How to Get Appointments with Almost Anyone

Posted by & filed under Leadership, Professional Development, Sales.

Sound Familiar?

  • More AppointmentsEveryone is so overwhelmed that it’s nearly impossible to get their attention.
  • No one picks up the phone, returns calls, emails, or texts.
  • The noise level is so high that everyone seems constantly distracted.

The Solution: Change Your Approach to Fit the Market — Instead of Expecting the Market to Change for You

Your biggest obstacle to securing visits and appointments with ideal new clients (and even existing ones) is likely this: playing the victim to circumstances and other people. This can be a difficult truth to accept. However, as Viktor Frankl — Auschwitz survivor and author of the classic book Man’s Search for Meaning — wisely observed:

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

He meant changing our outlook and context. With that in mind, I encourage you to ask yourself these three key questions:

3 Key Questions

  1. What are my current beliefs and attitude — in other words, my context — about getting appointments?
  2. What are the real keys to getting visits with new prospects?
  3. What are the keys to getting visits with existing customers?

The Marketing-Driven Context
As the rainmaker for the four firms I founded, I learned that complaining about circumstances or people gets us nowhere. Instead, we must treat the market as our Guiding Light. That means facing reality head-on through Awareness, Acceptance, and Adaptation.

The most effective approach is to learn and apply the three keys to securing new appointments with prospects and the three keys to re-engaging existing clients.

Three JMR Support Options

  1. Complimentary 1-on-1 conversation – A no-obligation discussion focused on the 3 keys to getting visits with almost anyone.
  2. Free DISC and Sales Profile (one per company) – Gain valuable insight into how you are perceived by others and 20-minute coaching session on one close to use with each style.
  3. One month of complimentary company support – A review of your current sales program with a discussion of The Real ABC’s of a 5-Star Sales Program, built on your culture.

Link: The Real ABC’s of a 5-Star Sales Program

P.S. Email me if you would like a summary of Viktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning.

The #1 Killer of Initiative, Innovation, and Morale in Your Company

Posted by & filed under Continuous Improvement, Leadership, Professional Development.

In today’s fast-paced, competitive environment, organizations either adapt and thrive—or stagnate and decline. Yet many leaders unknowingly sabotage their own success. The single greatest threat to initiative, innovation, and employee morale is often not external competition or market shifts, but internal structural and cultural barriers.

The most common culprits include:

  • Centralized decision-making — where all roads lead to the top executive, creating a bottleneck that stifles speed, creativity, and ownership.
  • Outdated hierarchical models — the classic “hail to the king/queen” structure, where the focus is on serving leadership rather than the true source of all value: the customer who pays everyone’s salary.
  • Absence of a clear, defined culture and game plan — leading to disorganization, misalignment, confusion, and frustration across the team.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

These issues quietly erode the energy, engagement, and forward momentum that drive sustainable growth.

As leaders, we face a stark reality: change or die. To survive and prosper, every person in the organization must be empowered to act as the leader they can become—mastering their craft, making decisions that serve the bigger picture, and consistently supporting what truly sustains us all.

Think of your company as the golden goose — the source of ongoing value, security, and opportunity for you, your team, and your stakeholders. Nurture it with care, and it will provide abundantly for the long term. But allow ego, short-term greed, or misaligned priorities to dominate, and you risk killing the goose entirely.

For a deeper exploration of this timeless principle, read my article:

The Golden Goose is Your Company → www.johnruh.com/golden-goose-is-your-company/

A Proven Path Forward: The Customer-Focused Entrepreneurial Model

The permanent solution lies in shifting to a Customer-Focused Entrepreneurial Model. This approach:

  • Aligns every role, decision, and process around delighting the customer (through exceptional results and communication that truly “wows” them).
  • Empowers people at all levels to act entrepreneurially taking ownership and initiative without unnecessary gatekeeping.
  • Builds a healthy, empowering culture that supports the golden goose rather than draining it.
  • Replaces bottlenecks and hierarchy with clear structure, accountability, and tools that enable speed, innovation, and sustained morale.

When everyone understands that the customer is the ultimate boss, the organization naturally becomes more agile, creative, and resilient.

JMR Introductory Offer – Let’s Get Started

To help growth-oriented leaders take the first step, We offer:

  • A complimentary review of your current organizational model, including strengths, hidden bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement.
  • A clear introduction to our JMR Customer-Focused Entrepreneurial Model and how it can transform your culture and performance.

If this resonates and you’d like to explore how we can partner to build a more empowered, customer-driven organization, reach out today.

John
773-641-9631

Are You an “I” Seller?

Posted by & filed under Leadership, Professional Development, Sales.

Have you ever noticed how often your sales conversations begin with:

I do. I am. I have.If most of your messaging centers on “I,” you may be what I call a “I Seller.”

