When you think of some of your favorite leaders, leaders who've inspired you, what characteristics come to mind? Typically, people want leaders who are purposeful, curious, self-aware, present, engaged, and caring. Your favorite leaders tend to care about you as a person, not just a number. Our guest today – is all of those and more. 

In this last episode of season 6 in Coaching Through Stories, Dr. Eric Bean speaks with PharmaPoint’s CEO, Mike Plaia about navigating leadership challenges through bold decisions and resilient mindset shifts. 

Mike Plaia, is a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience in business and leadership. As the CEO of PharmaPoint, a technology-driven, pharmacy management company, Mike has overseen its recognition as one of the fastest-growing private companies and an industry leader in healthcare innovation. Previously, he co-founded Source Medical, the largest provider of IT solutions for ambulatory surgery centers, and Industriaplex, an Inc. 500-ranked company. Mike also spent time at General Electric, leading initiatives in acquisition integration and Six Sigma.  

A graduate of West Point, Mike served in the U.S. Army as a Field Artillery Officer, earning multiple commendations. Outside of business, he’s passionate about mentoring youth through sports and serves on several community boards, including Rise Above and gotURback, both focused on supporting local initiatives. 

In today’s episode, Mike shares his experiences from West Point, the military, and leading high-growth companies, emphasizing the importance of taking risks and stepping out of comfort zones. He reflects on how failure is a necessary part of success and the critical role of trust and compassion in leadership. 

You will gain practical insights into managing fear, building resilient teams, and fostering a culture where both success and failure are embraced as part of growth. Listeners will leave this episode feeling motivated to be bold and take on new challenges. 

Key Takeaways: 

• The importance of boldness and embracing discomfort to achieve growth 

• How to build trust and compassion as a leader 

• Why failure is essential to long-term success and development 

• The value of journaling leadership lessons and learning from both good and bad examples 

• Strategies for balancing mental toughness with support and empathy in leadership roles 

Highlights: 

• [6:00] Mike's journey from West Point to leading high-growth companies 

• [10:24] The significance of bold decisions and taking risks 

• [14:40] Embracing failure and building resilience in leadership 

• [16:46] Trust, compassion, and accountability in leadership 

• [23:19] Key leadership lessons from journaling and reflection 

• [43:56] Why you need the “keep going” mentality 

• [51:16] How Mike evolved as a leader 

Resources: 

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt - https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036 

PharmaPoint - www.pharmapoint.com  

Connect with Mike Plaia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-plaia-676b71/ 

Whether you’re a new or seasoned leader, it’s universal to experience the challenges that come with balancing competing demands and priorities of an organization. In this episode of Coaching Through Stories, Dr. Eric Bean takes listeners through the art of balancing support and challenge as a leader. He explores the importance of adaptability, focusing on the mental flexibility required to navigate leadership’s paradoxes like stability or innovation and be nurturing or drive results. Dr. Bean helps leaders understand paradoxical leadership, addresses the challenges that arise, and offers practical strategies to develop both supportive and challenging leadership styles. 

 Listeners will gain valuable tools for building adaptive leadership frameworks, incorporating active listening, and finding creative ways to blend structure with flexibility in their teams. 

Key Takeaways: 

• How to embrace both supportive and challenge to create a more dynamic and responsive leadership approach 

• The three key components of adaptability in leadership 

• Instead of “or” use “and” thinking 

• How to develop mental flexibility and respond to paradoxes in leadership 

• Active listening as the foundation for understanding and supporting your team 

• Balancing short-term goals and long-term vision thinking in leadership decisions 

Highlights: 

• [0:06] The balance between being supportive and challenging   

• [1:36] Three main components of adaptability   

• [2:10] Developing mental flexibility   

• [3:04] The paradox of leadership   

• [3:31] Causes of paradoxical challenges in leadership   

• [5:56] Active listening as a core leadership skill   

• [9:35] Finding creative ways to balance structure and flexibility   

• [12:16] Balancing short-term and long-term thinking 

 Resources:  

Episode #49: Unlocking the Power of Adaptability with Ross Thornley - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6unpfrEdrFHTM2XCB66vFJ?si=EmPWsD2CSfmKZA1XNQF8xg  

In this special episode of Coaching Through Stories, Siana Sylvester steps in as co-host alongside Dr. Eric Bean to welcome guest Nicole Bean. 

