John Foppe

Biography

Born without arms, John Foppe has had to break down and re-engineer every aspect of day-to-day life. He learned that the inability to do something didn't rest on the lack of resources or vision. Instead, it has more to do with one's subconscious perception to meeting a challenge head on. In the field as part of his master's degree in social work, John saw this scenario play out repeatedly. To his surprise, he discovered that many people subconsciously substitute personal improvement with systems to support their perceived limitations. As a speaker, John also witnessed this resistant mindset operate in all sort of companies. He repeatedly heard leaders complain about how difficult is to motivate their people. John has addressed this common challenge through years of research, clinical study and field testing, which ultimately led to the discovery of the primary cause of failed vision execution. In light of this important, personally significant discovery, he has developed a variety of solutions to help individuals and leaders overcome their exasperation and translate their visions into outcomes. His compelling story and methods caught the attention of the legendary Zig Ziglar, who broke his long-standing rule of promoting from within and recruited and mentored John. In 1995, John launched a successful training business that has taken him to 15 different countries, pro-football organizations like the Miami Dolphins, and to Fortune 500 clients such as Boeing, GE, and State Farm. John's insights on how the biggest vision can be derailed by the smallest bit of resistance are now being used to orchestrate the missions of visionaries and change agents around the world.

Publications

John Foppe shares his story of conquering the physical and emotional struggles of being born with no arms and teaches how attitude, self-respect, and faith in God can help anyone overcome obstacles. John Foppe, born without arms, has faced obstacles - both physical and emotional - his entire life. While some see his condition as a debilitating handicap, John disagrees. "Our only handicaps are those mental and emotional ones that prevent us from participating fully in life." John is a creative problem solver, and his inspiring story will enable you to see that the only things preventing you from accomplishing your goals are self-imposed limitations. His education in clinical social work and his experience as a professional speaker give him unique insight on overcoming adversity. Here he reveals how to break through negative thinking and allow God to empower you to do great things.

Titles

Within Reach: John Foppe's Signature Speech John Foppe was born without arms, but he believes all things are within reach. As a child, he had difficulty doing the simple things most of us take for granted, and he led a life marked by dependency. At ten-years-old, John couldn't put his own pants on. Today, he travels the world as an author and owner of a successful international training company. In this fascinating, poignant, but ultimately inspirational speech, John recounts his transformation from victim to victor. But, more importantly, he helps you discover your own place in the world. Applying his own experiences and the special insights he's developed as a trained counselor, John dispels some common motivational myths. Getting It Done or Making It Happen?: Encoding Excellence into Execution In "Get It Done" organizations, people show up and do their jobs. Work is fine, but not fantastic. In "Make It Happen" companies, employees don't just do their work - they love their work. Employees don't just meet their goals - they exceed them. Customers are not simply satisfied - they're elated. In this inspiring presentation, John Foppe, a veteran author, trainer, and adviser to executives, reveals how a "Code of Exasperation" can unwittingly exist within an organization defining the difference between "getting it done" and "making it happen". It's no secret employees can become burnt out, fearful, and complacent. Instead, the secret is how these reactions kill vital initiatives. John was born without arms, and he once led a life of dependency. He created his disability through exasperated perceptions, reactions and practices. Likewise, John reveals how employees create an organizational reality that either makes or breaks the company's vision. The "Code of Exasperation" can't be purged, but it can be re-written into a "Code of Execution". John teaches how to encode a new reality and healthier roles where people execute in their own way. As employees understand the part they play in the big picture, they naturally embrace the vision. Rather than trying to transmit the vision to people, now people realize the vision through their own initiative. Instead of simply getting it done employees make it happen! Being an Executor, Not an Executioner: How to Get Everything Done Without Destroying Anything Have you ever felt like a hamster on a wheel? The faster you go, the better you get, but better probably isn't enough, so you have to go even faster - an exhausting cycle. Eventually, work falters. Enter the executioner! Managers crack down with tighter controls. When controlled workers feel they have no choice, they stop taking initiative. Workers also become executioners - slowly killing initiatives with inaction. John explains how to break the cycle by showing people they can choose to be Executors. Making things happen becomes a way of life. You Reap What You Sow: Harvesting Strong Business Execution Practices When it comes to creating a culture of business execution, leading thinkers and visionary executives realize that employees need to make every practice an execution practice. In this presentation, John defines execution practices and reveals how cultivating these practices positively impacts an organization's culture. John highlights the four root purposes of an execution practice and presents how our daily mindset influences the way we fulfill these purposes. He emphasizes the value of a "holistic" approach including every aspect of ourselves in the cultivation of execution practices. Moreover, he outlines how to integrate this holistic approach into our daily work. In addition, John identifies the four basic functions of an execution practice. He explains how to design our daily practices to support the successful outcome of these functions and create a culture of execution. He reveals the 12 success factors that emerge when employees make every one of their daily practices into an execution practice. Finally, John describes the productive affect strong execution practices have on the culture of the organization, and he explains how the presence of execution practices ultimately determines whether there is feast or famine.