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John Spence

Managing Partner at John Spence, LLC

Gainesville, United States

For over 30 years, my passion for helping companies and people succeed has driven me. Through executive coaching, training programs, keynote speeches, and strategy consulting, I've assisted organizations worldwide, ranging from startups to the Fortune 10. My approach focuses on transforming complex business concepts into simple, practical solutions. I deliver tangible results that help my clients achieve their goals and achieve long-term success. I am also the author of "Awesomely Simple – Essential Business Strategies for Turning Ideas into Action" and "Excellence by Design – Leadership."

Background
At 26, I was the CEO of an international Rockefeller foundation, overseeing projects in 20 countries. Two years later Inc. Magazine named me one of America’s Up-and-Coming Young Business Leaders. More than a dozen organizations have recognized me as one of the world's top business experts. The American Management Association named me one of America's Top 50 Leaders to Watch, along with Sergey Brin and Larry Page of Google and Jeff Bezos of Amazon. The prestigious Thinkers50, the definitive global ranking of management thinkers, shortlisted me as one of the top eight in the World for their Distinguished Achievement Award. Thinkers 360 placed me on the Power List of the 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership. Others on the list include Simon Sinek, Gary Vaynerchuk, Adam Grant, and Marshall Goldsmith.

Services
As an executive coach, I work closely with you to enhance your skills in strategy, culture, high-performance teams, and other critical business topics. With my experience as CEO of four companies and a global business consultant, I bring real-life solutions to help you achieve sustainable results.

As a training facilitator and keynote speaker, I'm an expert at making complicated business topics easy to understand. Every program I deliver is custom-tailored to meet your specific needs. My presentations are fast-paced, highly engaging, content-rich, and deliver ideas and tools that can be implemented immediately.

As your strategy partner, I will help sharpen your strategic thinking and guide you through the process of identifying a set of core strategies that will serve as the foundation for your team's creation of a strategic blueprint designed to increase market share, revenues, and profitability.

Available For: Advising, Authoring, Consulting, Influencing, Speaking
Travels From: Gainesville, FL
Speaking Topics: The Future of Leadership, Achieving Business Excellence, Extreme Customer Focus

John Spence Points
Academic 0
Author 520
Influencer 119
Speaker 11
Entrepreneur 40
Total 690

Points based upon Thinkers360 patent-pending algorithm.

Thought Leader Profile

Portfolio Mix

Company Information

Company Type: Service Provider
Theatre: Global
Minimum Project Size: N/A
Average Hourly Rate: N/A
Number of Employees: 1-10
Company Founded Date: Undisclosed
Media Experience: 31
Last Media Interview: 12/14/2023

Areas of Expertise

Business Strategy 42.18
Change Management 31.83
Coaching 32.01
Culture 35.14
Customer Loyalty
Entrepreneurship 35.56
Leadership 38.32
Management 34.44

Industry Experience

Aerospace & Defense
Agriculture & Mining
Automotive
Chemicals
Consumer Products
Engineering & Construction
Federal & Public Sector
Financial Services & Banking
Healthcare
High Tech & Electronics
Higher Education & Research
Hospitality
Insurance
Manufacturing
Media
Pharmaceuticals
Retail
Telecommunications
Utilities

Publications & Experience

120 Article/Blogs
What I Tell People Who Get Nervous Speaking in Public
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May 04, 2026
Two weeks ago I was delivering a leadership workshop. As part of that program I ask audience members to stand up and present on behalf of the people at their table. When I mentioned that to this group I could see several people become anxious. So I asked them this question, “How many of you [̷

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Tags: Management, Leadership

The One Thing Your Competitors Cannot Copy
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April 27, 2026
I just finished three days serving as the lead instructor for America’s Credit Unions Management and Leadership Institute, one of the premier leadership programs in the credit union industry. As part of the program, several outstanding CEOs were invited to share how they think about leadership, cu

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Tags: Management, Leadership

What I Learned From a Room Full of Leaders This Week
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April 21, 2026
I am currently in Annapolis serving as the lead instructor for America’s Credit Unions Management and Leadership Institute, and something happened this week that caught my attention. During one of my workshops, I break the group into small teams and ask them to come up with the five most important

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Tags: Management, Leadership

What AI Is Asking of Leaders
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April 14, 2026
I have one simple ask before you read on. I’ve been nominated for the Thinkers360 Annual Awards and voting is open now. Click the image above to sign up using your LinkedIn account and vote in under 2 minutes. Step by step voting instructions are at the bottom of this post. I’d be genuinely grat

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Tags: Management, Leadership

The Process Keeps Working
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April 06, 2026
In the article I published a few weeks ago, I wrote about Bill Walsh, the coach who took the San Francisco 49ers from one of the worst teams in professional football to a dynasty, winning three Super Bowls in nine years. Walsh believed that watching the scoreboard was the wrong focus. His philo

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Tags: Management, Leadership

The Work You Were Built For
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March 30, 2026
I have one simple ask before you read on. I’ve been nominated for the Thinkers360 Annual Awards and voting is open now. Click the image above to sign up using your LinkedIn account and vote in under 2 minutes. Step by step voting instructions are at the bottom of this post. I’d be genuin

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Tags: Management, Leadership

The Leadership Skill You Need Right Now
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March 23, 2026
I was preparing to deliver my Leader of the Future keynote and the follow-up workshop when I went back into the research to make sure the material was as current as possible. That work confirmed something I had been watching develop across years of client work: of all the capabilities a leader needs

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Tags: Management, Leadership

What Your Silence Is Telling Your Team
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March 16, 2026
I recently delivered a workshop on organizational culture to a large group of senior executives from companies around the world. The session covered six elements of what I call a high-performance culture: trustworthy leadership, shared purpose, belonging and connection, empowered collaboration, grow

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Tags: Management, Leadership

Why the Best Leaders Talk About Love
John Spence
March 11, 2026
That means listening in a way that makes them feel understood, giving credit generously, keeping your word, and holding people to a high standard because you believe in their potential.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Framework That Improves Executive Decisions
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March 03, 2026
Decision quality comes from asking the right questions. Many executives move quickly from problem to solution without systematic thinking. They rely on instinct, experience, and available information, then make the call. Effective executives pause before deciding. They ask questions that significant

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Tags: Management, Leadership

You Can Have Just About Anything, If You’re Willing to Pay the Price
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March 03, 2026
Lately, several friends and clients have told me they’re thinking about taking a new job, and a few are eyeing a promotion. And that’s great. Ambition is good. Growth is good. But in several of those conversations, it became clear they hadn’t fully thought it through. They hadn’t considered

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Tags: Management, Leadership

The Trust Scale
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February 23, 2026
Most people walk into a new relationship with their guard up. If you asked them to rate their trust in a stranger on a scale of 1 to 10, they might say two or three. Maybe four if the first impression is strong. Then, over months or years, they gradually raise the number based on […]
The post

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Tags: Leadership, Management

The Work You Won’t See
Linkedin
February 16, 2026
Last week we discussed focusing on the process instead of the scoreboard. This week, a harder question: ...

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Score Takes Care of Itself
John Spence
February 09, 2026
Bill Walsh took over the San Francisco 49ers in 1979 when they were one of the worst ...

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Relationship Investment Scale
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February 02, 2026
“It isn’t fair that I have to do all the work.” I hear this often when I talk about improving difficult relationships. Someone is struggling with a colleague, a boss, a family member, or a friend. They want things to get better, but they’re frustrated that the other person wo

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Tags: Management, Leadership

The Real Reason People Quit Important Work
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January 26, 2026
Most people quit when the initial excitement wears off. They start strong, fueled by enthusiasm and the energy that comes with something new. Then reality sets in and the work gets harder. And they stop. The novelist Steven Pressfield calls this force Resistance.  Resistance is the enemy that r

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Tags: Management, Leadership

Why Capable People Underperform
Linkedin
January 19, 2026
Most organizational performance issues aren’t caused by weak execution or lack of talent. They’re caused by unclear ...

