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 can I tell if my work is truly strategic?

Ask yourself what business problem you are solving, what would happen if you weren’t there, and how your work connects to the organisation’s top priorities. If you cannot clearly answer these, you are likely busy with tasks that do not add the most value, rather than focusing on strategic work that drives impact.

What does being a strategic leader actually involve?

Being strategic means focusing ruthlessly on the highest value work that moves the business forward. This includes identifying and removing constraints, developing your team to handle decisions, and aligning with key stakeholders on priorities. It’s about working on what matters most, not just attending more meetings or creating reports.

Why do some managers get feedback to ‘be more strategic’?

This feedback usually means they are busy with urgent but low-impact tasks instead of focusing on work that creates the biggest business value. Senior leaders see their effort but question whether they understand what truly moves the business forward, as they may be working hard in the wrong areas.

How can I shift from being busy to adding more value as a leader?

Start by auditing how you spend your time and energy. Prioritise solving significant business problems, delegate routine tasks to your team, and focus on activities that directly impact key business goals. Stop doing everything yourself and develop others to handle decisions that create bottlenecks.

Why Telling Managers to Be Strategic Changes Nothing

Every month, thousands of performance reviews include the same vague feedback: "You need to step up" or "Be more strategic."

Most leaders walk away confused and frustrated, wondering what the hell that actually means.

When senior leadership uses these phrases, they are not asking you to think bigger thoughts or attend more strategy meetings.

After working with 3,000+ leaders, I've decoded what's actually being said: "You're not working on the things that add the most value."

Being strategic means ruthlessly focusing on the work that creates the biggest impact for the business. What kills me is that most leaders are drowning in the wrong work, wondering why they're not getting recognised, not getting promoted, not getting the respect they deserve.

You're working 60-hour weeks, solving problems left and right, the person everyone comes to when things need fixing. And yet, when review time comes, you get that soul-crushing feedback about needing to "step up." It's infuriating because you know you're working harder than anyone else.

I hate to say it, but you're working on the wrong things.

Most leaders hear "be strategic" and think they need to read more business books, use bigger words in meetings, or create more PowerPoints about vision. Strategic leaders ask one question before everything they do: "Is this the highest value work I could be doing right now?"

Picture a non-strategic leader's week: five meetings about project updates, reviewing reports that could be automated, solving problems their team could handle, completing tasks that feel urgent but aren't important. Exhausted, overwhelmed, and invisible to senior leadership.

A strategic leader's week looks different. They identify and remove the biggest constraint limiting team performance, develop two team members to handle decisions that were bottlenecking progress, and connect with key stakeholders to align on priorities that will shape next quarter's results. Same hours worked, completely different business impact and career trajectory.

When you get that feedback, your boss isn't questioning your work ethic. They can see you're busy. They're questioning whether you understand what moves the business forward. They're watching you sprint in the wrong direction and wondering if you'll ever figure it out.

The pain of this is real. You're giving everything you've got and it feels like it's not enough. You're watching colleagues get promoted while you're stuck doing the "important" work that nobody seems to value. You might even be starting to question whether you're cut out for senior leadership at all.

So how can you shift this?

When you get feedback about being "more strategic," audit where you're spending your time and energy.

Ask yourself:

What business problem am I solving? (Not what tasks am I completing)
What would happen if I wasn't here? (This reveals your actual value)
How does my work connect to our biggest priorities? (This is strategic thinking)

If you can't answer these clearly, you're not being strategic. You're being busy, and busy doesn't get promoted.

The most successful leaders I work with are not necessarily the smartest or hardest working. They're the ones who identify and focus on the highest value work. They've learned to stop being busy and start being valuable.

Jimmy Burroughes helps senior leaders in operationally complex industries transform from firefighters to strategic leaders. His "Simplify to Amplify" methodology has helped 3,000+ leaders build sustainable systems that scale.

If this sounds like your week

Your managers are not the problem. They are where the problem is stuck.

When your last leadership spend was signed off, did anyone go back to those managers' bosses and ask what changed? That question is the JBL Outcome Standard, and it is how I work.

Find the friction. A short diagnostic that shows which decisions are stalling, and at what level.
Am I the bottleneck? Ten questions on where your week is actually going.
How I work with GMs. Six weeks, one hour a week, up to twelve of your managers, scored by their own bosses.
Beat Burnout, Boost Performance. The book.
The High Performance Leader podcast.

Managers I work with reclaim around four hours a week, and their bosses score the change 8.75 out of 10. Would it be a crazy idea to find out how we did this? Book a scoping call.

Why Telling a Manager to Be More Strategic Changes Nothing

If this sounds like your week

Questions managers ask about this

How can I tell if my work is truly strategic?

What does being a strategic leader actually involve?

Why do some managers get feedback to ‘be more strategic’?

How can I shift from being busy to adding more value as a leader?

Jimmy Burroughes

Keep exploring

If this sounds like your week

Questions managers ask about this

How can I tell if my work is truly strategic?

What does being a strategic leader actually involve?

Why do some managers get feedback to ‘be more strategic’?

How can I shift from being busy to adding more value as a leader?

Hear this discussed on the podcast

Jimmy Burroughes

Keep exploring