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weLEAD Leadership Series

Exclusive interview with

John Fuhrman

Interviewed by Greg Thomas

John Fuhrman is today's Renascence Man. In addition to speaking all over the world, having books published in several languages, and being committed to building leaders, John is also the developer of several highly successful Web based businesses which are aimed at specific industries - sales, automotive and training to name a few. His current venture ties in his servant leader abilities and is aimed at helping individuals duplicate his success. This interview was a result of a weLEAD book review of his book, Leading Leaders to Leadership

To read the review click here.

1. John, as a best selling author and speaker, tell us about your background and what attracted you toward leadership topics?

From a career perspective, I began working in sales. I was fortunate enough to have someone take me under his wing and share some tips on success. The first thing he told me was that in order to make a lot of money in sales, you must be willing to take the smallest possible commission. At first I didn't understand what he meant. However, I came to discover that what he revealed was the secret to massive success. By opening my eyes to the smallest possible commission, I would be able to actually see many possible opportunities. In other words, those who only focus on selling high profit items, miss every other sale that comes into their lives.

This same mentor began training me in a way that very few managers, leaders, or supervisors do. From my very first day, he was training me to replace him. Not right away, but when the time came, we would both be ready to move on and move up. He was a true servant leader. His concern wasn't for protecting his job, income, territory, or anything like that. His concern was to make certain that everyone who worked with him achieved their maximum potential. I later learned that he trained everyone to replace him. His success was that he led without screaming for others to follow him. You were drawn in by his sincere example.

As I became a writer, I used those same principles in determining how I wrote rather than what I wrote. Eventually the opportunity presented itself to dedicate a whole work to the concept of leadership, and that's when I wrote "Leading Leaders to Leadership."

2. Your excellent book, Leading Leaders to Leadership defines leadership as not dictating to others but "influencing others by example." You openly mention servant-leadership in your writings. How did you discover this concept and how did you decide it was the most effective way to lead others?

I believe we all have servant leadership abilities inside us. However, unless one has the opportunity to practice this method and then see the results, it often becomes filed away and replaced by demanding respect rather than earning it. For me, it was that I had the opportunity to not only see it work, but to succeed as a benefit of being part of a servant leader relationship.

It's effectiveness is almost undetected. To the untrained, it seems as if you are passively willing to do the work for others and then give them credit. If that's all that happens, one might be continuously taken advantage of. However, once others see that you are consistently achieving your desired goals, they begin to give it a try. Then the proof speaks for itself.

3. In chapter 6 you discuss a quality we should avoid, in order to reach our goals. One point you make is that if we are not willing to make mistakes and risk failure, we have already reached our potential! In a world that teaches us to "play it safe" and be risk-adverse, why is this important?

The conflict of "playing it safe" can be confusing. If you have dedicated yourself to a task, career, or other objective, and ultimately achieved it, then yes, relax, enjoy it and play it safe. But if you want other things out of life, you must be willing to risk the possibility of failing. Unless you are willing to take that risk, success is impossible. Because the only way to avoid the risk of failing is to do nothing - and no one ever succeeded doing that.

What really holds people back is not the fact that they might not get it right the first time; rather it's a fear of failure. But I've learned there is a huge difference between failing and failure. Failing is the actual event. The only way to have something fail is if you make an attempt. Should you look at the results, make adjustments and go at it again, eventually you will arrive at your destination. But if you let the event, or the result of the event take control, then you become a failure.

4. Chapter 15 is aptly entitled, "Don't Follow the Followers." In it you stress the importance of making above average decisions. Could you elaborate on this concept further?

Look around you. See your friends, co-workers, and others that you've known for a number of years. IF you tell me what they earn for income, I'll probably be able to guess your income as well. Why? You've created an average for your group. As long as you all continue to make the same "average" decisions, you'll all be in the same place five years from now. The only escape is to do something different. That can't happen until you first change your thinking. Thinking above average.

For example, suppose you really and truly liked this group. You'd like to all retire and go on vacations together. You soon realize that for this to occur, you need to find an increased source of additional income. You then realize that to accomplish this, you'll have to give up some "Free time" to help create this new cash flow. Makes sense, doesn't it?

Yet, if you had five people in the group, four of them will come up with a multitude of reasons why you shouldn't even consider anything different. As I said, if you're truly happy with where you are in life, don't consider anything. But, if you'd like something better, you must be willing to do something different. Nothing profound in that.

5. As a consultant and author, you obviously meet a lot of people desiring to learn more about leadership. What do you believe is the single biggest obstacle that limits people from reaching their goals or dreams?

Without sounding too off the cuff, the most common thing missing, or the biggest obstacle is actually that most people do not have any dreams and goals. The majority of people who live paycheck to paycheck are in that position because that has become their goal. They just want to make it till payday. And, lo and behold, they do.

If they would just let their imagination run a bit wild, they may find something to be passionate about. Then, if they find other like-thinking people and work toward helping them achieve, their goals will almost be automatic.

6. Any leadership projects or books planned for the future? What are some of John Fuhrman's future goals?

I am always writing. Some of it may eventually make it into a book. But, I am very excited about a book that is just being finished. It's the first time I've used fiction to make my points. It's a parable about leadership. I chose this format because I'm beginning to see that people like stories that let them reach their own conclusions.

My other goal is very clear. I am working with a group of like-minded individuals on a project for helping other people succeed. Our specific goal is to help 75 people become millionaires by the end of 2008. It's a simple program but it isn't easy. We are looking for those who are willing to stretch and get uncomfortable. The program is very doable. However, finding truly committed people is our biggest challenge. Many people would love to be millionaires. A very select few are willing to do the work and take the risk necessary to make it happen -- even if it's virtually guaranteed.

Thank you John for your time and for providing some of your leadership knowledge with us!

To see the complete weLEAD Leadership Series please click here!

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