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Story You Tell Yourself
John Spence
January 12, 2026
Everyone tells themselves stories. Some of those stories are empowering. Others are quietly destructive. The way you ...

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

My Advice for 2026
John Spence
January 07, 2026
Every year, I step back and ask the same question: what should leaders focus on now? In ...

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Core Elements of Trust
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December 15, 2025
Trust is one of the most powerful forces in any organization. It shapes whether people share information or protect it. It determines whether meetings are candid or political. It affects whether teams pull together or drift into silos. I have worked with leadership teams that moved fast and collab

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Tags: Leadership, Management

Building a Great Culture
John Spence
December 08, 2025
Culture shows up in the small, daily behaviors people experience at work. You see it in how leaders speak to their teams and how decisions get made. You also see it in how problems are handled when something goes wrong. Some organizations talk about culture as an abstract concept. Strong organizations treat it as a responsibility that requires clarity, consistency, and care. Every meeting and conversation either strengthens the culture or weakens it.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

How to Interview for High-Level Talent
John Spence
December 01, 2025
After serving as CEO of one of the Rockefeller family foundations, I spent several years acting as a stand-in CEO for a few different organizations. My role was two-part. I was responsible for keeping the organization running smoothly while also leading the search for its next permanent CEO. That included interviewing candidates and bringing the person I believed was best suited to the role to the board for final approval.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

How I Learned to Handle Disagreement Constructively
John Spence
November 24, 2025
Disagreement is not a problem to avoid but a skill to master. In every healthy organization, disagreement is a sign that people care enough to think deeply and speak up. What separates great leaders from everyone else is not whether they disagree but how they do it.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Warren Buffett’s Final Lesson: Success Is Not Measured in Dollars
John Spence
November 17, 2025
I have been teaching that same truth for years. I have worked with billionaires, CEOs, and founders who had more money and influence than most people can imagine. Some were deeply fulfilled. Others were miserable. The difference was never their wealth. It was meaning. Were they living their values? Were they using their success to make life better for others?

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Mentor Who Taught Me How to Learn
John Spence
November 10, 2025
The best leaders I’ve met have one thing in common: they never stop learning. They read constantly, .

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

37 Author Newsletters
The One Thing Your Competitors Cannot Copy
Linkedln
April 29, 2026
I just finished three days serving as the lead instructor for America’s Credit Unions Management and Leadership Institute, one of the premier leadership programs in the credit union industry. As part of the program, several outstanding CEOs were invited to share how they think about leadership, culture, strategy, and the future of their organizations. I wrote last week about several early takeaways from the event, including authenticity, accountability, and the importance of senior leaders being personally involved in culture. This article builds on that same conversation.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

What I Learned From a Room Full of Leaders This Week
Linkedln
April 22, 2026
During one of my workshops, I break the group into small teams and ask them to come up with the five most important characteristics of an ideal leader.
I’ve been doing this for decades and have collected thousands of team reports. This week, for the first time, the top characteristic was authenticity.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Process Keeps Working
Linkedln
April 08, 2026
In the article I published a few weeks ago, I wrote about Bill Walsh, the coach who took the San Francisco 49ers from one of the worst teams in professional football to a dynasty, winning three Super Bowls in nine years. Walsh believed that watching the scoreboard was the wrong focus.

