hit me: What haven’t I done with my life? And why? When you’re forced to slow down, clarity shows up. I realized that unrealized goals rarely come down to talent or opportunity. They come down to three…
Most professionals ask the wrong question. They ask: “How do I improve what I’m already doing?” High performers ask: “What outcome do I really want to achieve?” That shift changes everything. Because when you focus on activity, you stay busy. When you focus on outcomes, you become strategic. And here’s the real problem… We let…
Things like AI and other issues come second. The first question is: what do you want to achieve for yourself? If you are not happy with what you are achieving on an annual basis, what would make you happy? What would make you feel fulfilled? It has to be specific, and it has to be…
Let’s talk about what’s happening in the market right now: tariffs, inflation, supply chain pressure, price. Customers are cautious. Decisions are slower. And suddenly everyone’s favorite strategy is discounting, because nothing says “premium solution” like dropping your price faster than your confidence. Inside the company, it usually sounds like this: Sales says, “We’ve got to…