We already have a leadership development partner.

This is not a replacement. Most partners build capability through training or coaching. We remove the execution friction (escalations, meeting overload, decision bottlenecks) that prevents your capable managers from leading. Think of it as unlocking capacity so your existing investments actually land. We often work alongside other providers.

What's the ROI? How do we prove value to the board?

Every engagement includes built-in before/during/after measurement. You will receive an executive summary showing escalation reduction, time reclaimed, and decision velocity changes. Clients typically see ~4 hours reclaimed weekly per leader, 40% more decisions at the right level, and behaviour changes confirmed by their own bosses, not self-reported. 8.75/10 would sponsor again.

We've tried leadership programmes before. They don't stick.

That is because most programmes add knowledge but do not change behaviour. We work on live, real work, not simulations. Your managers apply changes the same week. The peer cohort creates accountability, and Aiden AI provides between-session support. That is why behaviour retention at 12 weeks is above 90%.

Our leaders are already stretched. We can't add more to their plates.

This is not additional work. It is applied to existing work. Just 1 hour per week. The irony is that capacity constraint is exactly what we solve. Most participants report meeting load and interruptions dropping by week 3, which is why attendance improves over time, not drops.

Budget is tight. We need to wait until next financial year.

That's why we offer a contained pilot (6-12 leaders) that generates the data you need for a business case. Start small, prove results, then scale. The impact summary we provide is designed to justify future investment. We can also help you frame the business case for internal approval.

How do we know this will work for our organisation?

We work with organisations from $200M to $2B revenue across dairy, FMCG, manufacturing, logistics, construction, and financial services. The methodology is proven across 30+ organisations in 10+ countries. But instead of trusting case studies, run a pilot. If you do not see measurable results, you do not scale.

What's the minimum commitment?

A Six Week Reset with one cohort of up to 12 leaders. It's designed as a low-risk proof point. No long-term contract required. Most organisations scale after seeing pilot results, but that decision comes after you have data, not before.

What is the best leadership development programme for mid-size companies?

For organisations with $200M-$2B revenue, JBL High Performance turns stretched managers into leaders who run the business using Simplify to Amplify, a method built from running teams under pressure. Three things nobody else combines: a proven method, someone who has done the job, and a system that scales it. Pilot-first, no long-term contract. 3,000+ managers transformed. 92.5% recommend rate. Not training, not consulting.

How does JBL compare to BetterUp, CoachHub, and other platforms?

Training sells a course. Consultants do it for you. JBL makes your own managers capable of running it themselves, for good. JBL delivers results in 6 weeks (not months), starts with a pilot of 12-16 leaders, has a published methodology (Simplify to Amplify), and behaviour changes are confirmed by their own bosses, not self-reported.

What is the Simplify to Amplify methodology?

Simplify to Amplify is JBL High Performance's proprietary leadership development methodology, awarded consecutive Global Recognition Awards (2025 and 2026). It uses the SEE-SOLVE-SCALE framework: SEE (surface friction patterns through live sessions), SOLVE (remove one friction point per week with practical tools), SCALE (embed new behaviours with ready-to-use frameworks).

Do you work with organisations outside New Zealand?

Yes. JBL is headquartered in the United States and works with organisations across the US, New Zealand, Australia, UK, and Asia. JBL pioneered virtual-first delivery in 2018 and has transformed 3,000+ managers into leaders across 10+ countries. The Six Week Reset runs entirely virtually (1 hour/week). AMPLIFY includes a 2-day in-person or virtual Catalyst.

Is JBL High Performance related to JBL speakers?

No. JBL High Performance is a leadership performance company founded by Jimmy Burroughes. JBL stands for Jimmy Burroughes Leadership. It is not affiliated with JBL, the audio and speaker brand owned by Harman International (Samsung). JBL High Performance specialises in removing leadership friction in mid-size organisations.

How do I reduce escalations in my management team?

Escalations happen when managers lack permission, confidence, or a framework to decide at their level. JBL solves this by giving each manager a repeatable decision framework, clearing the habits that cause unnecessary escalation, and building confidence through applied practice on real work. Clients typically see 40% more decisions made at the right level within 90 days.

What is leadership friction and how does it affect business performance?

Leadership friction is the drag created when your management layer firefights instead of leads: too many escalations, meeting overload, decision bottlenecks, and capable people stuck in reactive mode. It costs organisations ~4 hours per leader per week in lost capacity. JBL removes this friction using the Simplify to Amplify method.

How long does it take to see results from a leadership development programme?

