Q+A with Jon Gordon

Jon Gordon's best-selling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous NFL, NBA, MLB coaches and teams, Fortune 500 companies, school districts, hospitals and non-profits. He is the author of numerous books including The Wall Street Journal bestseller The Energy Bus, Soup,The No Complaining Rule, Training Camp, and The Carpenter. Jon and his tips have been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Fox and Friends and in numerous magazines and newspapers. His clients include The Atlanta Falcons, LA Clippers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Campbell Soup, Wells Fargo, Northwestern Mutual, Publix, Southwest Airlines, Bayer, West Point Academy and more.Jon and I connected via twitter about a year ago and he was kind enough to send me a few of his books to read. I was hooked and highly recommend them to everyone. They are inspiring, challenging, motivating, and full of wisdom.  Jon was gracious to do a Q+A with me on a variety of issues including his career change, his faith, and his connection to the world of sports.Me: When did you first know you would be an author?Jon: At 23 years old I listened to a CD by Les Brown “You have to live your dreams”. I wrote  him a letter telling him I wanted to do what he did but never heard back. I forgot about that for a while and became a teacher, opened a bar/restaurant in Buckhead (Atlanta) went to law school, ran for city council, joined a dot com to make my millions (it never happened) and at 31 years old my life was falling apart. I remember praying and asking God what I was born to do. Why am I here? I heard the words writing and speaking. I started shortly after that.Me: What was that moment when you realized - "this is what I was called to do" ?Jon: My first talk was to a group of insurance agents at New York Life in Jacksonville where I lived. For my fourth talk I spoke to a group for Cingular Wireless (not even a brand anymore) and they paid me $500. I thought, wow I love this and I can do this. I did about 80 free talks early on and it helped me improve. It’s never been about the money. I realized I was called to do this. I still do about 12 free talks each year to give back and remember the beginning.Me: Who were your biggest influencers early in your career?Jon: Ken Blanchard for sure. He wrote the One Minute Manager and was my role model and guide for the kind of writer and speaker I wanted to become. We just did a one day workshop together about The Power of Positive Leadership and it was one of the highlights of my life. I also admired Pat Lencioni who wrote 5 Dysfunctions of a Team and of course Zig Ziglar.Me: I've read 3 of your books "Energy Bus" "Training Camp" and "The Carpenter" --- They've all had a great influence on me as a leader but also as a person. Did you always have in your mind to write leadership books as parables?Jon: Thanks for reading them. I never wrote a story before. But one day while walking, The Energy Bus came to me. I went back to my home office and started writing it. I didn’t have a publisher but just said I’m going to write this book. I wrote it in 3 and ½ weeks. Filled with divine inspiration I felt it was special. After that God gave me a vision for everyone of the fables I have written. I get a vision of the story and the framework. Then I sit down and start writing and the lessons come alive and the characters and story dictates what happens inside the framework. Each book I’ve written takes about 3 weeks. I give all credit to God. He’s the author. I’m the pen.Me: On my desk at work, I have, what you have deemed in "The Carpenter" as the greatest success model -- "LOVE, SERVE, CARE" -- Why do you believe that is the ultimate success model?Jon: It’s the ultimate success model because when you do these 3 things you will grow and improve your family, career, your team, your organization, and life. People often ask me Jon how do I become I leader. I tell them it’s simple. You do these three things. You love, serve and care and you are a leader. It’s hard to dispute that Jesus was the greatest leader ever. If you study his leadership model he did these 3 things. He loved his team. He loved everyone. He said it was the most important thing we could do. Then he served and told us to do the same. He washed the feet of his disciples, something a Jewish slave at the time wouldn’t even do,  and throughout history hospitals, schools, the Red Cross, homeless shelters, etc. were all started because of Jesus and the way he lived and lessons he shared. Lastly Jesus showed he cared through his actions. I realized that when we care we stand out in a world where most don’t care. When we care our team knows it and our customers feel it. Caring where you are causes you to grow where you dream to be.Me: In "The Energy Bus" you talk about not wanting "no energy vampires" around --- Explain that?Jon: Energy vampires are negative people who suck the energy out of you. When building a team it’s important not to allow negativity to sabotage the team. It happens way too often. I think it’s why so many coaches