John Lusher
You ever notice in football how the most exciting play isn’t the touchdown—it’s third down? That’s when everything is on the line: the tension, the fans holding their breath. And in Kansas City, one man’s voice made that moment legendary for 16 years—Dale Carter. But recently, he quit. Just walked away. Why? Because management crossed…
We all have a fight-or-flight hormone called cortisol. You don’t get rid of it—it’s in you. If you’re trying to influence someone, even before you start talking, the first thing you have to do is create a safe environment that makes them want to engage. Think about it like this: 0 to 2: Nothing is bothering…
Have you ever thought, “I can’t lead because I don’t have a title?” Here’s the truth: you don’t need a title to lead change. You need influence—and influence is the currency of leadership. The Velocity Mindset® teaches us that velocity is speed with direction. Titles don’t create direction; clarity of purpose and influence do. When…
We were trained to think linearly. In English we read left to right; in Hebrew we go right to left. I do not care which way you go — you are still thinking linearly. That is the problem. I do not want you to think linearly. I want you to think upwards. I want you…
Have you ever listened to a story and halfway through thought, “Wait, what’s the point here?” If you’ve been there, you know how painful it can be. That’s why the most powerful and efficient way to tell a story is to start with the point. Why? Because when you lead with the point, you immediately…
Our feelings drive our actions. Think about it: you wake up in the morning, and you don’t feel like working out because you had a little too much wine the night before. What happens? You skip the workout. That’s the power of feelings—they drive what we do. The same principle applies in business. Our feelings…
Apple just launched the iPhone Air—the thinnest iPhone ever. Which is great, except until you lose it between the couch cushions and need Find My iPhone just to finish a text. But here’s the bigger question: why would Apple risk redesigning its most profitable product to be thinner, lighter, and faster? The answer is simple:…
I’m standing in Beaver Creek, Colorado, where they’re having an Oktoberfest on Labor Day weekend. Now, why would they have an Oktoberfest on Labor Day? It’s quite simple—it’s all about timing. The one thing that really screws up velocity is not knowing the exact timing of when to work on something. Without that, you waste…
You know, people always ask me—they want to go faster. And I say, “If you just want to go faster, I can put you in a Ferrari, point you at a brick wall, and tell you to step on it.” That will get you faster results, but not the kind you want. It would be…
Hey, Velocity Champions—it’s Ron Karr® coming at you, and I promise this video will move faster than your Wi-Fi on a Monday morning. Let’s talk about the Velocity Mindset—not just speed, but speed with direction. If you’re getting nowhere fast, congratulations: you’re officially on a hamster wheel. And unless your life goal is to break…
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…