MOXIE is the guts, gumption and determination focused toward achieving a defined goal

John Baldoni is an internationally recognized leadership educator, executive coach and speaks throughout North America and Europe.

John is the author of more than a dozen books, including MOXIE: The Secret to Bold and Gutsy Leadership, Lead with Purpose, Lead Your Boss, and The Leader’s Pocket Guide. In 2014, Trust Across America named him to its list of top 100 most trustworthy business experts. Also in 2014 Global Gurus ranked John No. 11 on its list of global leadership experts.

John has authored more than 500 leadership columns for a variety of online publications including Forbes, Harvard Business Review and Bloomberg Businessweek. John is chair of the leadership development practice of N2growth, a global leadership consultancy. His leadership resource website is www.johnbaldoni.com

 

BusinessInterviews.com: When did you realize that you had a passion for Leadership?

John:   My passion for leadership emerges from role models such as my parents and teachers as well as the many executives with whom I have worked. Leadership is often the edge that distinguishes successful organizations from those that fail.

 

BusinessInterviews.com: What inspired the title of your most recent book?

John:  MOXIE is rooted in the concept of resilience. The word as slang was popularized in films of the Thirties and Forties. It was often applied to characters who show grit and resolve in the face of tough odds.

I believe that all of us have the ability to draw upon our inner resolve to overcome adversity. Some challenges may take years to surmount but if we persist we will achieve our intended goals, or at least come to a place of peace about what we can achieve, and ultimately will achieve.

Leaders with MOXIE have fire, drive, determination and street smarts. They make good things happen for themselves and their organizations.

 

BusinessInterviews.com: Moxie is your thirteenth book. What insights and lessons are you sharing with readers that you haven’t revealed before?

John:  MOXIE explores new territory for me. I turned the word into an acronym for what leaders need to do to prepare themselves to live more fulfilled work lives. Specifically we need to be:

Mindfulness – be aware of yourself and your situation

Opportunity – turn problems into possibilities

X-Factor – put your character in service to others

Innovation – enable self and others to think and do differently

Engagement – tap into the hearts and minds of your people

These five concepts combine in ways that make people resourceful and resolute as well as capable of leading others to achieve intended goals.

 

BusinessInterviews.com: Can you talk about the importance of self-awareness when it comes to good leadership? What would you say to someone who feels they they’re too busy or disinterested in developing a more mindful approach to their leadership style?

John:   Research from Hay Group shows that only a fifth of all executives demonstrate self-awareness. What that study reveals is the executives are often too busy managing others rather than themselves. This is a mistake. We all need to take time to focus on learning more about ourselves so that we can lead more effectively. Mindfulness is a process that enables us to live more in the present as well as be more cognizant of what is happening around us.

 

BusinessInterviews.com: You’re also the chair of the leadership development practice at N2growth, a global leadership consultancy. What are some of the most common issues you see your clients facing on a regular basis?

John:  Most businesses struggle to a degree with issues related to vision, strategy and execution. Such issues often find solution and resolution when the organization focuses on its purpose: what it is and where it wants to go. When an organization is purposeful, it enables everyone in the organization to know the mission and do what is necessary to fulfill it.

 

BusinessInterviews.com: Can you talk about the art of turning conflicts into win-win opportunities?

John:  Conflicts can be opportunities for success. When a leader can use the conflict as an opportunity to learn more about the issue and the people involved, he or she can focus energy on reaching resolution that delivers a win-win opportunity. The challenge is to face the conflict by deescalating the tension related to personality and escalate the energy toward finding a solution.

 

BusinessInterviews.com: What are some ways that successful leaders can take opportunities to the next level?

John:  Opportunistic leaders are those who see possibilities that others do not. They make connections that link the talents of their people with the potential of the marketplace. In business, such companies deliver products and services that consumers want to embrace. In the nonprofit world, such organizations contribute solutions that improve the lives of individuals and society.

 

BusinessInterviews.com: Has your definition of success changed and evolved during the course of your career?

John:  Age has a way of mellowing the excited passion of youth into the determined passion of middle age. My goal is to help others channel their passion into actions that benefit themselves and all those with whom they interact.