have used The Energy Bus with their teams. It helps them weed the negative and feed the positive and as a result you create a better culture, improve team chemistry and develop high performing team.Me: Your books have opened doors for you to work with professional sports teams. How did that come about?Jon: Energy Bus is the reason why I started working with teams. Jack Del Rio used it with the Jaguars in 2007. Mike Smith used it his first year with the Falcons and the year they went to the NFC championship. University of Texas Football read it and I spoke to the team the year they went to the national championship and lost to Alabama. It started getting around and many college and pro coaches started to read it and would then invite me to speak. The idea for Training Camp came to me when I left the Falcons training facility the first year I spoke to them about Energy Bus during training camp. I saw the book title and story on the way to the airport. It’s my favorite book I’ve written.Me: When and how did your walk with faith begin?Jon: I always believed in God. I always felt like God was watching over me and had a plan for me. I grew up in a Jewish-Italian family but we didn’t go to church or temple. I was a new-ager in my twenties and studied all religions and read a  lot of books on Buddhism. Around the time my life was falling apart a friend gave me a CD of a sermon by Erwin McManus titled “Why I follow Jesus.”. It really spoke to me and for the first time I thought maybe there is something to this guy. So I asked God if Jesus was who he said he was, show me the signs. I started seeing the signs everywhere. It was wild. I started reading more about Jesus and he words he spoke, lessons he shared and the way we lived and led. I thought how could you not want to follow him. But truth be told I had met so many judgmental and hypocritical Christians that it was holding me back. I met Erwin McManus and we spoke and told him how I felt. He said, “Jon don’t’ let Christians keep you from Jesus.” A few other incredible things happened and I realized I couldn’t save myself. I needed a savior and I believed it was Jesus. After that everything in my life changed and I can see how God has transformed my heart and my life.Me: How do you balance speaking to secular companies and incorporating your faith?Jon: I speak to many secular companies and give a talk on How to build a great team, or the power of positive leadership or a culture of greatness and other topics. I share principles that last but I really don’t talk about my faith in these settings. As people get to know me and follow me on social media my faith shines through but I respect the wishes of the client and the understanding that there is a time and place for a faith message. I believe you have to be someone people want to follow before they will follow a message you share. If I help people get better then they will want to know more about what inspires me to do the work I do.Me: What's the most important thing in your life?Jon: I tell people I know why I am here. To be a great husband and father to my two children. To write the books I write and encourage people. And to give my time and energy and money to charities that change lives.Me: How do you balance being a Dad, a husband, and being in demand to speak and travel?Jon: It was really hard a few years ago because I was accepting every invitation. I was traveling all the time.  Now with two children who are 16 and 14 I realize I need to be there for them and be home a lot more. So now I only do 4 to 5 events per month and I’m home the rest of the time. It’s a lot harder to be home but I know in the long run I won’t have any regrets. I know I will have done everything I can do to be a great Dad.  I look at the seasons of life and realize this is one season. When they go off to college God willing, I will then travel a lot more. I have also been doing more skypes with businesses and teams, which is much more affordable for them, and it has been very effective.Me: When is your next book coming out?Jon: It comes out in May. It’s about how to be a Great Teammate. This one is not a fable. It’s a true story about a lacrosse player who died on the field in 2004. Yet the impact he has had on his team and program grows stronger each year. He was the ultimate teammate and I share how we can be more like him. I became a better person writing this book.Me: What makes a great leader?Jon: A great leader creates a great culture. They share a vision of where their organization/team is going. They repeat the vision often. They are optimistic and believe they can create a brighter and better future. They believe in others more than they believe in themselves. They weed the negativity from their organization. . They love, serve and care and rally people with a bigger purpose to make a difference.Me: Last question. You can have dinner with 3 people (dead or alive), who are you choosing?Jon: Jesus, Abraham Lincoln, and one more meal with my mom who passed away 8 years ago.You can learn more about Jon and buy his books at http://jongordon.com/.