Together, they dive into Nicole’s impressive career journey from pharmaceutical sales to becoming Head of Oncology Marketing. Nicole shares her experiences of personal and professional growth, revealing how she transitioned from a road warrior to a corporate leader while constantly striving to make a bigger impact in healthcare. The episode highlights her leadership philosophy, the challenges of imposter syndrome, and how she fosters a psychologically safe environment for her team.

 Key Points:

1. Nicole’s journey from pharmaceutical sales to oncology marketing

2. Leadership insights: empowering teams, fostering collaboration, and creating psychological safety

3. Overcoming imposter syndrome and external criticisms

4. The value of retrospectives for continuous team improvement

Episode Highlights:

•[6:20] Nicole’s background and transition into healthcare

•[9:35] The challenges of moving from a field role to a corporate setting

•[13:35] Leadership lessons: creating a safe space for teams

•[6:44] The value of listening and connecting to your team

•[5:40] Delegating leadership while maintaining individual contributions

•[6:00] DISC assessment: Navigating different leadership styles in the workplace

•[4:25] Cross-departmental collaboration and building coalitions

•[1:02:29] Managing workplace criticism and personal growth through retrospectives

Resources:

•How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen-https://www.amazon.com/How-Women-Rise-Holding-Promotion/dp/0316440124 

In this episode, host Dr. Eric Bean sits down with Andy Riise, Director of Mental Performance and Leadership for the Chicago Bears, to dive into the mental and emotional strategies that separate elite performers from the rest. With years of experience as a mental performance coach in professional sports and the military, Andy shares how training the mind is as crucial as training the body. He unpacks the intangible qualities of leadership and explores the intersection of high performance and joy. 

Listen in as Andy reveals how to navigate ego interference, practice courageous conflict, and build resilience in high-pressure environments. 

Key Takeaways:  

- Developing the intangible attributes of leadership 

- The critical elements of mental and emotional performance 

- Navigating ego and staying grounded 

- The art of courageous conflict in leadership 

- Being intentional in everything that you do 

 Highlights: 

•[12:07] How can leaders develop these intangible attributes of leadership? 

•[20:34] Training your mind like training your body 

•[23:52] The critical elements of high performance when it comes to mental and emotional stance 

•[27:32] The ego interference and how to navigate it 

•[34:33] The art of courageous conflict 

•[35:39] Can high performance and joy co-exist? 

•[42:57] What’s Andy’s role in supporting his team and players? 

•[1:02:51] Goal setting and how to drive consistency?  

 For More of Andy: 

 •Check out Andy on: https://linktr.ee/coachriise  

How do you respond when the pressure is on? 

Pressure can cloud judgment and derail performance, turning high-stakes situations into overwhelming challenges. And you need the right mindset to avoid being daunted by it.

In this solo episode of Coaching Through Stories, host Dr. Eric Bean examines the art of leading with poise under pressure. Drawing from psychology and leadership principles, Dr. Bean explores why stress often leads leaders to close off. He delves into the power of loss aversion, which can overshadow the pursuit of gains.

Through thoughtful insights, he guides listeners on how to shift their mindset from seeing threats to recognizing opportunities, and how to actively focus on what can be controlled.

Key Takeaways:

• Performing and leading with poise under pressure
• Understanding why leaders become close-minded under stress
• The power of loss aversion versus the pursuit of gains
• Introduction to "pressure training" and strategies you need to know to minimize pressure

Highlights:

• [2:33] The power of loss aversion
• [4:22] Enhancing poise under pressure
• [9:11] Minimizing the effects of pressure on performance
• [12:15] Distinguishing between consequence and risk
• [14:33] Shifting from threat to opportunity
• [16:32] Focusing on what you can and cannot control

Resources:

Performing Under Pressure The Science of Doing Your Best When It Matters the Most by Hendrie Weisinger - Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing Your Best When It Matters Most 

In today’s Coaching Through Stories episode, Dr. Eric Bean is joined by one of his favorite people, Zach Brandon, the Head of Mental Performance and Coach Development with the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Zach is in his sixth season leading the mental performance department for players, coaches, and staff with the Arizona Diamondbacks. In his role, he also assists the front office and leadership staff with coach development initiatives. He also provides customized coaching and workshops to performers and organizations through his personal company, MVP Mindset Consulting. 

