This week we kept shouting things like HIT ME! TWIST! GO FISH! WHAT’S A SPADE? In order to win the professional attention, and personal sympathy, of Jo Living – founder of ‘poker for business’ consultancy Aces High.

Having noticed that poker was less about bluff and bravado and more about strategy, empathy and teamwork, Jo realised it could be the perfect game for teaching people how to make smarter business decisions. From there she went on to run workshops teaching everything from communication and negotiation, to assertiveness and risk management, all done eye-to-eye through what she calls the ‘contact’ sport of poker.

It’s an episode where we try very hard not to say things about ‘laying the cards on the table’ (but probably won’t succeed) covering everything from the real-world value of a poker face to the power of a timely pause.

 

This episode is proudly dedicated to Adam Living.

 

 Follow Jo on LinkedIn.

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07:33 - Investment Banking Experience

10:32 - Quarter Life Crisis

15:47 - The Poker Environment

18:15 - Poker as a Game of Strategy

19:50 - Women in Poker

22:39 - Parallels Between Poker and Business

26:02 - Skills Developed Through Poker

29:02 - The Power of the Pause

31:37 - Identifying Leadership Traits

37:13 - Getting More Women at the Table

39:12 - Subtle Tells for Leadership

 Jo’s Book Recommendations are:

Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke

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