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 do personal values reduce decision fatigue at work?

Being clear on your personal values helps you make decisions faster by providing a consistent framework. When you know what matters most, you can quickly assess options against those priorities, reducing the mental load of weighing every choice. This clarity cuts down on hesitation and stress, allowing you to focus on important leadership tasks without getting stuck in indecision.

Why is it important for leaders to understand their own values?

Leaders who understand their own values can lead with greater authenticity and clarity. This self-awareness helps them make consistent decisions and communicate priorities effectively. It also enables leaders to support their teams in identifying what they value, which improves motivation and alignment. Without this clarity, leaders and their teams risk drifting into routines driven by obligation rather than purpose.

What practical steps can managers take to clarify their values?

Managers can start by reflecting on what matters most in both their professional and personal lives. Writing down key priorities, such as freedom, variety, or passion, helps to define these values. From there, assess current decisions and tasks to see if they align with these values. Adjusting focus towards activities that support these priorities reduces distractions and improves decision-making speed.

How can clarifying team members’ values improve performance?

When team members understand their own values and see how their work aligns with them, they become more engaged and motivated. Leaders can facilitate conversations about values to help individuals identify what drives them. This alignment reduces burnout and decision fatigue, as people make choices that feel meaningful. It also fosters a supportive environment where priorities are clear and efforts are focused.

How Getting Clear on Values Cuts Decision Fatigue

I've spent the last couple of weeks packing up my life, dropping various possessions into friends' attics for storage, and moving from NZ back to Mexico.

Having spent the majority of 2020 in Auckland, I was missing the variety of colour and lifestyle that splitting my life between NZ and Latin America offers. I was also feeling like I was becoming a bit too conventional again in Auckland, doing the Viaduct apartment, BMW driving, Woop lifestyle thing. There was also the small matter of a global pandemic limiting travel, but we can overlook that here.

Preparing for the move got me reflecting on what I value, the things that matter to me in life. When I stepped out of the corporate world three years ago, I did so because I had a "life by design" in mind.

That designed life meant having a company I could run from anywhere, supporting organisations and people to see leadership in new ways, and then taking some time to go diving or popping to the beach in the afternoon. It would have great weather, be accessible to multiple other countries for more exploring, and sit on a timezone convenient for my clients. Affordable housing too, though Auckland had other ideas.

The guiding light throughout this transition has been that life by design idea, rooted in what I VALUE. Which made me wonder how many other people have a clear view of what they value, or whether they are living more of a "life by should".

So many of us don't have a life we truly value. We trudge through, in a rut, doing things because we feel we should. No inner fire, more of a smouldering pile of wet leaves. I am certainly not saying that jobs, families and mortgages are bad things. One of my oldest friends told me that when he left the Army, got married and had a child, he found the peace and joy he had always been seeking.

Warren Buffett famously said that "value is what you get, price is what you pay". I think we can read that another way. Value is what you want. Price is the sacrifice you are willing to accept.

I chose to work through the price of sacrificing initial financial and conventional certainty in pursuit of the things I valued more: freedom, travel, variety and passion. Working through the concept of Be > Do > Have, I am well on the way to the life by design I wanted, and have become more of a success than I thought possible when I started. I have managed to visit over twenty countries and met some remarkable people along the way.

I feel grateful for the life I have. I also believe that if you can identify what you value and start working towards it, you can change your world, and the world of those around you.

It is hard to bring your full capability to others until you have that clarity. As a leader, you need to get clear on what you value, and then help the people around you see what they value and work towards it.

I'll continue to unpack the concept of value in future blogs.

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.

#waysofworking #blog #jimmyburroughes #jimmybleadership #impact #leadershipcoaching #confidence #goals #fastgrowth #leadership #adeption #entrepreneur #impostersyndromecoach #leadershipdevelopment #mindsetcoach #motivation #success

#YouCanHaveSuccess #mindset #growthmindset #personaldevelopment #mindfulness #selflove #impostersyndrome #imposter #burnout #burnedout #hybridwork #hybridworkplace #mindsetmatters

How Getting Clear on Your Values Cuts Decision Fatigue

If this sounds like your week

Questions managers ask about this

How do personal values reduce decision fatigue at work?

Why is it important for leaders to understand their own values?

What practical steps can managers take to clarify their values?

How can clarifying team members’ values improve performance?

Jimmy Burroughes

Keep exploring

If this sounds like your week

Questions managers ask about this

How do personal values reduce decision fatigue at work?

Why is it important for leaders to understand their own values?

What practical steps can managers take to clarify their values?

How can clarifying team members’ values improve performance?

Hear this discussed on the podcast

Jimmy Burroughes

Keep exploring