John Baldoni, Future Strong Hero, tells us how

John Baldoni, Future Strong Hero
Chair of Leadership Development Practice, N2Growth
Author, Moxie
John is an internationally-recognized leadership consultant, coach,
and author

Future Strong Hero Series: Insights from top leaders, change
makers and thought leaders who are creating better, bolder tomorrows.

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How do you stay Future Strong? I’m pretty old school. I don’t keep up.
I’m not a voracious leader of management literature. Most of it bores the
heck out of me. So I’m probably a traitor to my own class as they said
about Franklin Roosevelt. I do pick and choose. Jeffrey Pfeffer’s new book,
Leadership BS, is essential for anyone in the people development field.

I take my ideas from everyday situations. I did a column in Forbes, on
a bull rider, Gary Leffew. He’s a zen meditator and he uses that as a
foundation for his profession. I also learn a lot from the leaders
I coach. The advice I have for all leaders: Accentuate the positive.

What do leaders need to do to build Future Strong companies?
What keeps CEOs up at night is not what they know, it’s what they don’t
know. Every leader must develop coping mechanisms for the unexpected.
Always expect the curveball. I counsel leaders to always keep their
antenna up. Network in your own field. Look at trends outside of your
field. Yet, our values will always be the same: love, truth, honesty,
ethics.

Leaders need to ask: Is there a lifespan for a business? How do I
deal with that? Maybe you need to completely shift product focus
or even industries. Once upon a time, Nokia was a timber and mining
company. One of their biggest creditors was a telephone company and
went backrupt, so they bought it. That’s how they got involved in
telecom.

There are two tough choices. Both of them are correct. Usually,
the difficult choice involves “who’s going to get hurt?” Leaders
have to make those tough choices. How do we serve one another?
How can I make your life better, easier?

Baldoni Strongisms
• Look to everyday situations and needs for your best ideas
• Ask yourself: What’s the lifespan of this idea? Or this business?
• Ask others: How can I make your life better?

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