Matt Comyn: Dealing with stress, applying for the difficult roles and why emails are a waste of time
Jan 27, 2025
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Matt Comyn, CEO of Commonwealth Bank of Australia and leader of 50,000 employees, discusses his journey through leadership and the importance of tackling tough challenges. He shares insights on how a flexible morning routine and prioritizing health can manage stress. Comyn believes in minimizing email use for better productivity and emphasizes sleep, exercise, and recovery for peak performance. He also touches on the evolution of his public speaking skills and the significance of reconnecting with personal heritage through language learning.
Embracing challenging roles fosters personal growth and enhances resilience, ultimately leading to improved future performance in leadership.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and building a supportive team are essential coping mechanisms for managing stress effectively in high-pressure situations.
Deep dives
Embracing Challenges for Growth
Embracing challenging situations, especially when feeling unprepared, is highlighted as an opportunity for personal growth. The speaker reflects on the importance of facing difficulties head-on as a means to discover one's capabilities and resilience. This mindset allows individuals to handle future challenges more effectively, as experiences that initially seemed daunting become easier over time. By actively pursuing challenging roles, leaders can distinguish themselves and gain valuable insights that contribute to their overall development.
The Importance of Seizing Opportunities
Seizing unexpected opportunities is crucial for career advancement and personal growth. The speaker recounts a pivotal moment when they volunteered to lead a challenging remediation project after a financial crisis, which shaped their approach to leadership. Embracing these moments, even when they seem uncomfortable, can lead to significant learning experiences and rewards. The advice emphasizes having a mindset of curiosity and a willingness to improve continuously, which fosters a more enriched and fulfilling career.
Effective Stress Management Techniques
Effective coping mechanisms for high-stress situations include maintaining a healthy lifestyle and cultivating a supportive team environment. The speaker emphasizes the importance of good sleep and regular exercise in managing stress effectively. Additionally, realizing that problems often seem worse than they are can help maintain perspective in challenging situations. Fostering a great team allows leaders to lessen their personal stress levels as collaboration and communication provide necessary support.
On this week’s episode, Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn talks about the importance of taking on the hard challenges, his approach to health and fitness and why he sends less than 5 emails a day.