And while this style is typical—and usually well-intended—it can be a subtle red flag you may not even realize you’re raising.

Here’s Why This Matters.
Even if you have strong credentials, deep expertise, and proven results, an “I-heavy” approach can quietly turn off a significant portion of your audience. In fact, as much as 50% of buyers based on Int’l research may disengage—not because of what you offer, but because of how you present it.

When the conversation is dominated by “I,” buyers may unconsciously interpret it in ways you never intended:

The Hidden Selling Red Flags

  1. Perceived Arrogance
    A self-promotional, “I-centric style” can unintentionally sound boastful or self-serving. Credibility-driven buyers may discount your message quickly—not because you lack expertise, but because your delivery undermines trust.
  2. Lack of Safety or Trust
    Security-oriented buyers are often quiet, polite, and agreeable on the surface. But internally, they are asking: Can I trust this person? If your language doesn’t signal partnership or shared accountability, they may simply disengage—and will “ghost” you.
  3. Superficiality
    Even when delivered warmly, constant “I” statements can feel insincere to some buyers. What sounds confident to one person may feel shallow or transactional to another.

A Better Approach: Hand-and-Glove Selling
The solution isn’t to stop talking about yourself altogether. Your experience, expertise, and promises matter. Instead, adopt what I call hand-and-glove selling—a balanced approach where “I” and “We” work together.

You appropriately communicate who you are and what you bring to the table, while intentionally integrating “We” language that emphasizes partnership, shared outcomes, and mutual success. So, here’s the question worth asking:

Are your conversations about you… Or about what you and your client can achieve together?
That small shift in language may be the difference between being heard – and being ignored.

John M Ruh and Associates’ introductory offers:

  • One free DISC and Sales profile with a 20-minute explanation of the profile.
  • Live or group session with you and your team on DISC and sales application, which also includes an introduction to Kurland baseline selling tips.
  • Learning the basics of Hand and Glove selling- free introduction.

Interested? Call me at 773-641-9631 or email him at john@johnruh.com.

Your Judge / Your Critic

Posted by & filed under Leadership, Professional Development.

3 Critical Questions

  1. Did you know that when you feed your Judge, you are also feeding your Critic?
  2. What conditions does this create for you and others?
  3. How do Level 3 Conscious Competent Leaders master this dynamic?

Overview

In our Western dualistic culture, a core “self” – which some might call your Judge/Critic – might be running on automatic or unchecked. Without boundaries, it can generate conditions and effects that trigger unnecessary stress/suffering for you and everyone in your orbit.

Many Conscious Competent Leaders thrive despite a powerful Judge/Critic. Their secret? Awareness.

Through awareness, acceptance, and right action, they transform judgement of others/ criticisms of themselves into self-mastery – slashing stress and unlocking potential.

Two Expert Voices:

  1. John Cooper, “5 Star” executive coach and 20-year protégé of Dr. Hal Stone:
    “ Good discernment is essential for business leaders, but it is easy to slip into rigid judgements, in which case your culture will soon become stale out of touch and unproductive”
  2. Tamar Stone, Dr. Stone’s daughter and successor:
    “ The Critic and Judge are two sides of same coin. The Critic criticizes internally and the Judge externally. If you have a strong Critic, you’ll have a strong Judge. If you have a strong Judge, you’ll have an equally strong Critic”

Suggested Step 1: STOP

Pause. Turn inward. Introspect.

Take the time to understand your hard-wiring and the component parts of your operating ego (Dr. Stone’s term). Clarity can reveal reality and opportunity otherwise invisible to you.

JMR Support – Take Action Now

  1. Connect with Level 3 trainers/coaches – including the experts above.
  2. Discover your natural leadership style with a free 15-minute Jungian assessment. Contact Darlene Ruh:
    773-775-6636 | darlene@johnruh.com
  3. Claim a complimentary 1:1 session to explore your parts/selves. Ask about what has to happen to become a Level 3 conscious competent leader and experience the power of JMR’s Bench Your Ego model (informed by Stone, Jung, Frankl, and more). Reach John:
    773-641-9631 | john@johnruh.com

3 Levels of Culture Based Leadership

Posted by & filed under Continuous Improvement, Leadership, Professional Development.

Culture Based Leadership is built on the premise that everyone is the leader of their life and master of their craft regardless of their role.

3 Levels of Culture Based LeadershipGrowing one’s leadership abilities, regardless of role, needs to be a habit like “brushing one’s teeth”. To grow, however, you must first understand where your leadership skillset is. Here is a simple guide on how you can identify this:

Level 1: Beginner

  1. You don’t hold yourself as a leader or understand how your behavior impacts your natural leadership style.
  2. You don’t understand the distinction between leadership and managing (or being “a manager”).
  3. Leadership is a title, or a position reserved for some, not all, from your perspective.

