John Lusher
Most salespeople don’t lose deals because of price. They don’t lose because of the competition. And they rarely lose because of the economy. More often than not, they lose because they’re approaching every opportunity with the same linear thinking they’ve been taught since childhood. From the time we enter school, we’re trained to follow the…
Fame can be addictive. Not just celebrity fame. Business fame. Leadership fame. Social media fame. The kind of visibility that makes people feel seen, validated, and recognized. But when attention becomes the goal, direction often changes. People start making decisions for reactions instead of results. They chase clicks instead of contribution. They prioritize visibility instead…
When You’re Down 29, Take the Next Shot There are moments in business, leadership, and life when the scoreboard looks ugly. You are behind. The pressure is rising. The odds look impossible. The people around you may start acting like the outcome has already been decided. But the leaders and teams who ultimately win are…
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 salespeople don’t lose deals because of price. They don’t lose because of the competition. And they rarely lose because of the economy. More often than not, they lose because they’re approaching every opportunity with the same linear thinking they’ve been taught since childhood. From the time we enter school, we’re trained to follow the…
Fame can be addictive. Not just celebrity fame. Business fame. Leadership fame. Social media fame. The kind of visibility that makes people feel seen, validated, and recognized. But when attention becomes the goal, direction often changes. People start making decisions for reactions instead of results. They chase clicks instead of contribution. They prioritize visibility instead…
When You’re Down 29, Take the Next Shot There are moments in business, leadership, and life when the scoreboard looks ugly. You are behind. The pressure is rising. The odds look impossible. The people around you may start acting like the outcome has already been decided. But the leaders and teams who ultimately win are…
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…