JAN ROBBERTS - Self-Leadership Strategist

Hi, I'm Tammy Gross, the Scriptprenuer. Welcome to Reel Life Stories where difference makers come to share their Hollywood worthy transformation stories. I love interviewing people who faced a mountain, overcome it the hard way, and figured out a solution to help the rest of us conquer that same mountain. Because when we share our stories, we change lives.

Okay, today we have a great guest, and his name is Jan Robberts. He's a self he's the self leadership strategist. He's known as a global influencer and entrepreneur. And he's the co founder of key leadership institute and founder of Jr, speakers club based in South Africa and Scotland. He's an international leadership, keynote speaker, a coach, behavioral analyst, analysis consultant, and a values based leadership specialist. I'd say he's an influencer as well. Well, welcome Jan.

Well, thank you, Tommy. It's a privilege and a pleasure to be on your podcast today. And I look forward to the next 15 minutes.

Yes, I, I am so excited to speak with you. I've actually spoken with your wife as well. So you are part of a power couple. But You're impressive on your own to the point where it's like, wow, there's a lot that we could talk about. But what do I really want to know is a little bit about your story and all that stuff that I just said that you're doing and the way that you're showing up in the world, and that you are making a difference in people's lives. And you are obviously mission based, that you know, you've got a mission in your heart. But you probably didn't always have that. Or maybe even if you did have that. You You couldn't have possibly just like come out of the womb doing that. Right. So what I want to know is like when you first recognize that there is a problem, either in your life, or in the lives of people around you that it's like you you needed to find some kind of solution, like, take us back to where all of this of who Jan Robbert says today, we can

i Well, that's a big and a great question. And great insights already tell me because obviously, you've spoken to many people and interviewed many people. But it's true. We don't come out of running when we were born, and we're going to be something. But somewhere along the line, something happens to all of us, I call it stuff happens and you know, two degrees of difficulties. And I think fortunately for me, some people say unfortunately, but fortunately for me, the first stuff already happened to me when I was a young kid, before I was a teenager, I got bullied because I was sighs and it was not because my height, but because of my width. And I think it was about the same size at that time. But, you know, I could have so easily thrown the towel in right there. And then I say, Oh, my life is so bad to me and tell everybody about it, who wants to know for the rest of my life, like some people do. But again, what what really happened was I became the class clown. So I was happy on the outside, but not quite so happy on the inside. And I feel for children these days, because I could still go home and hide people who the cyber bullying now there is no hiding place for youngsters anymore. So I feel for them really badly. But what happened was is because of what was happening to me, and that was usually my friends who did this I, I so desperately wanted to belong, I wanted to be, you know, part of the group, you know, like, like most kids want to be even many adults to some point. So I tried to I served in any way I could until I was 12 years old when I grew to six foot four, which I am now and I never grew ever since. And people stopped bullying me. But the problem, the biggest problem started then the biggest bottle started and because the bullying inside my head kept going. And that happened up to the point where I was 16. And I had all my worries, I kept it all inside of me. And I never shared anything because you know, I needed to deal with it. And I had an ulcer at 16. And I'm past pastor a few decades now. So when I was younger, young kids wouldn't get ulcers. So it came to me and I said, Hold on, I can't live the rest of my life like this. So at 17 I drew a line in the sand that says no more. And I had that conversation with myself. And maybe we all have the most amount of conversations with ourselves, I think 70,000 conversations a day we have with ourselves. And yes, we need to be more careful of what we say to ourselves really, because most of these things we wouldn't say to our best friends or family. But I had these conversations with myself and and the thing is when you close one door or the doors open and somebody handed me a personal development book, I still remember to this day it was Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People at 17. So I wanted to change my life. And at the same time I also started the martial arts called key Aikido, which is also more of a mind development than than anything else. So that started my journey. But that didn't mean that was the end of my troubles like like most people and let's not even forget about the last few years and what's going on around the world. But then I started developing and because of the challenges that because that luggage, you carry that with you for a lot more than you think, you know, as you as you know, as well, Tommy and you know, your health and well being is important, but we don't think about it when we're younger and, and we sometimes try our best and most of the time we forget about it. But for me it was it was more like, you know, I need to keep going and I got to this people you started calling me personal development freak, which I saw as a compliment, by the way, not as a as an insult anymore.

