One of the top business and leadership experts in the world
Gainesville, FL
Joined September 2008
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@Thinkers360 named me the 2026 Thought #Leader of the Year. 35 years of work across 20 countries shaped the ideas they recognized. Grateful to every client and colleague who was part of that journey, and to my team whose commitment to delivering great work made this possible.
I’ve seen leaders avoid difficult conversations because they don’t want to damage the relationship. Meanwhile, the employee continues to struggle, & colleagues carry the extra workload. There is a big difference between being nice & being kind. Kindness sometimes requires candor.
Behind the scenes with the team prepping for yesterday’s strategic thinking #webinar. As you can tell, we had some fun.
Thanks to everyone who joined. I hope you left with ideas for next year’s planning.
Special thanks to Adriana and Domingo. I couldn’t do this without them.
Experience matters, but years in business don’t automatically make someone a better strategic thinker.
In this week’s blog, I share four levels of strategic thinking and why they are important for developing an effective #strategy.
linkedin.com/pulse/better-st…
Tomorrow, at 12 PM Eastern, I’ll be discussing these ideas during my free webinar, How to Be a More Strategic Thinker. We’ll spend time on how you can turn strategic insights into competitive #strategies that give your organization a meaningful advantage.
go.johnspence.com/howtoprepa…
You can have excellent data, experienced people, and a carefully developed strategic plan and still make the wrong decisions.
As you prepare for 2027, I encourage you to challenge the assumptions behind your current #strategy.
Register here: go.johnspence.com/howtoprepa…
One question I encourage leaders to ask during strategic planning: what should we stop doing so we can do fewer things better?
I am hosting a free 60-minute #webinar on how to be a more strategic thinker.
October 22 | 12 PM Eastern:
go.johnspence.com/howtoprepa…
Some of the most expensive problems in an #organization begin with a conversation that someone decided not to have. My new article is on how to prepare for those conversations and how to influence people when you do not have formal #authority.
johnspence.com/difficult-con…
Saying no is still hard for me. Someone asks me to #mentor them or join a board and I want to say yes, but time is a #resource I cannot get back. Josh and I talk about pruning on the new episode of Notes for an Awesome Life.
pod.link/1845676457/episode/…
Your team learns very quickly what gets taken seriously inside your #organization.
When you set clear expectations and follow through, people know where they stand. They are also more willing to hold each other accountable, because the same #expectations apply to everyone.
I asked four association executives what they would tell someone considering bringing me in: @ademangone at @AmericasCUs, Liz Walz at the @MarineRetailers, Kirk Leeds at the @IowaSoybeans, and @AmithNagarajan at Blue Cypress.
go.johnspence.com/associatio…
AI can give you more information and options. It can’t decide where to focus your limited resources or what to stop doing.
On Oct. 22, I’m hosting a free webinar on becoming a better strategic thinker.
12 PM ET | Register Here:
go.johnspence.com/howtoprepa…
What does it mean to be responsible for something that does not belong only to you? I’ve been thinking about that as I update a leadership class I will teach at the Securities Industry Institute at Wharton in 2027. I write about leadership as #stewardship.
linkedin.com/pulse/what-does…
When you become a #leader, you are entrusted with people and some responsibility for the future of the organization.
This is the third of four articles based on these classes. I share some of my newer thinking about what #stewardship requires of the people we ask to lead.
If your #leadership team has a strategic planning session coming up, everyone in the room should agree on what a good strategy looks like before you commit time, money, and people to one.
#Strategy Made Awesomely Simple gives them that shared standard.
johnspence.gr-author.com/cou…
I’m honored to have been named a @Thinkers360 Top Voice for 2026. I’m pleased to be included alongside an outstanding group of thought leaders from around the world.
thinkers360.com/announcing-t…
Earlier this year, @Thinkers360 also named me their Thought Leader of the Year. Both recognitions in the same year means a great deal to me. I’ve been doing this work for more than 30 years, & I still spend a significant amount of time reading, studying, writing, & learning.
Years ago I went through serious depression. I never missed a #speech, a #workshop, or a flight, and I waited far too long to ask for help.
High performers are good at hiding this. That is the conversation Josh and I had on Notes for an Awesome Life.
pod.link/1845676457/episode/…
