John Reid Of JMReid Group: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times

An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis

Be present: Give people your attention. They are your most important asset so treat them as such.

John Reid is the Founder, President and Lead Designer of JMReid Group, a global behavior change organization specializing in leadership, development, sales effectiveness and skill enhancement. After John survived three bouts of cancer, he decided to pursue his passion for learning and development. John pursued this passion with a belief that people want to get better and can get better, but it is often the manner in which traditional training is designed and delivered that makes this desire for growth difficult.

As the lead designer for JMReid Group, John shifts the design emphasis from models and intellectual property to a learning experience that is relevant to the learner’s real world, taps into participants’ wisdom and is engaging and sustainable. His is a clearly learner-centric approach.

John is the author of Moving from Models to Mindsets: Rethinking the Sales Conversation and the upcoming book, The Five Lost Superpowers.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I’m the youngest of five from Rockville Maryland — and attended the University of Maryland. My first job out of college was with Dow Chemical despite never having taken a chemistry course. I found success as a sales representative because I was wildly curious and willing to be vulnerable. I also knew that people love to talk about what they do — so I let it happen.

My chemical career lasted 16 years with four different firms. I moved up the ladder to a Business Manager role with P & L Responsibility. I decided to make these moves after I felt I learned all that I could from the organization and/or my role.

I was consistently asked to make internal presentations or deliver training, so I started to have a real interest in training and development. The first of four bouts with cancer (sarcoma) led me to transition and take the leap to training and development where I started out as a salesperson.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?

I don’t have a funny first starting story — I have later ones!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

One of my first managers at Dow Chemical was a leader named Ken Koza. He was a really solid and good human being, and really smart to boot. At the time I had worked for a couple of other managers and was about three years into my career. At that time I was a young bull, full of energy, in a china closet and it had never been addressed. Ken was the first to notice my potential as well as my problem. He used an analogy: I was out in the field on a tractor and I was moving. I had to learn how to form more lines and less random shapes.

Because he was willing to tell me the truth, I felt valued and respected. I valued his ability to perceive and share what I needed to change in order to grow.

Extensive research suggests that “purpose driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When your company started, what was its vision, what was its purpose?

It was more based on a set of principles or values than a purpose or vision. The core principles were in response to what I had seen in the training and development industry. A couple of fundamental wrong-headed beliefs:

• Their model or content was THE ANSWER.
• That participants are bad and needed to get to good.
• The facilitator should be the smartest person in the room.
• Since the content/model is the answer — design and participant engagement were less important.

So we wanted to differentiate on a couple of principles:

• Context is King.
• There is Wisdom in the Room.
• Design Matters.
• Learning is Journey.

Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times?

My leadership style does not change much, partly because I believe uncertainty has been part of the world we live in since well we all first showed up. However, there are some core principles that myself and my team all hold each other accountable to:

• Be Authentic.
• Have a Perspective.
• Give Grace.
• Keep Learning.

Beyond these principles, I strive to always be transparent on the company’s performance, be candid and in the moment with feedback, recognize good performance, and strive to make the work fun.

Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?

I’ve never considered giving up. My motivation comes from my four kids, mortgages, and doing something I am passionate about. I will say that it helped that we were successful fairly quickly.

What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?

To consistently be in conversation with your team.

When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate and engage their team?

Well there is no one-size-fits-all, so you have to get to know your people and what they value. You have to be attentive. Just treating people with respect, apologizing when you are wrong and letting them know they matter. Also giving unexpected perks, like bonuses or adding days off to an upcoming holiday, are always really appreciated.

What is the best way to communicate difficult news to one’s team and customers?

Communicate directly, and think about the situation almost solely from their perspective. We follow the mantra of “speak respectfully of the past, honestly about the present, and optimistically about the future.”

How can a leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?

Plans, as they say, are useless but planning is everything. My team and I think about where we want to be a year from now and what investments we need to make for that to happen. It’s all about agility these days; trying lots of different things, doing things that are not considered “what we do,” and broadening how you think about your business.

Is there a “number one principle” that can help guide a company through the ups and downs of turbulent times?

I am loath to use sports metaphors, but it works in this case. What’s your lifetime batting average? If you are a lifetime >.300 hitter, then you will probably be fine. Your track record matters. You most likely are doing most things right, and the adjustment is not that hard.

It would be a much different conversation if your “batting average” weren’t great. Trusting where you’ve been helps you trust where you’re going.

Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?

I have three:

1. They think they have a cost problem when they have a revenue problem.
2. Their defined product, service, or business model is fixed.
3. Irresponsible cash flow management.

Generating new business, increasing your profits, or at least maintaining your financial stability can be challenging during good times, even more so during turbulent times. Can you share some of the strategies you use to keep forging ahead and not lose growth traction during a difficult economy?

These are a few of the things I focus on in my business:

• Investing in lead generation and marketing.
• Deepen relationships with existing clients.
• Maintaining your sense of humor and enthusiasm.
• Cutting across industries — again avoid getting to narrow.

Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.

Here are the things that I (and my team) value most in leadership:

• Be present: Give people your attention. They are your most important asset so treat them as such.
• Communicate: Always have communication be two-way so you’re in conversation as much as possible. Talk about non-business issues to deepen rapport and trust; care about them as a whole person.
• Be a good steward: Model what you are asking others to be. Be a person of integrity where your words and deeds align.
• Reduce stress and anxiety: Be playful and curious; it generates creativity, innovation, and engagement. Give corrective feedback immediately and then let it go. Provide context and focus.
• Treat your team like owners: Let your team buy what they need to do their jobs to their best abilities. Let them buy a new desk chair or an upgraded phone — if you as the owner do it without a second thought, allow your team to make those same decisions.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”?

“You are just a person with a perspective. Look at you and your shiny point of view. Congratulations. Your success and growth will be in understanding others points of view.”

How can our readers further follow your work?

They can visit our website: www.jmreidgroup.com or find me on LinkedIn.

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!

---

John Reid Of JMReid Group: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.