Thought Sparks The Psychology of Performance with Rita McGrath and Michael Gervais
In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Michael Gervais, a leading performance psychologist and author of the book “The First Rule of Mastery”.
1:14: Free Surfing and Competitive Surfing as an Introduction to Performance Psychology
4:52: The 3 Components of Performance - Training Your Body, Your Technical Skills, and Your Mind
6:03: Allodoxphobia and The Real Fear of Others’ Opinions
7:15: Going from Theory to Applicable Advice
8:17: Unmask, Assess, Redefine - The Book’s 3 Steps to Improving Performance
10:21: Practicing Self-Discovery Through Mindfulness, Journaling, and Conversations
12:20: Mental Systems: Your Brain as the Hardware, Your Mind as the Software
13:42: “Putting Your Own Life Vest On First”, and Supporting Yourself to Support Others
15:33: How the Lack of Social Belonging Impacts Performance
17:40: “Listening Hard” and Practicing Simple Curiosity as Tools for Connection
22:05: Honest Relationships, in Board Rooms and Locker Rooms
25:43: Bringing Coaching Mindsets Into Organizations
26:56: The Importance of Timeliness in Feedback
30:08: Psychological Safety as a Foreground for Improving Performance
32:16: Coaches’ Role as the “Chief Repeating Officer"
34:33: Michael’s Superbowl Experience with the Seattle Seahawks
42:58: The Epidemic of Disengagement, and How Modern Stressors Affect Us
46:44: The Trap of Mechanistic Models of Organizations
48:32: Going Beyond Mental Health to Training Mental Skills
50:08: Taking Courageous Decisions
Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence.
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