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Leadership Skill You Need Right Now
Linkedln
March 25, 2026
I was preparing to deliver my Leader of the Future keynote and the follow-up workshop when I went back into the research to make sure the material was as current as possible. That work confirmed something I had been watching develop across years of client work: of all the capabilities a leader needs, Adaptability Quotient has moved to the front of the list.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

What Your Silence Is Telling Your Team
Linkedln
March 18, 2026
I recently delivered a workshop on organizational culture to a large group of senior executives from companies around the world. The session covered six elements of what I call a high-performance culture: trustworthy leadership, shared purpose, belonging and connection, empowered collaboration, growth and development, and well-being and recognition. Each element matters, and all of them reinforce one another. However, my recommendation on the frequency of praise drew resistance.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Why the Best Leaders Talk About Love
Linkedln
March 11, 2026
I am currently teaching at the Wharton School of Business as a guest instructor for an executive program serving senior leaders in the financial industry. Between sessions this week, someone who had been in my class last year stopped me in the hallway.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Framework That Improves Executive Decisions
Linkedln
March 04, 2026
Hybrid teams are no longer the "future of work" they are work. But here's the kicker... if you're not intentionally maintaining your culture across both remote and in-office teams, it will default to the loudest, most visible voices. And that is rarely good news for everyone involved.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Real Reason People Quit Important Work
Linkedln
January 28, 2026
Resistance is the enemy that rises every time you attempt something important. It whispers that you’re not ready, that you should wait, that tomorrow would be better. It manufactures urgent tasks that suddenly demand your attention. The voice that tells you if you were talented, the work wouldn’t feel this exhausting.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Story You Tell Yourself
Linkedin
January 14, 2026
The way you talk to yourself creates your identity. It shapes what you believe about your own abilities. That internal narrative, running in the background of your mind, influences every choice you make.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Trust, Love, and Leadership That Lasts
Linkedln
May 07, 2025
I just finished reviewing Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report. The findings are alarming. According to their research, only 21% of employees worldwide were engaged in their work in 2024. The remaining 79% includes both “not engaged” employees—those who are psychologically unattached to their work—and “actively disengaged” employees, who are not only unhappy but also resentful that their needs aren’t being met and are acting out their dissatisfaction.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Navigating Leadership with Emotional Intelligence
Linkedln
November 27, 2024
I’ve noticed a trend. In my leadership training workshops and executive coaching, people downplay the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in leadership. They think it’s too touchy-feely and don’t want to be seen as “emotional.” People believe showing vulnerability is a weakness. They are wrong.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Questions Demand Answers
Linkedln
September 11, 2024
The quality of the questions you ask determines the quality of your life. Being curious is commendable. Wanting to understand the world around you and what others think is essential. However, as the famous author Ursula K Le Guin said, “The only questions that really matter are the ones you ask yourself.”

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Mastering Emotional Intelligence
Linkedln
September 04, 2024
Imagine you’re in a meeting with your leader. The discussion centers on the latest sales numbers. You’ve analyzed the data. Given the down market, the targets they have set are unrealistic. You try to explain this, offering solid evidence and reasoned arguments.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Employees First: A Case Study in Corporate Success
Linkedln
August 28, 2024
Many businesses are hyper-focused on maximizing financial returns. While revenue and profitability goals are essential, prioritizing them above all else can lead to disaster. In my work with companies around the world, I’ve discovered a fundamental truth: organizations that put employees first consistently outperform those that chase monetary success alone.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Power of Referrals in Business
Linkedln
July 24, 2024
Many businesses depend almost exclusively on referrals. A few come to mind right away: real estate agents, financial advisors, lawyers, and accountants. It is rare that someone would Google “lawyers near my location.” They are going to ask their friends to recommend one. Other businesses advertise, but they rely heavily on referrals. Examples include restaurants, dry cleaners, and car repair shops. If you find a mechanic you trust, everyone wants to know about them!