Yeah, indeed, you know, so. So then I stopped reading bio newspapers more than 35 years ago, and I started investing in books rather than spending money on newspapers. And there's a difference between spending and investing. But and most people should become more aware of it that they start investing in themselves. Because you know, we, I've done this and I'm continually do this, I done coaching courses, I spent 10 months of the year in hotel jobs in my in my job, which I didn't hate. But then things started to happen. And you mentioned this already, that is pivotal points in everybody's life. And sometimes we we dance to those points, we actually say I am the one, it's time for me, now, I need to do something, or it's a case of you know, we take all kinds of wonderful stuff that we've got in us and not only in our hearts, in our minds, but in our hearts as well. We take you to the grave with us and never to be revealed. And on our deathbed, we look back and say if only now, it didn't mean not everything changed the day. But there was pivotal, there's been pivotal points in in my career and in my life so far, that really made me think the death of a young man that had an impact me in after with all my my development and coaching and leadership today. Now it put me on my knees. And if I hadn't had all that development already. So that maybe was also preparation. I don't know what I would have done. But I was I felt strong enough that I could still care for those that were affected more because that was my, my best friend's nephew who was like a Sunday him and he was like a little brother to me, who died. In fact, 22 years ago, this year at 22 at 22. I still remember to this day, but it affected so many people around us. And I thought well, he didn't even live yet. And I'm living and I'm just taking it for granted yet. Even though that little voice inside of us, all of us. Well, that voice started to become louder and louder and louder. And and at some point, you know, something needs to happen. And, you know, when when you when you look, when you think about the power of attraction, I mean, there's a whole series you can do about you know how thoughts become actions actually become habits and habits become our destiny that everything begins with a thought. If you want the results to change, you need to start with different thinking. And it's simple, but not easy. But I was doing it all the time. And then something happens. I mean, in the meantime, I give you the short version, I went to divorces, I've been to two divorces, I'm now happily married to the to the lady who will also be on your show. And then we're both privileged to be on your show. But, and I'm really blessed. On Sunday. It's actually one year in fact, officially today we got married for the register on the on a year ago. And then a year on Sunday through the church. But it was it was Yeah, and it was pretty cool to have two of those even during lockdown, but, you know, things come into your life for a reason and some for a season and some for a lifetime. And all of a sudden, I became part of bigger teams. I mean, I always said more than 30 years ago, if somebody's gonna train me to speak it's gonna be Les Brown, or nobody and I shared another door because what happened was I went with the John Maxwell team on a on a transformational trip to help start transformation in an entire country, the country of Guatemala on the way home it left such an impact on me of significance, that feeling that we all should have. And I thought well if I had this feeling and I experienced because I didn't know what it was the difference between success and significance is successes for yourself and significance if you put your eyes on others and help other people and that is in your youth you write books about this stuff how your health and well being and all this kind of stuff. And you know it's it's more than just a book. It's it should be the catalyst what you do is a catalyst for us to become better ourselves. And that's that's what I also talk and so I said in on the way home myself if not now then when they've not made it who if not this, then what? So for me, it was a no brainer. On the way home, I quit my job. And I had no solid arm but sometimes sometimes that voice becomes so loud and it became the last piece of magic show that I said I need to and from there on I I said once every six months I went to Orlando in America to Maxwell leadership training and I was I was an executive director and I'm serving there as well. So in 2014 Be careful what you wish for I went there to find somebody in Africa I could collaborate or partner with what happened was I met Aarthi from South Africa and I say the rest of JC I know they told me we married now we'll be same business partners and our key leadership institute, we became friends. And then we got married. And, you know, I said, I'm truly blessed in this life. But the passion is that I know that there's so many people out there who who are suffering. There is so many injustice out there, and I want to speak my truth is not always everybody's truth. But I want to speak my truth. And I want to speak into people and they say, you know, there is hope, because I know that there is hope in the future, there is power in the present. And that that gives me what what energizes me all the time is, when I work with people, whether one on one or stand on a stage or do workshops, to see the light go on, and to see that there's a little change, I didn't change them. People say how do you change lives, I said, Whoa, I have enough problems, problems, changing the guy looking back in the mirror every day, I can change people but and they call it motivational speaking as well. But I said, let's go and plug in our speaker I do. It's really inspirational speaker because we can not change people, but you can inspire people to motivate themselves to want to do something different in their life, that it's going to make their life with worthwhile. And to do those kinds of things, whether it's on a coach or on a one on one coaching and things like that, and she likes change. I mean, it's the biggest blessing we can have. And, and that's significant is not always the same as in a big room of people every time 19,000 People in three days in Guatemala, we've we've done similar trips since and we aren't the myself, we're working together as values based leadership specialists to do all of this kind of stuff. But

it isn't, it doesn't come from us. I mean, it is it is a blessing that comes from from higher beings. If you're religious, it's got work and, and I believe strongly in that kind of stuff. And so it doesn't matter what you believe in. But we cannot do this alone, we shouldn't do this alone, we should actually work together as well, collaboration, joint ventures working together, because we are so much stronger together and this world need all of us, this world needs all of us to step up and do the bit that we were born for. We have a destiny, we have a purpose. Simon Sinek talks about it, find your why. And he says there's two days important in your life, the day you were born. And the day you discover why. And when you discover why you don't need an alarm clock anymore. But we might need you might need help with that, you know, you might have this stuff in your heart, you know that the little voice that passion that you've just stomped down over years or has been stomped into you because you you've already decided that it probably never happened anyway. Well, times are changing. You have a voice, you have a story, you have a voice, and there is no better time than now. This is your time. So I think I hope that kind of answers the short question and says I'm talking fast enough. Because I'm excited about this kind of stuff. And I want I wanted to get it out there. And we have an awful lot of time. But that passion

comes through that passion. I'm really glad that you did that. Because it's like, wow, you just kind of took the ball and ran with it. You knew we're where I wanted you to go, which is exactly there. You know, it's, it's, it's, it's life is a journey that, you know, has a lot of ups and downs, it's a roller coaster, there's just no doubt about it. And when you were able to start out so young, making making changes in your, in your own mind and your body. And, and, and doing that at such a young age that yeah, of course, you're still human, you're gonna go and you're gonna make mistakes, and you're gonna have some uphill climbs and everything, you're gonna have some failures. But it but you always know that there's a solution out there, when you are solution based. And that's what you are, you are just like always looking at how it can be in just even get rid of the word solution. But just like purpose based, you know, and I love that you work with John Maxwell and that and that. That's, that's part of your it's part of your psyche now, because some of the things you said, it's like I heard some John Maxwell there a little bit too, but I heard all yawn Roberts. That's what that's what I was really hearing the true yawn Roberts. And I am just thrilled to get to know somebody like you. And you're right, it is about jayvees. And we're probably going to be talking in the future that, you know, we'll be talking about some joint ventures that possibly can happen. Because we all want to reach the world with a positive message of how we can all show up in the world. That's kind of my big thing that I always say is show up in the world in such a way that we're making a huge difference. For other people, we aren't changing their lives, but we are opening their eyes so that they can change their own lives and they can change the world around them. And that's why I love your global presence that you have. You know, we hear your Scottish accent I love that it's so awesome. And and then having the South African base home base that because that's where you're at right now. Is that correct? Or are you in South Scotland? Yes, in Johannesburg, South Africa. That's in Scotland. Yeah. So you're very international in how you do things and and obviously you're going to be traveling a lot because you got to see your family right Get together with them now. And then. So I think that's, I think that everything that you're doing is not only on the right path, but it's a great example. And it is inspirational. So it is inspiring. It's not just motivational, it is inspirational, and an eye opening, plain old eye opening. And I, and I love that. So to help people that are listening, right now, you're being very generous in giving us an ebook. And I know it's called Return on values, just tell us a little bit about that. And we'll be putting a link into that, which is also how they can contact you in the show notes. But tell us a little bit about the return on value.

Well, as I said, this, this trip to Guatemala was the last piece in my jigsaw of, you know, knowing where I needed to go and wanted to go and basically be a voice telling me where to go. Because it says I don't think I would have been clever enough to make that decision on my own. But over over the last until last year, over over about six years, RT MSL worked together, because he's also a values based leadership specialist, he went the year after me to Berlin, Ohio, where this happens. And I think returned on values is, it's actually it's also a return to values really, because leadership around the world and people say about us for them, they look at the big leaders who are failing miserably around the world. And I don't get political in any way people said, You should go into politics as you can, because I'm too honest and not stopped a few conversations. But you know, when we look around, and we need to realize when I tell people that we are all leaders, you are a leader, and then and I'm pointing at the screen are going to introduce a better vision. And leadership always starts with self leadership, hence the self leadership strategist, because that's where leadership starts. And And where does that start? Well, if you ever want to become good at anything, if you ever really want to become better, and your soft skills are so important, the best way to grow your leadership is to grow your personal personal development to to intentionally develop yourself every single day. And I think, well, we can do as much as we want. But one thing is necessary in life in business in the social environment, you need to start building a solid foundation based on basic human values. Now, so we've been working with values based leadership is with this program, this transforming as a people if you get actively involved in this program, it will change your life No, if buts or maybes, I've seen it too often, we work internationally with all kinds of organizations and country transformations as well. And I said, so what we did was in South Africa, we did quite a few case studies on this, and to give people an idea what happens in the informal areas, but some people call the shucks informal areas where we were we were in in corporate we were in government and all these kind of case studies we put in a book because we what was also it came out in a book by by by Fred killed it called the return on character. And what is clearly shown is that when when, especially the top management and the CEO and the board, the board member starts x x shooting values that they is not talking to talk and we know all these wonderful values that are on the walls, well, one of the things is we take the values of the roles and put them in the hearts in the minds of people of everyone from the CEO, down to the bottom and back up again. So we did these kinds of things. And we wanted to show people that values are important in life full stop. And if that is then from there, you go to business. And, you know, it's not that people don't know values, but I call it the reawakening of their awareness of value. So when when we ship it, we can it is much more than values, people start connecting at a heart level, there is there is no more bullying, there is no need for diversity and inclusion, which RC is a specialist. That is not the turnover of people declines rapidly, because and also the absenteeism declines. Because people know that they matter and, and people care about them. It's this whole human touch the human connection, which let's face it, after the last few years we've been through, we needed more than ever, so we put case studies in there to give people an idea of what it's all about.

Excellent. Well, I am really excited to download that. So I'm gonna be doing that as soon as we are done. Actually. I have one final question for you. Because this has been so fantastic. And I can imagine that you're already you're already doing exactly what I'm about to ask you about. But if money were no issue at all, what is your big fat hairy, audacious goal in life? And or what is the legacy that you want to leave behind?

Well, I mean, the first part of the answer very quickly, because if money isn't, there was never an option for me. I never did. And don't get me wrong. We all need money. And if you think it's money is a problem to you, I'll give you my bank account so you can give it all to me because I can do a lot more good with it. And without it. It's not and somebody wants I think it was Les Brown said it's better to be miserable in it. A Mercedes Benz and another SEO bike. So but so money was never the driver for me. But yes, I mean, we need so much money because we can do so much more good with it and connect so many more people together. So that's that's that part of the way but the legacy but now I've thought about this and I Aarthi MSL when people get to know RT as well they'll understand this and she'll say the same thing. Because she quoted this one time and really spoke to me as you know, sometimes we are so busy trying to think about leaving a legacy, it's about time we started living one. And this is what we're doing. Because if you look at ligula busy, if you live a legacy, you don't have to worry about leaving one or maybe you will be remembered because let's face it, face it. We did an exercise one time with a group of people and said, How long do you think you will be remembered after your death? Now that you will be remembered certain days and all that kind of stuff? And for especially for the first time, but it? Why should we wait until we remembered after our death, I mean, it's not like like Rembrandt or these painters who were. I mean, they were in poverty when they were alive, and their paintings go for millions now. It's more about the impact. So for me living a legacy, and I mean, we are to you, and myself, we expand our vision all the time. And we we want to, we wanted to impact many people. And we started with millions. And I said, Well, what it's about time to think bigger, go home. And maybe for millions, there's a lot of people already, but it says we we are living here to make sure that we positively impact and transform billions of people so they can leave, they can live a life of significance. And what that whole sentence also means is that and that's my sentence is that when they live a life of significance, that means they pay things forward. Because living a life of significance. That means all these people will pay it forward. And we need that we need people to care we need I don't want to steal anything from RT but we need compassion, we need kindness, we need integrity, we need Honesty, we didn't need transparency, we need connection, we need listening we, we need forgiveness, we need restraint, all these kinds of values and, and human things that we don't take for granted anymore. We've got fear, we've got anxiety, we've got depression, we've got suicide rates, and all kinds of stuff happened just now. Even sometimes listening to somebody will make a difference. But we, we all need to step up, it is time to step up like never before, step up, use your voice and lead in any way you think whether it's in your community and your company in your country. But let's step up together, let's lead to a better future. Because we don't want what we've just had. And we don't want to have we just had we need to do things different because if we if we do the same, like we've always done, we're gonna get the same we've always got so people start thinking different start joining us. And let's let's let's go around the world. Let's hold his hands together like like the, the Michael Jackson song was on one time about the whole world coming together with the children. And you know, what's the song I don't want to start singing I don't want to put you off. But let's let's do this together people Because together, we are so much stronger together. We're so much better than we can encourage each other and provide hope to those that needed most.

Wow, I can't I can't I can't say anything better. Let's step up together. That's a great final word. I appreciate so much for you talking to me telling us about your story. And we're going to hear more from you in the future. So thank you so very much, Jan.

Thank you, Tammy. It's been a pleasure and a privilege. Thank you.