Teamcast

After Action Reviews, by Coleman Ruiz

Today, I speak with Shaun Huls, Director of High Performance at NFL Football team, the Cleveland Browns. Shaun has worked for 30 years in college sport, military special operations, and professional football in America.In the conversation, we discuss:- sports science and human performance,- we talk about the myths of physical and mental performance,- skill acquisition and skill transition,- staying a white belt everyday,- the origin of one of the NCAA's first strength and conditioning programs in the country,- taking care of the primary "human weapon system," as Shaun describes it to me,- on how you don't have to "get ready" if you "stay ready"- willing oneself to be a great player off of one thing: a routine- removing the word "potential" from your name- growing beyond your mentor- how your primary responsibility on any high performing team is acquiring skills and knowledge, and executing that skill: slow, then at speed, then at speed when fatigued, then at speed when fatigued, and under pressure, and doing so consistently.Please enjoy my conversation with the Cleveland Browns' Director of High Performance, my friend, Shaun Huls.

This is my conversation with Justin Langer, head coach of the Australian Men's National Cricket team, the #1 ranked cricket team in the world, in a sport that is the #2 most watched sport in the world.From my view, this was a master-class in building and maintaining elite team culture. Justin takes me to school on what it takes to stay grounded while leading one of the most elite athletic teams in the world. Yet, the team's world #1 ranking pales in comparison to Justin's energy and love for cricket that started when he was a child.Finally, straight from J.L.'s epic quote room in Perth, Australia, he reminds me of a few quips that he keeps top of mind everyday:"If you preach excellence and walk mediocrity you're nothing more than a common liar." "The pain of discipline is nothing like the pain of disappointment.""Most people want to live the dream but they can't live the reality."Watch the documentary here: The Test: A New Era for Australia's Team

From main-stage theaters to medieval round-towers Clare has been a professional storyteller for 14 years now. She has performed in more than 20 countries, telling stories for all kinds of audiences. Her performances include shows such as “The King of Lies,” political folkloric shows set, and playful pieces which explore where quantum physics, philosophy and mythology meet. From storytelling for the President of Ireland to performing at the Writers room of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Clare also performs at festivals, art centers, universities, public and private events, and she teaches for us at the MCTI. But what Clare actually teaches is basic COMMUNICATION skills!!!Our careers have an arc, our training events have an arc, our more acute missions have an arc, briefings have an arc, the books, and the films we love are based on a well structured story arc, and all of our communications are in pursuit of as much common understanding as possible, or else are we really a high-performing team?We, of course, talk about Clare's background, but we also discuss:speaking in technicolorbuilding contextstories that go nowhere...that never get resolved communicating to one person in order to talk to everyone, rather than talking to everyone which has you talking to no onegetting a team's brain out in the open for everyone to learn from collective experience (we say we want to be a high performing team, not a group of high performing individuals)burning down librariesorigin storiesdiscovering what right looks likeembedding images of high performanceClare Murphy, Irish-born StorytellerStay in touch via our Newsletter here.www.missioncti.com

Daniel Coyle, author of influential books like The Culture Code, dives into the fascinating world of emotional athletics and team dynamics. He discusses the marshmallow experiment, highlighting how spontaneity fosters collaboration. Coyle shares insights from high-performing teams like the San Antonio Spurs, emphasizing emotional connections and communication. He explores the importance of psychological safety and vulnerability in building effective teams, and how language can enhance team cohesion. This conversation is a treasure trove for anyone interested in unlocking team potential.

My conversation today is again with Dr. Preston Cline. We discuss the difference between "safety" and "security," and why it matters. We talk about judgment and decision making, risk-to-force versus risk-to-mission and what it costs you to balance both. We discuss team fluidity, team cohesion, and "user guides." Enjoy the conversation. The Ten (10) Principles of Navigating UncertaintyExample User Manual (here).And stay tuned for my interview next week with author of The Culture Code: the Secrets of Highly Successful Groups, Daniel Coyle.As always, contact us at info@missioncti.com

My conversation with Jimmy Hatch, combat veteran, founder of SpikesK9Fund, author of Touching the Dragon, and one of the most insightful, humble, and honest conversations you'll EVER hear on the broad range of human experience.Touching the Dragon, James Hatch (and Christian D'Andrea)SpikesK9FundMy Semester with the Snowflakes, James Hatch (on Medium)

Residue Research Paper (for public distribution)MCTI Podcast Website and Links to our Newsletter

Dr. Andrew Huberman, Assoc. Professor of Neurobiology at Stanford University and Director of the Huberman Lab, discusses the physiology of long duration efforts, including the impact of nutrition on neurochemical synthesis, setting goals, managing energy and blood sugar levels, the complex physiology of long-duration efforts, the importance of breathing and the role of the diaphragm, and understanding neuroplasticity and its triggers.

Critical vs. Routine Communications Research and Survey link here. Thanks for contributing!You can download the Associated Research Article PDF by clicking here.