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Maximizing Workforce Confidence and Engagement in 2024
Linkedln
July 17, 2024
The economic landscape in the United States remains strong despite global uncertainties. Workforce confidence is high. Seventy percent of workers feel secure in their jobs, up from 61% in 2021. This reflects the overall strength of the U.S. labor market, which shows resilience even as other parts of the world face challenges.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Urgency: The Catalyst for Change in Tough Economic Times
Linkedln
June 12, 2024
Even though there’s a mandate to reduce headcount, underperforming employees persist, protected by well-meaning managers. Noble intentions, but unsustainable. Continued losses risk everyone’s job.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Why Work-Life Balance Won’t Make You A Better Leader
Linkedln
May 29, 2024
Many leaders stick to a rigid separation between work and home life, convinced it boosts concentration and productivity. However, this often leads to extended office hours, missed family moments, and personal sacrifices for career growth. While it may initially increase productivity, it eventually results in burnout, isolation, and diminishing personal satisfaction and professional output returns.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

War of the Words: The Great Buzzword Purge
Linkedln
May 01, 2024
The English language: a vast and vibrant tapestry of nearly 600,000 magnificent words. Slowly being strangled by a trio of dangerously overused buzzwords. Fear not, fellow wordsmiths! Today, we embark on a noble quest – a crusade to liberate your vocabulary from the shackles of “unprecedented,” “resonate,” and “synergize.”

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Excellence Not Perfection
Linkedln
April 24, 2024
Many years ago, a friend visited me at the company I was running. As we walked around the office, I introduced him to our staff. Each took a minute or two to talk about the projects they were working on. I invited some executive team members to join us for lunch.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

How Adaptability Quotient (AQ) Shapes Effective Leadership
Linkedln
March 27, 2024
As I look at the leadership landscape, I believe there are three quotients that one must have to be an effective leader. The first is IQ, and by this, I do not mean the number; I mean competence. You must be very good at what you do. The next is EQ, emotional intelligence, your ability to understand your emotions, regulate them appropriately, and show empathy.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

I’m Sorry Bob
Business Brief
March 13, 2024
I was recently building a custom AI assistant to help me do research and named it Bob. I gave Bob some very specific commands about the way I wanted him to deliver information. Much to my chagrin, after multiple attempts, Bob still was not giving me what I needed. I decided that Bob wasn’t working out and I would have to remove him from the company. Here is our conversation about his termination.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Riding with Yoda: Advice for a Happier Life
Business Brief
February 28, 2024
I was recently in San Antonio Texas on business. I got an Uber for the 20-minute ride from my hotel to the client’s office. Little did I know that I had gotten in the car with Yoda. Actually, his name was Leo, but he was wise beyond most people I have ever met. During our short ride, he shared powerful ideas about life, family, work, and faith. I gave him my email and asked him to drop me a note. This is the way I make sure people are serious about staying in touch. I have given my email out hundreds of times, and only a handful of people ever send a note. Leo sent a note the next day. Here is our exchange.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

An Essential Tool for Strategy Execution: The Power of Dashboards
Linkedln
February 21, 2024
Creating a robust strategy can be monumental task, but it’s only the beginning. The real challenge, and often the stumbling block for many organizations, is in the execution. The gap between strategic planning and successful implementation is wide. This is where the indispensable tool of a dashboard comes into play. A dashboard is critical for any organization serious about turning its strategic visions into reality.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

The Clear Path to Success: How to Eliminate Mediocrity and Drive Progress
Linkedln
February 14, 2024
One of my favorite business phrases is “ambiguity breeds mediocrity.” When things are unclear, people are uncertain. They don’t know what to focus on. They’re not sure what to do next. Progress comes to a grinding halt. As a leader, creating clarity is your responsibility. Here’s how to do it.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

6 Books
Letters To A CEO
Flycaster & Company
January 01, 2023
For nearly two decades, John Spence has served as a trusted advisor and coach to senior executives at top companies around the globe. They turn to him because of his wealth of experience working with big corporations – to hundreds of small to medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurial start-ups. Because his clients know that he has read a minimum of 120 business books a year since 1989, they will often ask him to summarize the key points of what he has learned on a specific topic into a “letter” that will help them learn a new skill or make a major business decision.

Letters to a CEO is a compilation of the actual letters that John has sent to his clients in the last few years. It covers such critical business topics such as how to make good decisions, increasing accountability throughout the organization, strategic thinking, high-performance teams and much more.

Each letter is only a few pages long but every one is packed with John’s best ideas, insights and lessons learned as the CEO of ten companies. Add the knowledge he gained in reading nearly 3,000 business books in his quest to learn as much as he possibly could on what it takes to build, grow and sustain a highly successful organization and you have Letters to a CEO. Reading this book is like having a top Fortune 500 executive coach standing by to give you great advice whenever you need it.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership

Awesomely Simple - Essential Business Strategies For Turning Ideas Into Action
Jossey-Bass
September 08, 2009
The six core strategies to elevate any business-and how to implement them-made simple

What do the world's most successful companies and organization have in common? And what can you actually take away and use from their examples? Distilling the best fundamental business strategies, trusted advisor and strategist John Spence helps you take a hard look at your business and together develop specific plans and action steps that will allow you to dramatically improve the success of your company.

Delivered in Spence's approachable and straightforward manner, Awesomely Simple reveals the six key strategies that create a foundation for achieving business excellence: Vivid Vision, Best People, A Performance-Oriented Culture, Robust Communication, A Sense of Urgency, and Extreme Customer Focus.

Filled with case studies and clear action items, includes easy-to-follow guidelines for implementing the strategies in any organization no matter its mission or size
After concisely breaking down each strategy, Spence gives specific examples, tips, tools, discussion questions and exercises for how to execute them successfully
A perfect resource for business leaders, Awesomely Simple will help you turn ideas into positive action and achieve lasting business success.

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Tags: Customer Experience, Leadership, Culture

Awesomely Simple
Jossey-Bass
September 01, 2009
What do the world's most successful companies and organizations have in common? And what can you actually take away and use from their examples? Distilling the best fundamental business strategies, trusted advisor and strategist John Spence helps you take a hard look at your business and then to develop specific plans and action steps that will allow you to dramatically improve the success of your company.

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Customer Experience, Leadership

Awesomely Simple: Essential Business Strategies for Turning Ideas into Action
Jossey-Bass
August 01, 2009
The six core strategies to elevate any business - and how to implement them - made simple.

What do the world's most successful companies and organizations have in common? And what can you actually take away and use from their examples? Distilling the best fundamental business strategies, trusted advisor and strategist John Spence helps you take a hard look at your business and then to develop specific plans and action steps that will allow you to dramatically improve the success of your company.

Delivered in Spence's approachable and straightforward manner, Awesomely Simple reveals the six key strategies that create a foundation for achieving business excellence: Vivid Vision, Best People, A Performance-Oriented Culture, Robust Communication, A Sense of Urgency, and Extreme Customer Focus.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

Excellence By Design: Leadership - The Six Key Characterics of Outstanding Leaders
Flycaster & Company
January 01, 2008
A straightforward, practical, and actionable guide designed to teach the essential steps necessary for becoming an extraordinary leader. Solid advice, powerful tools and timeless wisdom on how you can dramatically improve your leadership effectiveness. Lays out the six key characteristics of outstanding leaders.

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Tags: Management, Leadership, Entrepreneurship

Excellence by Design – Leadership
Flycaster & Company
January 01, 2008
Straightforward, practical and actionable guide designed to teach the essential steps necessary for becoming an extraordinary leader. Solid advice, powerful tools and timeless wisdom on how you can dramatically improve your leadership effectiveness. Lays out the six key characteristics of outstanding leaders.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Culture, Leadership

2 Founders
Flycaster & Company
Flycaster & Co.
October 16, 2009
Boutique advertising and marketing company specializing in the marine industry.

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Tags: Entrepreneurship

Managing Partner
John Spence LLC
March 02, 1994
Managing Partner at John Spence LLC, where I provide executive coaching, strategic guidance, workshops, and keynote speeches to organizations worldwide.

