Squirrel, an expert in team dynamics and performance improvement, teams up with Jeffrey, a practitioner of the Toyota Way, to delve into the Improvement Kata. They discuss how to boost team results through careful measurement and consistent methods. The concept of Gemba highlights the importance of observing users to set achievable targets. They also emphasize the value of iterative improvements and embracing failures as a learning tool, advocating for a culture of scientific thinking in agile environments.

Jeffrey, an expert in dealing with change, joins the podcast to discuss various aspects of change. They talk about the signals that indicate the need to switch up routines and how even small changes can be effective. The conversation also covers managing reactions to involuntary change and accepting new things into our lives. The hosts explore topics like generational slang, reflections in our physical surroundings, seasonal influence on motivation, and the struggle for change. They also discuss living in the Bay Area and the importance of gaining perspective outside of the tech industry.

Joining the conversation is Jeffrey, who shares insights from his lectures on architecture and emotional understanding. He explores the connections between Christopher Alexander's architectural principles and the enhancement of perceptiveness in decision-making. The discussion touches on the importance of introspection and emotional simulations in improving communication. Listeners learn about predictive mechanisms in our bodies that shape emotional responses and how feedback can sharpen our clarity, encouraging a more agile mindset.

Our consciousness is like a net. We want the net to be fluid enough to let thoughts that bother us pass through without grabbing our attention, but strong enough to grab on to the ideas and motivations that will drive us to achieve what we value in life. Nutrition has a big impact on this net. In this episode, learn how foods like liver, egg yolks, meat, leafy greens, legumes, collagen, bone broth, spinach, wheat, and beets can impact how fluid or stable your mind is by impacting the methylation of dopamine, and how to achieve the proper balance. This episode is brought to you by Ample Meal. Ample is a meal-in-a-bottle that takes a total of two minutes to prepare, consume, and clean up. It provides a balance of fat, protein, and carbohydrate, plus all the vitamins and minerals you need in a single meal, all from a blend of natural ingredients. The protein is from whey and collagen. The fat is from coconut oil and macadamia nut oil. The carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals come exclusively from food sources like sweet potatoes, bananas, cocoa powder, wheat and barley grass, and chlorella. I use Ample on Mondays when I have 12 hours of appointments with breaks no longer than 15 minutes. It keeps my brain going while I power through the long day, never letting food prep make me late for an appointment. Head to amplemeal.com and enter "CHRIS15" at checkout for a 15% discount off your first order. This episode is brought to you by US Wellness Meats. I use their liverwurst as a convenient way to make a sustainable habit of eating a diversity of organ meats. They also have a milder braunschweiger and an even milder head cheese that gives you similar benefits, as well as a wide array of other meat products, all from animals raised on pasture. Head to grasslandbeef.com and enter promo code “Chris” at checkout to get a 15% discount on any order that is at least 7 pounds and is at least $75 after applying the discount but under 40 pounds (it can be 39.99 lbs, but not 40). You can use this discount code not once, but twice! In this episode, you'll find all the following and more: 00:38  Cliff Notes 12:15  Three stories illustrating how foods impact mental stability and fluidity. 13:00  How veganism profoundly worsened my OCD and panic attacks and going Weston A. Price made them disappear.  18:55  Jeffrey is an entrepreneur who uses intermittent fasting and low-protein lunches to remain hyper-focused through the workday, but at the risk of an occasional panic attack.  22:05  Jordan uses methylation supplements to optimize his energy and mental focus, but can experience a spectrum of methylation states that range from bodily tiredness on one end to intense focus suitable for creative and analytic work in the middle, to flighty productivity suitable for errands on the high end, to a severe crash characterized by apathy.  26:50  The methylation system and the roles of sulfur amino acids (methionine and cysteine), magnesium, ATP, B6, serine and glycine, folate, B12, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, choline, betaine, and creatine.  34:18  The two principle fates of homocysteine.  40:10  Glycine as the endogenous buffer of extra methyl groups.  42:40  Obtaining betaine and choline from foods.  45:40  Creatine as a methyl group sparer.  48:20  Niacin and nicotinamide riboside as a tax on the methylation system.  50:25  Tonic and phasic dopamine, and how methylation mediated by catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) regulates the balance.  57:20  How the balance of tonic and phasic dopamine determines the ease of switching mental states. 1:03:50  Worrier vs. warrior phenotype. 1:09:10  Histamine in the brain as an alertness signal and a potential contributor to panic attacks. 1:11:55  Explaining the three stories. 1:22:00  Practical conclusions. Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/043-methylate-your-way-to-mental

Jeffrey, a Toyota Kata expert, reveals how effective coaching can boost team performance. He and Squirrel dive into essential questions for coaching sessions, emphasizing the importance of understanding current conditions to refine strategies. The conversation also highlights the need for discipline through structured methodologies, drawing parallels to pilots using checklists for safety. This approach fosters a culture of self-coaching within teams, inviting listeners to engage deeper with the Toyota Way.

Jeffrey, founder of Service Management Leadership, discusses the tension between innovation and improvement in organizations. He explores how to differentiate between doing things differently for innovation and improving existing processes. The podcast delves into the thin line between true innovation and incremental improvements in service management, contrasting approaches of traditional companies with innovative ones.

Jeffrey, Founder of Service Management Leadership, discusses the significance of speed to delivery in providing value to stakeholders. He emphasizes the balance between deploying quickly and maintaining stability, accessibility, and usability for sustained value over time. The conversation also delves into the importance of utilizing new services to enhance daily tasks and improve efficiency, akin to the joy of a new toy on Christmas day.

Join Squirrel, a culture-shifting consultant, and Jeffrey, a VP of Engineering and agile expert, as they dissect the pitfalls of 'mathiness' in project management. They reveal how complex spreadsheets can mislead and emphasize the need for dialogue over rigid mathematical analysis. Squirrel and Jeffrey stress that numbers should spark discussions, not serve as definitive answers. They also address the dangers of comparing performance metrics and the cultural challenges in agile methodologies, encouraging listeners to engage in meaningful conversations.

Entrepreneur Jeffrey Gabriel shares his journey from a cushy job to starting Saw.com, discussing challenges, successes, and selling AI.com. He emphasizes persistence, learning from failure, and the importance of teamwork and hard work in achieving dreams.

Guest Jeffrey, IT consulting founder, discusses unlocking IT program value. Topics include reflections on high school lockers culture and expertise needed for ITSM value. Nostalgic anecdotes and insights provided.