Level 2: Intermediate

  1. You are a skilled manager and learning how to lead better using your natural leadership style
  2. You have started on Track 1 and Track 2 Development which is both the development of hard technical or professional and soft personal and self-management skills as needed
  3. You are beginning to see leadership opportunities in more situations and for everyone you work with.

Level 3: Advanced Conscious Competent Leader

  1. You are aware that to get to this level you must understand the nature of your ego and the role it plays in how it “shows up”, to bench it
  2. You understand the “selves” that makeup what Dr. Hal Stone calls the Primary and Disowned aspects of your behavioral tendencies.
  3. You have started to put in a “stop” program for yourself to do introspection and see what “support” really means to you and you have a daily process to make it happen.

Interested? Need more details?
Email or call John Ruh at 773-641-9631.

Three Introductory Offers:

  1. One complimentary Leadership profile per company.
  2. Call/email for a 1-1 phone discussion on leadership.
  3. A private DISC and Leadership session for you and your team.

2026 3-2-1 Planning Program

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

Start Running Your RaceWant to finish strong in 2025 and set up 2026 for success? Get ready now to review 2025, and design and present your plan for 2026, and RETAIN your key players

Introducing the John M Ruh & Associates 2026 3-2-1 Planning Program

The old adage is “A failure to plan is a plan to fail”. As leaders, we must finish strong and plan for ourselves, our team, and our company.

John M. Ruh & Associates 3 Simple Steps:

  • Step 3: Powerfully roll out your empowering 2026 game plan in January.
  • Step 2: Design your 2026 Unique Empowering Game Plan built on your culture.
  • Step 1: Conduct a 3rd-party survey to review 2025 and gather input for 2025 now — we make this easy! Email Debbie for more information.

Special 4th Quarter Offers

  • One month’s free support in implementing our 3,2,1 planning process with you.
  • Attend our event to discuss the 3-2-1

Call 773-641-9631 or email John at john@johnruh.com to get started now!

The Real ABCs of a 5-Star Sales Program

Posted by & filed under Leadership, Sales.

“The Customer is the ONLY source of security.” — Price Pritchett

Over the course of building, growing, and selling three companies—and now leading John M. Ruh and Associates—I’ve learned that one factor consistently separates sustainable, growth-oriented businesses from those that stall: a well-designed, culture-based sales program. Sales is not just a department; it’s a structural cornerstone of your company. Our JMR Culture-Based Sales Model identifies three essential components—the “ real” ABCs—that align with your culture and ensure every employee understands, supports, and strengthens the sales process.

A. Inside Sales & Customer Service: The Frontline Experience
Your inside sales and customer service team often has more impact on client retention than any other function in your business. These are your “A-players”—responsive, insightful professionals who make every customer interaction effortless and positive. Handled well, they become the department clients value most. Handled poorly, they create friction, frustration, and lost business. The good news: this is one of the easiest fixes you can make.

Key Question:
On a scale of 1–10, how would you grade your company on responsiveness and customer treatment?

B. Need-Based Relationship Selling: Nurture What You Have
For most B2B companies, long-term success hinges on repeat business. That means your existing clients need regular, intentional attention. This is where your “B-team”—consultative sales professionals—shine. They don’t just sell; they listen, diagnose, and solve. They build enduring client partnerships by identifying needs and presenting solutions. With consistent nurturing and fresh offerings, these relationships become a stable, growing revenue base.

Key Question:
On a scale of 1–10, how effective is your company at systematically nurturing and developing existing clients?

C. New Business Development: The Rainmakers
If you’re not generating a steady flow of qualified leads online—or if networking alone isn’t enough—you need true Rainmakers. These are your hunters, your “C-team,” and they’re worth their weight in gold.
Rainmakers know how to bypass gatekeepers, reach decision-makers, uncover opportunities before competitors, and close deals. They thrive on creating possibilities others miss. Every successful sales program needs at least one.

Key Question:
Do you have at least one Rainmaker in your organization—or do you know how to find one?

Next Steps

  1. Schedule a one-on-one session with us to evaluate and grade your existing sales program.
  2. Request a free DISC and Sales Profile to see how prospects and clients perceive you.
  3. Ask for an introduction to Morrie Elstien, whose 5-Star networking model makes him the most connected—and effective—business connector I have ever met!
    773-775-6636
    john@johnruh.com

The Chief Cultural Officer

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

“The Chief Cultural Officer (CCO)’s mission is to be directly accountable for the health and well-being of the company.” -John Ruh

If you don't get Culture right... nothing else matters.