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Tags: Leadership, Business Strategy, Coaching

6 Influencer Awards
Power List of the Top 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership in 2022
LeadersHum
February 01, 2023
Other people who receive this award include Gary Vaynerchuk, Marshall Goldsmith, Adam Grant, Simon Sinek, and Dorie Clark

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Tags: Leadership, Coaching

Top 50 Leaders to Watch in America
American Management Association
February 01, 2023
Other recipients of this recognition include Serge Brin and Larry Page of Google and Jeff Bezos of Amazon.

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Tags: Leadership

Thinkers50: 2017 Distinguished Achievement Awards Shortlist - Top 8
Thinkers50
September 01, 2017
Breakthrough Idea Award
The Thinkers50 Breakthrough Idea Award celebrates a Eureka moment in management. It is given for a radical idea, which has the potential to forever change the way we think about business. From Taylorism to the Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, new ideas have challenged what we know about the world. This award is dedicated to the legacy of CK Prahalad, who proved there is nothing so practical as a great idea.

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Tags: Leadership

Top 500 Leadership Development Experts in the World
HR.com
April 10, 2015
John Spence is recognized as one of the top 500 leadership development experts in the world.

Prestigious Leadership Awards salute top leadership practitioners and highlight their roles in the industry.

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Tags: Leadership

Top 5 Small Business Experts America
Small Business Trends
September 19, 2014
Voted as one of the top 5 Small Business Experts in America by small business owners across the United States

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Tags: Entrepreneurship

Top 100 Thought Leader in Trustworthy Business Behavior: Global List
Trust Across America
February 01, 2013
Recipients hail from around the globe and include leaders from the public and private sectors as well as authors, consultants, researchers and academics. Other 2013 recipients include: Richard Branson -Virgin Group, Tony Hsieh – Zappos, Ram Charan - top global business consultant, Thomas Freidman – author, Rosabeth M. Kanter - The Ernest L. Arbuckle Professorship at Harvard Business School, Patrick Lencioni – author, Tom Peters – author, Howard Schultz - CEO of Starbucks.

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Tags: Leadership

1 Speaker Award
100 great leadership speakers for your next conference
Inc. Magazine
December 16, 2014
Presented by Inc. Magazine. Others on the list included Sir Richard Branson, Ken Blanchard, Bob Berg, Dori Clark, Marshall Goldsmith, John Kotter, Gary Hamel, and John Maxwell.

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Tags: Leadership

2 Trainings
Securities Industry Institute – Wharton School of Business
Securities and Financial Management Association (SIFMA)
March 12, 2001
The Securities Industry Institute is recognized worldwide as the premier development program for securities industry professionals. Now in its 60th year, the Securities Industry Institute focuses on helping participants broaden their perspectives, increase job effectiveness and strengthen management skills.

SII utilizes a variety of class formats from general sessions to individual electives, panel discussions to small workshops; many supplemented with pre-course work and case studies. The curriculum embraces a combination of practical information, theory, and broad issues. Participants who complete this intensive three-year program receive a certificate of completion that is recognized among the leading firms in the industry.

During my more than two decades as an instructor, the programs I have delivered at the Institute include leadership, strategic thinking/strategic planning, organizational culture, high-performance teams, the future of business, accountability and business excellence.

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Tags: Business Strategy

Global Leadership Development Program – Senior Instructor
Merrill Lynch
April 01, 1997
Serving as a consultant, I delivered highly customized training programs and executive coaching to employees at all levels across the organization, from financial managers to the C-Suite. I also served as a senior instructor for the Global Leadership and Development Program for high-potentials. Areas that I focused on for this client included leadership, strategic thinking, high-performance teams, conflict resolution, presentation skills, communication effectiveness, and negotiations.