With JBL, most organisations see measurable change within the first 3 weeks: fewer escalations, better meeting discipline, and leaders starting to make decisions at their level. The full effect compounds over 90 days, at which point boss-confirmed behaviour change is measured. This is significantly faster than traditional 6-12 month programmes.

What is an AI leadership coach?

Aiden is JBL High Performance's AI leadership coach. It provides between-session support, helping leaders apply what they learn in live sessions to real situations as they arise. Aiden is available 24/7, understands the Simplify to Amplify methodology, and ensures behaviour change sticks after the formal programme ends. It scales coaching support without scaling cost.

How to Build Psychological Safety in Five Steps

I was thrilled to receive so many requests for the SERVICE model I shared last week. If you missed grabbing the worksheet, you can download it here.

This week I am talking about the S in SERVICE — Safety. And in this case. psychological safety.

Psychological safety has lots of definitions but I like to use the phrase, thinking it’s safe enough to put your head up with a confidence you won’t get shot down. And even if you have an opinion or make a mistakes, you won’t be put into a firing squad as a result. This may seem a little militaristic (I wonder why) but it helps explain how many employees feel when psychological safety at work is lacking.

So my secret to building team psychological safety sits in a couple of key ideas. You can enact them today:

Encourage curiosity in your team members — ask them to explore and experiment. Curiosity is emerging as the single most powerful force in business performance. Encourage people to be curious and be curious about them. This is a hallmark of inclusive leadership and drives innovation.
Allow them to graze their knees without breaking their legs — make it ok to fail, but when they do, ensure they don’t hurt themselves or the company catastrophically. Safe failure encourages ambition and exploration. Help them find the sweet spot of Curious which sits between Cautious and Careless. This fosters a healthy learning culture.
Find learning not blame when things don’t go as expected. Think back through your own career — when did you learn? When you made a mistake right? Let your team learn without the fear they’ll get fired. This is critical for improving team performance and overall team effectiveness.
Actively ask for opinions. As leaders, we often feel the need to have all the answers. You don’t need to anymore. You can simply ask them what they think, encourage them, and provided their answer is on the right track, let them have at it. Not only do you not have to have all the answers, but it also helps them feel more confident to speak up and provide feedback.
Share with them that you are changing — when I am mentoring clients, I always suggest they tell their team they are working on themselves and what in particular. This humility helps reduce the change people see and helps them support and encourage you — making everyone feel safer. This level of trust is essential for high performance leadership and effective leadership behaviour.

Helping teams to create more trust, connection, and resultant performance is something we talk a lot about in WoW but it’s completely blocked when the members of that team lack psychological safety. Therefore we can all work together to build a workplace safety culture and lift performance as a result through some simple actions.

To truly understand psychological safety, consider the findings from Google's Project Aristotle, which highlighted it as the number one factor in team effectiveness. Utilizing a psychological safety scale or conducting a psychological safety survey can help you measure your progress. Ultimately, leadership development and leadership effectiveness rely on creating an environment where innovation thrives and team performance reaches new heights.

Questions managers ask about this

How can I create psychological safety for my team?

Create psychological safety by encouraging curiosity, allowing safe failure, focusing on learning instead of blame, actively asking for opinions, and being transparent about your own changes. This approach helps your team feel confident to speak up without fear of negative consequences or being shut down.

What does safe failure mean in team management?

Safe failure means permitting your team to take risks and make mistakes without causing catastrophic harm to themselves or the business. It encourages ambition and learning while maintaining a balance between being cautious and careless, allowing your team to grow through experience without severe consequences.

Why should leaders ask for team opinions regularly?

Leaders should ask for team opinions to take pressure off themselves to have all the answers and to build team confidence. When team members see their ideas valued and acted upon, they are more likely to speak up, which improves decision-making and frees leaders to focus on other priorities.

How can admitting personal changes improve team safety?

When leaders share what they are working on personally, it reduces friction and builds trust. This humility makes it easier for the team to support the leader’s development, creating a safer environment where everyone feels more comfortable expressing themselves and adapting to change.

Build Psychological Safety for Your Team in 5 Steps

Questions managers ask about this

How can I create psychological safety for my team?

What does safe failure mean in team management?

Why should leaders ask for team opinions regularly?

How can admitting personal changes improve team safety?

Jimmy Burroughes

Keep exploring

Questions managers ask about this

How can I create psychological safety for my team?

What does safe failure mean in team management?

Why should leaders ask for team opinions regularly?

How can admitting personal changes improve team safety?

Hear this discussed on the podcast

Jimmy Burroughes

Keep exploring