Michael Gervais is a high-performance psychologist who works in the trenches of high-stakes environments, he is a recognized speaker on optimal human performance, and he is the host of the Finding Mastery podcast. What can Michael teach us about success in the corporate world? Well, just a few of the important topics Mark and Michael discuss on this week’s episode are:

• Why is an understanding of the space between hesitation and commitment so fundamental to raising performance
• What is micro-choking, and how you can dissolve pressure
• A definition of failure that challenges us to step up

Time Stamps:

• 03:20 - How Michael helps people become the best they can be
• 05:00 - How he helps people think more clearly when under pressure
• 05:25 - What ‘micro-choking’ means
• 08:50 - You know when you’re on the edge of your capabilities, when you begin to get butterflies in your stomach or even get nauseous.
• 12:50 - To do the difficult and challenging things in life, we need the help of others.
• 13:30 - Corporate America is riddled with narcissists. This actually kills success.
• 16:25 - How Michael sees risk and failure show up in the executive suites
• 19:20 - How personal philosophy differs from personal purpose
• 23:40 - Michael discusses the work he did with Skydiver Felix Baumgartner, the man who broke the sound barrier.
• 28:15 - What Michael ha learned so far from hosting his podcast Finding Mastery
• 35:05 - What is the space between hesitation and commitment? What makes someone go over that edge?
• 39:40 - Write down in 20 words or less what your philosophy is.
• 41:20 - What Michael has changed his mind about recently
• 42:55 - What he does to remain creative and innovative
• 44:25 - What he attributes his success in life to

Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode: 

• Finding Mastery https://findingmastery.net/ 
• Compete to Create https://competetocreate.net/ 
• Connect with Dr. Michael Gervais on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichaelgervais/ 

Scott Peltin is founder and chief performance officer of Tignum, a company that helps his executive clients achieve their full potential. He's worked with CEOs, C-level executives, professional athletes, and many top leaders to improve their performance and sustainability. Prior to founding Tignum in 2005, Scott worked on the front-line for over 25 years as a firefighter and as a captain, and later led his crews as a battalion and division chief in the Phoenix Fire Department.

What is covered:

• 02:20 - How did Scott get started?
• 03:55 - Why is leadership not taught?
• 05:55 - Scott shares an example of the kind of work he provides and how he helps CEOs succeed.
• 10:50 - What happened to Bob six months after Scott's training? He finally has the tools he needs to handle difficult situations.
• 13:00 - What can someone do straightaway to recover from their stressful lives?
• 14:45 - Beware of the stories you tell yourself.
• 18:20 - What happens if people are constantly grabbing your attention in the hallways? Scott has a solution for you.
• 21:00 - Mindset is contagious. Let's talk mindset.
• 27:00 - Do generations work differently in the workplace?
• 29:15 - When multitasking, you have to feed the brain the right nutrients in order to succeed.
• 30:30 - What's the next wave of performance technology going to be?
• 35:50 - Don't forget to sign up to Scott's newsletter as he offers a ton of great insights.
• 35:55 - What are Scott's morning rituals?
• 37:40 - What have you changed your mind about recently?
• 39:30 - What advice would Scott give his 25-year-old self?

Links and Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

• TIGNUM
• Connect with Scott Peltin on LinkedIn
• Sign up for TIGNUM's mailing list

In this episode, we are joined by Steven MacGregor, who is the founder and CEO of The Leadership Academy of Barcelona and author of Sustaining Executive Performance and his latest book is Chief Wellbeing Officer, in which he discusses the importance of maintaining positive mental health in the workplace. Steven is also an academic specializing in executive education and has taught at Stanford University, IMD at Lausanne, and CIBS in Shanghai.

What Is Covered

• Why Steven believes that positive mental health and humanity will help us to thrive in the future world of work .
• How not to be over busy, and the benefits of slowing down in the workplace.
• Why Steven believes we should focus on the small picture, and how to quickly learn new and automatic habits.

Key Takeaways and Learnings

• Ambiguity: why being flexible, employing different solutions and the ability to pivot is an essential skill set for successful senior executives.
• Small gains: how multiple improvements, however small, can have a big impact on results.
• Mindfulness and well being: how taking care of your mental health can help lead you become a top performer.
• Agility: how movement can help to boost innovation and allow us to learn fresh perspectives.
• Nudges: how to take back your worries and feel healthier by hacking your social and environment rituals.

Links and Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• Get in touch with Steven MacGregor via LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook
• Leadership Academy of Barcelona, website
• Chief Wellbeing Officer, a book by Steven MacGregor
• Sustaining Executive Performance, a book by Steven MacGregor
• The Neo-Generalist, a book by Kenneth Mikkelsen
• The Stress Report, by DO Lectures
• Our World in Data, website
• Jamie Dimon’s ‘listening’ bus? Get on board, an article by Gillian Tett
• Scott DeRue, the Dean of Michigan Ross School of Business
• Other mentions: Stanford University, IMD at Lausanne, CIBS in Shanghai

David Allen is widely recognized as the world's leading expert on personal and organizational productivity. He is the author of Getting Things Done and has shown millions of people how to transform their overwhelming lives into a relaxed and more productive one. Listen to David's popular methodology and how it has helped successful leaders all over the world.

What We Cover:

• 03:15 - What is the 'Getting Things Done' approach David uses?
• 04:45 - How did you stumble upon this methodology?
• 06:45 - How does Getting Things Done help with innovation?
• 08:45 - Nobody went out to be innovative, they just went out to solve problems.
• 09:30 - What's a typical day look like for a successful tech company using David's system?
• 11:25 - You need to step back and look at all of the hats you're wearing.
• 14:00 - Surprisingly, people who are attracted to David's work are people who need it the least.
• 15:15 - Most of the stress you have is due to breaking agreements with yourself.
• 15:35 - Getting Things Done is not about getting things done. It's about being engaged with every single moment in your life.
• 17:45 - The first step is to get everything out of your head and on a piece of paper.
• 18:55 - Getting Things Done is timeless.
• 25:15 - David talks the evolution of his business model.
• 29:55 - Reflection is critical to the decision making process.
• 32:25 - Keeping stuff in your head is the wrong place to be keeping stuff.
• 35:45 - What are David's morning rituals?
• 39:05 - What has David changed his mind about recently?
• 41:35 - What advice does David have for his 25-year-old self?

Links And Resources Mentioned In This Episode: 

• Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280
• Getting Things Done Website: https://gettingthingsdone.com/