Dr. John Stahl-Wert |Founder of the Center for Serving Leadership | The Joy and Responsibility of Serving Leadership
Release Date: 09/18/2024
Honoring John Ruhlin | Founder of The Ruhlin Group | Creating Positive Experiences to Build Business Relationships
The Wow Factor
John Ruhlin is the late founder of The Ruhlin Group, a gift logistics company that helps clients like the Chicago Cubs, Wells Fargo, Caesar’s Entertainment, Miami Dolphins, Morgan Stanley, and The John Maxwell Company execute year-round gifting strategies. John’s unique approach to relationships led him to become the #1 salesman for a $250 Million direct sales company by the time he was 23 (out of 1.5 Million reps). Prior to his passing, he spoke widely about strategic gifting and relationship building and helps CEOs and sales teams drive referrals and open doors to elusive...
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Dr. John Stahl-Wert |Founder of the Center for Serving Leadership | The Joy and Responsibility of Serving Leadership
The Wow Factor
Dr. John Stahl-Wert is the Founder of the Center for Serving Leadership. He has pioneered training solutions for thirty years, working with organizations worldwide that want to produce outstanding results by investing in their people. He has written eight books, including the international best-sellers The Serving Leader and Ten Thousand Horses. John has coached executives in hundreds of other businesses in the U.S., Singapore, and Hong Kong. John has been married to Milonica, his business partner, for 44 years. They enjoy designing and building things, traveling, going to church, and...
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Gov. Scott Walker | President of Young America’s Foundation | Serving with a Generous Heart
The Wow Factor
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Gregg Kunes |Founder of Kunes Auto Group | Faith, Family, and Giving Back
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Martin Dingman |Founder & Creative Director at Martin Dingman | Building a Business with Integrity
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Bruce Johnston | Founder of JH Ranch | Instilling Leadership Skill in Our Youth & The “4 C’s” - Part 2
The Wow Factor
Bruce Johnston is the founder and executive director of and is responsible for developing the ranch curriculum and stewarding the legacy of over 30 years positively impacting families through their leadership programs. Bruce Johnson’s father, Gene, purchased the 300-acre hunting lodge in Northern California to fulfill a promise he made as a young man to invest the resources God provided in a manner that would have eternal value. JH Ranch opened in 1980 with a leadership program for high schoolers and subsequently opened , which focuses on providing a unique opportunity for...
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Bruce Johnston | Founder of JH Ranch | Instilling Leadership Skill in Our Youth & The “4 C’s”
The Wow Factor
In 1979, Gene Johnston, father of Bruce Johnson, purchased a 300-acre hunting lodge in Northern California to fulfill a promise he made to the Lord as a young man to invest the resources God provided in a manner that would have eternal value. JH Ranch opened in 1980 with a leadership program for high schoolers named , which has subsequently been recognized as one of the most effective youth leadership programs in America. Bruce Johnston is the founder and executive director of JH Ranch and is responsible for developing the JH Ranch curriculum and the stewardship of the legacy of over 30...
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Jim Daly |President of Focus on the Family | Focusing on Family
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Tom Monaghan | Founder of Domino’s Pizza and Founder, Chancellor and Member of the Board of Trustees for Ave Maria University | Finding Your Purpose as a Leader
The Wow Factor
Tom Monaghan is the Founder of Domino’s Pizza and Founder, Chancellor and Member of the Board of Trustees for Ave Maria University. He is known as a wildly successful entrepreneur, the founder of Domino’s Pizza, an avid collector of Frank Lloyd Wright items and the former owner of the Detroit Tigers. If his story stopped there, he might seem to fit in with other savvy entrepreneurs whose hard work and ingenuity paid off. But his greatest personal achievements came later in life, when Tom decided to fully immerse himself in charitable works, Catholic philanthropy and the call to help...
info_outlineDr. John Stahl-Wert is the Founder of the Center for Serving Leadership. He has pioneered training solutions for thirty years, working with organizations worldwide that want to produce outstanding results by investing in their people. He has written eight books, including the international best-sellers The Serving Leader and Ten Thousand Horses. John has coached executives in hundreds of other businesses in the U.S., Singapore, and Hong Kong. John has been married to Milonica, his business partner, for 44 years. They enjoy designing and building things, traveling, going to church, and loving and being with their family, friends, neighbors, and Serving Leader colleagues from around the world.
This week on the show, John and I discuss the concept of servant leadership and how John’s strategic thinking and activator personality still guide his approach to problem-solving and decision-making. He shares the significance of clear values for leaders, why learning from failures is important, and how to practice effective delegation so the next generation can take over. John also discusses the traits of successful leaders and the importance of humility and vulnerability in leadership.
“The serving leader is the only kind of leader.” - Dr. John Stahl-Wert
“You need to lead by values.” - Dr. John Stahl-Wert
“Suffering builds perseverance; perseverance builds character. We have to be willing, as leaders, to hurt.” - Dr. John Stahl-Wert
This Week on The Wow Factor:
- John’s upbringing as a conservative Mennonite in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with a mix of Amish and Mennonite influences
- John shares his leadership experience in high school, understanding that deferring leadership led to regret and a lack of inclusivity
- Why leaders across the globe share the traits of being teachable and willing to learn from their experiences
- How John's strategic thinking and activator personality guides his approach to problem-solving and decision-making
- Why company values must be clear and specific for others to understand and follow
- How to make small, incremental changes in leadership practice
- Why delegation involves extending trust and authority, but incorrect delegation can do more damage than good
- Why it’s so important to bake goodness into a company for future generations, and how value is destroyed when companies are sold without a strong cultural foundation
Dr. John Stahl-Wert’s Words of Wisdom:
In servant leadership, we serve our people, standards, and values. If we serve ourselves primarily, we destroy value. Laying yourself down for something more important than yourself is not an easy path, but it’s worth it.
Connect with Dr. John Stahl-Wert:
- Center for Serving Leadership
- John Stahl-Wert's Podcast
- John Stahl-Wert on LinkedIn
- World Serving Leaders
Connect with The WOW Factor:
- The WOW Factor Website
- Connect with Brad Formsma via email
- Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
- Brad Formsma on Instagram
- Brad Formsma on Facebook
- Brad Formsma on Twitter
Other Ways to Connect: