- Managing Partner
Professor of Management Practice and leadership expert integrating science and academic/theory with real-world application to solve difficult problems and achieve results. John has extensive experience in diverse global business, corporate, economic, linguistic and cultural contexts.
John Grisby FHEA CMBE CMgrMI MAJohn is both a Professor in Practice Leadership/Management and Managing Partner at Grey Matter Global Ltd., a leadership strategy consultancy for the fourth industrial revolution. He helps prepare/shift sports businesses and leaders from pre-digital age skills '3.0' to digital age '4.0'. He is an expert integrating unified science and academic/theory with real-world application to solve difficult problems and achieve results.
Accredited and Certified to Consult, Design, Deliver, Assess, Diagnose and Enable
HE Fellow
(FHEA)
Chartered Member
(CMgr MCMI)
Certified Management
& Business EducatorSports Leadership/Management Development and Performance
John was a (US) state ranked athlete in three sports. Like most athletes in the USA, he was introduced to physical and mental performance approaches in early development. He learned/developed approaches like mental focus, mental toughness and the 'Inner Game'. He later
co-delivered a project with Myles Downey to establish the 'Inner Game of Coaching' in the world of professional sports coaching (football,
rugby and tennis.
Competitive Sports Experience (USA)
- Ranked Ski Racer (State)
- Ranked State Tennis Play Doubles (State)
- Semi-Professional Collegiate Triathlete
- Competitive Ultra Endurance Runner
- Happily 'retired' and uncompetitive in sports since 1992
John has published a practical guide book for next-generation leaders in sports, Games You Can Play - Experience the Meaning of Winning in Sports 4.0 (Michael Terrence Publishing 2019). He has published business and sport leadership articles internationally, which include; Chartered Management Institute Insights (CMI), Global Professional Tennis Coaching Association (GPTCA), International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching (IJSCC) English Rugby Football Union Technical Coaching Journal (RFU), and the Journal of London Football Coaches' Association (LFCA).Professor of Practice (Fellow HEA)
John is a Professor of Practice at the University of Bedfordshire Business School. His works at faculty executive level with the Dean and Associate Dean to deliver the business school’s Employability and Enterprise and Practice-based strategy (UK/Europe/Middle East). His multi-faceted role combines advisory, consultancy, development, design, and deliver on a broad range of projects which include; Business School Impact System, Small Business Charter, Innovation Bridge, ICT Escalator, Innovation & Enterprise, Executive MBA UK/Oman (Part-Time), Executive Education and guest lectures.
Corporate Leadership Strategy, Development and Performance (Executive Coach EMCC Senior Practitioner )
His expertise in Executive Coaching for Performance was developed as a member of Faculty at The School of Coaching founded by Myles Downey a pioneer in executive and corporate performance coaching industry. As Faculty/Consultant/Coach he led Open Programmes and was responsible for consulting, designing and delivering leadership performance programmes in companies including; Sky, NFU Mutual, National Grid, British Gas, Freshfields, NHS East of England and Lloyds TSB.
- Industry & Business 4.0
We partner with private and public sector clients to design transformational learning experiences that prepare and shift leadership mindset to make complexity clear and solve difficult problems. Our extensive background working in global markets gives
unique insights to critical issues, leaders face on multiple levels.
- Purpose
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4.0)
Each of the three industrial revolutions has caused different demands on management and leadership. We are now entering a fourth industrial revolution where business leaders need skills to match the environment. What worked before will need to be different from what’s coming in the age of ‘Digital’, ‘Complexity’ and ‘Problematic’.
Business leaders in the first three industrial revolutions relied on physical instinct, tactical knowledge and technological innovation to solve problems. In the fourth industrial revolution accelerated change and complexity mean a leader will also have to rely on adaptive and cognitive abilities I.e. ‘Digital Mindset’.
These abilities are not well recognized yet in organisations or leadership but will make the difference between effectiveness, success and failure. - Leadership 4.0
Activate and Develop Leadership Capacity/CapabilityMake Sense of Complexity | Lead/Manage Through Change | Solve Difficult ProblemsBeing an effective leader is now a life-long process and continual personal development is crucial.
The *World Economic Forum describes the Fourth Industrial Revolution as the 'perfect storm', resulting in significant change, transformation, disruption and impact. By 2020 (and beyond) every industry and sector will require new and
improved leadership skill sets:
- Active learning
- Creative thinking
- Critical Thinking/Analysis/Sensemaking
- Complex Problem Solving/Problem definition
- Leadership and Social Influence
- Emotional Intelligence
- Judgement and Decision Making
- People Management
- Cognitive Flexibility
To learn these skills requires continual practice and rich interaction solving real problems. Leaders who come to us are highly skilled, accomplished and recognised in their role/sector. Typically they are looking for premium services to build capacity and improve capability at critical points in leadership execution and journey. We offer premium services focused on delivering results, which benefits include:
- Ability to clearly understand complex situations and develop sustainable strategies.
- Making and taking the right decisions to implement and deliver critical agendas.
- Developing/activating and leverage capacities/capabilities to effectively lead in a 'digital world'.
- Becoming an 'adaptive' bottom line problem solver.
- Transforming self, teams and others.
- Increasing the significant value of role as a leader (financial, performance, skill, development and visibility).
Skills 2025
Report 2020
