Welcome to the Arete Coach Podcast, hosted by Severin Sorensen, with an episode that explores "Movement as Medicine: Exploring Movement and Meaning With Athletic Psychology."

In this episode, recorded via Zoom on October 1st, 2024, we are joined by Sam Spear, founder and CEO of Coaching Instinct. Sam brings a unique blend of expertise as an executive leadership coach, licensed marriage and family therapist, former advertising and marketing executive, and lifelong competitive athlete. With an impressive client roster including Disney, Netflix, Target, EA, and SpaceX, Sam combines psychological insights with physical activity to unlock deeper organizational insights and model effective leadership.

Sam Spear's journey reflects a fascinating evolution from competitive tennis player to journalism graduate, then to psychotherapist and successful advertising executive. His path led him through roles as a copywriter, creative director, and eventually global creative director before founding and later selling his own agency. Throughout his 20-year business career, Sam maintained a small clinical practice, which unexpectedly merged with his business experience when a Fortune 100 CEO client suggested he consider executive team coaching. This pivotal moment led to the creation of Coaching Instinct, where Sam developed his distinctive approach combining athletic activities with psychological insights to help leaders break through mental obstacles and resistance. His methodology, grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and solution-focused psychotherapy, helps clients achieve greater efficiency, connection, and impact while fostering environments of authenticity and growth.

Sam Spear's approach to executive coaching demonstrates the power of combining physical movement with psychological insight. His methodology shows that engaging clients in athletic activities can create breakthrough moments that translate directly to leadership capabilities. By observing how clients respond to physical challenges, coaches can identify patterns that manifest in their professional lives and help address them more effectively.

The episode highlights the importance of maintaining a balanced approach between future-focused coaching (85-90% of the work) and past-oriented counseling (10-15% of the work). This distinction allows coaches to help clients move forward while occasionally addressing historical patterns that may be hindering their progress. Spear's framework of "wins, losses, and notables" provides a structured way to track progress and leverage successes while learning from setbacks.

Perhaps most significantly, Spear emphasizes the value of slowing down and maintaining perspective in leadership development. His mantra of "STFD" (Slow The F*** Down) encapsulates the importance of being present and making thoughtful decisions rather than rushing through challenges. This approach, combined with his focus on building trust through consistent actions over time, offers a powerful framework for sustainable leadership development and organizational growth.

The Arete Coach Podcast seeks to explore the art and science of executive coaching. You can find out more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

This episode was recorded on October 1, 2024.

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