Please read: www.johnruh.com/the-chief-cultural-officer/

  • Date/Time: October 2nd, 1-2 pm Central, plus 15 minutes optional for Q/A
  • What: Engaged conversation on the Power of Right Culture and the role of the Chief Cultural Officer
  • Hosts: Ray Silverstein
  • Facilitators: John Ruh and Mike Perich
  • Where: Zoom session
  • Cost: Be our guest!
  • Registration:
    Email: darlene@johnruh.com
    Phone: 773-775-6636
    Online: https://forms.gle/mgnb9bXY5SyoDFyCA
  • Questions: Call or email John Ruh, 773-641-9631, john@johnruh.com.

Support – three options:

  1. 1-1, at no charge, with us to discuss your role, your culture/game plan, and what you need to do to build the right foundation.
  2. Attend role/mission/responsibilities of Chief Cultural Officer on October 2nd – Sign Up
  3. Attend any of our 29 minute zoom sessions on blog of week – see calendar of time/day/sign up info

3 + 3 = Infinite Savings on Your Largest Expense

Posted by & filed under Leadership, Recruiting.

The 3 + 3= Infinite Savings is a program that, when enacted, can improve the return you receive from your biggest expense: people.

What is It?
It is a proven program with structure, processes, and simple, proven steps that make the 3 Keys to Retention and 3 Keys to Recruitment a management habit.

Problems it Solves:

  1. Saving Money on most companies’ number one budget item – People Costs!
    Saving money on your number 1 budget item( personnel costs) and knowing your true people expense is step one in wise fiscal management.
  2. Retaining Your Key 8, 9, 10 Players and Getting Below-Average Players to Average Rating:
    Doing what is needed to empower/retain our 8, 9, and 10 players, while also getting your 4, 5, and 6 players up to a 7 (average) rating, or, if necessary, legally and compassionately out the door. As the late Scott Urban used to say, “Lose the people you can’t afford to keep and keep the people you can’t afford to lose”.
  3. Puts in Place 3 Levels of Culture-based Leadership Philosophy
    “You are the leader of your life and master of your craft,” John Ruh. This, combined with the three keys to retention steps, can significantly reduce unnecessary turnover.

How does it work?

Step 1:
A conversation regarding what you are doing now to retain/empower your key 8, 9, and 10 players and action being taken for employees who are below average (score of 7 or less), and how does your current retention/recruiting model current works.
Investment: One hour of your time/no cost

Step 2:
A free Personnel Cost analysis that helps you clearly see your current people costs and trends.
Investment: One hour of your time/no cost

Step 3:
We discuss, design, and implement a plan of action in partnership with that we know will work.
Investment: Hourly, project, or included in our quarterly win-win partnering agreement

Introductory Offers

  • One free DISC and Leadership profile per company that tells you about ones natural leadership style
  • Free personnel cost analysis that takes less than one hour of your time and gives you your real people costs
  • Free month of partnering with us to understand what is working and what is not working now regarding Retention and recruitment

The Chief Cultural Officer

Posted by & filed under Culture, Leadership, Professional Development.

“The Chief Cultural Officer (CCO)’s mission is to be directly accountable for the health and well-being of the company.” John Ruh

Regardless, if you are a small startup or have thousands of employees, the mission is the same for any CCO: take care of the company and support it so that it takes care of its customers. As Price Prichard wisely said, “Customers are our only source of security.”

Why?
The financial well-being of your employees/ their families, and everyone associated with the business, is dependent on the quality of your decisions as CCO of the Company. This is a profound responsibility!

Three Common Obstacles that Get in The Way!

  1. You Are “Busy, Busy, Busy”
    As Ray Silverstein, founder of PRO, likes to say. Being busy is NOT a strategy! And when one neglects the strategic future needs, the Golden Goose, and all players needlessly suffer. www.johnruh.com/golden-goose-is-your-company/
  2. You don’t understand why you are on the payroll.
    If you are a founder, president, CEO, chairman, or even perhaps general manager, your role is Chief Cultural Officer. While most of the company operates tactically, your accountability is to balance both the tactical and strategic, all in alignment with your stated culture.
    Note: Everyone on the payroll needs to know their role, the mission of their role, and key expectations.
  3. You have the wrong Structure in Place
    If your organization is built on an outdated entrepreneurial or Hierarchy model where” all roads lead to you”, you’re likely overwhelmed and underleveraged. This is a red flag! You can never say “I have no time for this role”. As CCO, this strategic role must be your top priority. Even in the early stages, you can, and should, create a structure that revolves around the customer. What does a customer-focused model look like? Read www.johnruh.com/do-you-have-the-right-structure/

So What’s Next?
Let’s start with a conversation to discuss your current culture, structure, your role, and how well both are aligned with supporting and protecting the company, or what we like to call the Golden Goose.