There is great freedom in being yourself. I believe that a lot of people have been made to feel irrelevant not knowing that they matter. I grew up that way. When I was young we were so poor. Nobody cared about what I had to say. My siblings and I, we had dirty clothes. We probably smelled. We didn’t have Christmas. We didn’t even have electricity. We didn’t have anything. If you think about the way that society views them or… pity isn’t fun to receive. There wasn’t a whole lot of respect there, but I think that in today’s world that things are a little bit different.

That we’re more… it’s more visible that people matter differently. Each individual matters.

A bit from the episode…

“Mary Lou Kayser: Yeah. You’re describing a really common problem for companies of all sizes. It’s just the number that changes. A company of your size maybe can handle… you see your ability to handle 10,000 projects a month versus three, which is a three time, three x or three and a half x almost increase. And that evolution of a leader, which you have gone through, John, you’re still going it, right? You started by swinging a hammer, or carrying sheet rock, or roofing, or whatever you did when you were in your teens, to now you are in charge of a team of people who are doing those things for others.

I’m sure that during this journey there’s been a time when you found yourself playing out of position when you got up and looked around and said, I don’t know what on earth I’m doing, you were metaphorically sacked, intercepted, you fumbled the ball, which caused you to lose the game. Could you tell us that specific story about what happened? And then how did you recover?

John Fairclough: I don’t fumble. No, true statement. I hold on to the ball.

Mary Lou Kayser: But you get sacked.

John Fairclough: In our 20 years we’ve had one year that we lost money and in that year we took on hits where we lost… our two biggest accounts stopped spending money and they were 80% of our business. We lost 70% of our revenue, inside of two weeks, because of the crash. We withstood it. The following year we broke even. Then the following year we had our biggest profit year, ever.

Mary Lou Kayser: What do you attribute that turn around too?

John Fairclough: I think that the reason for this has to do… if we look at skill set, I think in that time I was allowed to be me. You talk about playing your position, I like the ball and I want to take the shot. I want to do what’s required.“

Ready or more? Be Sure to Listen to the Full Podcast or Read the Transcript!

About the Host

“Mary Lou Kayser is the Founder and CAO (Chief Adventure Officer) of The Kingfisher Experience, teaching timeless leadership and communication principles with a touch of imagination, contrariness and fun.  •  She is a popular workshop facilitator, coach and host of the PYP Podcast, as well as the author of several interesting books including Personal Branding Secrets for Beginners.  •  Mary Lou has been a white water rafting guide in Alaska, a high school and college English teacher, a website developer, a ghostwriter and a mom.  •  She has traveled extensively throughout the United States and abroad, enjoying many exciting adventures including climbing the Great Wall of China, cycle touring both islands of New Zealand and body surfing on Manly Beach in Australia. She enjoys tailgating before Oregon Ducks football games and loves whichever NFL team where Marcus Mariota is the quarterback. Mary Lou believes that with daily practice and some discipline, everyone has the capacity to authentically lead and express themselves in a way that brings them and everyone around them greater happiness and joy. ”

Link to the podcast