I first entered John ‘zone of influence’ in the early 2000’s. Initially, our relationship was built on a professional basis. As a contractor to John’s very successful construction company, I was managed accordingly. Throughout this phase, I learned that John was a business man; that the point of difference was a yearning for continual improvement and intolerance for inefficiency. Needless to say, this would set the tone for our developing relationship and would ensure I was dragged along the journey, albeit willingly.

Eventually, circumstances provided me with the opportunity to work for John as a direct employee. This was where I gain my first real insight into John’s ability to drive endless improvement and his ability to identify the strengths of his employees. It was easy to see that John had done a lot of ‘work’ on himself and was ever aware of his own shortcomings (no pun intended). I firmly believe the best leaders are those that have instigated and achieved positive change to achieve personal goals. 

There is no doubt that in my time working for John, he was able to nurture my best qualities, utilise them for the best of the business and illustrate to me what I was worth. He helped me develop and progress throughout my professional career whilst reporting to him and still does from afar today. John has been one of the very few people in my life that has been able to challenge me to do better and to think deeply about what would benefit the fulfilment of my life. This challenge is never in the form of a robust discussion but always in open and revealing questions that allow self-reflection and kick start growth.

In the twenty something years I have been in his zone of influence, he has been my Client, my boss, my furore, my inspiration, my mentor and my mate. If you ever need to know the truth, ask John. If you need financial advice, ask John. If you ever need to know what you can improve on, ask John. Or if you ever want to just chew the fat, you can talk to John. Expect genuine and non-sympathetic discussion with one of the planet’s deepest thinkers and with a guy that is still evolving himself.