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Tags: Leadership, Coaching

1 Whitepaper
The Journey To Thought Leadership: 13 Steps To Take You There
John Spence LLC.
August 20, 2024
I never had the goal of becoming a Thought Leader. My focus has always been on doing great work. The accolades have been a fruit of that labor. Today our company's mission is for me to be consistently ranked as one of the top 100 Thought Leaders in the world. This is not about ego. It is about doing the quality of work that allows me to be considered for those awards. From a business standpoint, quality work at that level equals more and happier clients.

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Tags: Entrepreneurship, Leadership

Thinkers360 Certifications

7 Certifications

Thinkers360 Credentials

5 Badges

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Opportunities

1 Business Consulting
Executive Coaching

Location: Global    Fees: $4,000 per month

Service Type: Service Offered

Executive Coaching and Business Advisory:
As an executive coach, I have worked with numerous leaders, from small companies to the C-Suite, in global organizations. I provide personalized guidance, helping individuals maximize their potential, refine their leadership skills, and achieve their professional goals. Through insightful coaching sessions, I assist executives in navigating challenges, enhancing their decision-making abilities, and driving sustainable growth. For many clients, I coach their entire executive team, helping them become a more cohesive and effective high-performance team.

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1 Keynote
Keynotes on Business Topics

Location: Global    Fees: $20,000 + Travel

Service Type: Service Offered

Keynote Speaking:
As a keynote speaker, I specialize in turning complex business concepts into actionable strategies. Each presentation is custom-tailored backed by in-depth research and real-world experience. My presentations and workshops are fast-paced, content-rich, and focused on delivering ideas and tools that the audience members can implement immediately. Whether to a small group of executives or more than 20,000 people in the audience, I have the experience to deliver excellence in every presentation.

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1 Speaker
Training and Development Programs

Location: Global    Fees: $20,000 + Travel

Service Type: Service Offered

Training Programs
I have a proven track record of designing and delivering comprehensive training programs for over 30 Fortune 500 companies, smaller private companies, and professional associations. These programs cover a wide range of topics, including leadership development, strategy, high-performance teams, and organizational culture.

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Events

4 Physical Events
Growth Faculty Master Class - Annual

Location: Australia    Date : March 22, 2013     Organizer: The Growth Faculty

For more than a decade I have delivered multiple master classes each year. I continue to deliver these classes.

The Growth Faculty is a leading provider of world-class education for executives and leadership teams, with speaker events featuring Jim Collins, Simon Sinek, Hillary Clinton, George Clooney, Malcolm Gladwell, Patrick Lencioni, John Maxwell, and Liz Wiseman, to name a few.

I deliver Masterclasses on leadership, business excellence, organizational culture and, strategic planning/execution.

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Entrepreneurial Masters Program – EO events worldwide - Annual

Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology    Date : March 01, 2005     Organizer: Entrepreneurs Organization

I continue to deliver classes as a guest instructor for dozens of EO chapters worldwide including Singapore, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and the United States. I have delivered programs on business excellence, leadership, strategic planning, and organizational culture. I was also an instructor at the highly regarded Entrepreneurial Masters Program hosted at MIT.

The Entrepreneurial Masters Program (EMP) brings together 65 remarkable entrepreneurs for four days at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

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Management and Leadership Institute - Annual

Location: Baltimore    Date : October 01, 2007     Organizer: National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions

Since 2007 I have served as a senior instructor at the annual Management and Leadership Conference, delivering the cornerstone class on the Key Characteristics of Highly Effective Leaders. This event is the premier educational and leadership development program in the credit union industry and is an intensive three-day program developed to help high-potential employees garner the skills necessary to lead their credit union.

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Security industries Institute

Location: Wharton School of Business    Date : March 21, 2021     Organizer: Securities Industry and Financial Management Association

The Securities Industry Institute is recognized worldwide as the premier development program for securities industry professionals. Now in its 60th year, the Securities Industry Institute focuses on helping participants broaden their perspectives, increase job effectiveness and strengthen management skills.

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