Within the first few minutes of this conversation, Zach talks about his main motivation is to help people be the best version of themselves. A lot is covered in today’s episode including, Zach’s framework of high performance that includes 3 overarching components. First is the mind and being able to not only manage but also leverage our thoughts, emotions, and attention. The second piece is the body which for Zach includes our ability to accept when we’re not feeling 100% but having the courage to step in the arena anyway with the self-belief that what you do in this moment is enough and is good enough to compete. And the final prong of his framework is spirit which includes awareness of your mission, your values, and your purpose. And that’s just one of many great lessons Zach shares throughout our conversation. 

You will learn how elite performers can accept when they're not feeling 100% and have developed strategies to navigate these uncomfortable moments. In moments of doubt, elite performers muster the courage to step into the arena with the self-belief that what they do in the given moment is enough, despite not feeling their best. This conversation will leave you feeling inspired to take on challenges even when failure is possible. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Can you have joy and fulfillment alongside high performance? 

•  Three things to look out for in order to get the most out of your body 

• The willingness and readiness to go deeper 

• The idea of “quick fixes” and how to work against that 

Highlights:  

[9:38] Is elite performance and personal joy at odds with each other? 

[17:55] Informational vs Educational vs Transformation 

[26:07] Zach’s philosophy to high performance 

[31:31] The mind being the “surface layer” 

[35:01] The disconnect between knowing and doing 

[46:38] Simulating the external and internal environment 

[53:52] The detrimental effects of sabotaging your own confidence and well being 

[58:11] The gap and the gain mindset 

[1:06:59] How to shift the mindset of an entire organization? 

Resources: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/ 

• The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan: https://www.amazon.com/Gap-Gain-Achievers-Happiness-Confidence/dp/1401964362  

Jim Lemming, CEO and owner of Partners in Building and Houston-based industry veteran, joins us for a candid conversation. With a strong foundation in business management, Jim brings a wealth of experience in home construction, renovations, and residential budgets. 

In this episode, Jim takes us on a personal journey, sharing insights into leadership, the homebuilding industry, and the entrepreneurial spirit. Jim details how early in his career he worked for a small home building company in Northern California and when a leadership development opportunity was proposed to him, he jumped at the bit. He goes on to share that he entered into this program as a confident, cocky, egotistical, successful young man to realizing how little he really knew about other people, their experiences, and the way they view the world. He became an empathetic, understanding, and open leader. Jim goes onto share how this experience served as a launching pad for him to become the leader he is today. 

In our conversation Jim shares how he built his company and from the moment he took the leap and how he hires for excellence, and works to get the best out of his people without sacrificing engagement and buy-in. Jim has an incredible balance of a leader who is driven and committed to achieving lofty goals, and yet caring with a people-first mentality. 

Join us to learn from someone who has put in the work to develop his knowledge in all aspects of his business and as a leader.  

Key Takeaways: 

• The power of seeing things from different angles 

• How your mindset can transform your leadership style 

• Building a solid foundation for business growth 

• Cultivating entrepreneurial habits and values 

• The incredible impact of referrals and accountability 

Highlights: 

• [5:17] Jim’s personal and professional journey 

• [11:29] The game-changing impact of diverse perspectives 

• [11:55] How a shift in perspective transformed Jim’s leadership 

• [13:51] The mindset and guts it takes to take the plunge 

• [17:09] Essential first steps in building a business 

• [23:00] Establishing core values and routines 

• [26:22] Identifying and nurturing entrepreneurial talent 

• [38:51] The magic of referrals in business growth 

• [44:09] The importance of delivering results 

Resources: 

• Partners In Building - https://partnersinbuilding.com/  

This solo episode explores how the way we see things (our perspective) affects everything from our daily interactions to big decisions and relationships. We'll look at how optimists and pessimists view the world differently, the difficulty of seeing things from another's point of view, and how we learn to understand the world around us. 

Today we go beyond just positive thinking. We'll discuss the idea of focusing on growth instead of just avoiding mistakes, and how finding meaning beyond ourselves can make a big difference.  

Join us to learn how these strategies can help empower you to overcome challenges and approach life with a fresh outlook. 

Key Takeaways: 

1. Perspective influences our daily interactions, decision-making, and relationships. 
2. The significance of the ability to see things from different angles.
3. Insights from the social learning theory.
4. The importance of gap vs. gain thinking.
5. Finding purpose beyond oneself.
6. Perspective beyond short term results

 Highlights:  

• [01:50] The power of perspective
• [02:52] How perspective influences our daily interactions, decision-making, and relationships
• [03:20] Optimistic vs. pessimistic viewpoints
• [06:53] The lack of ability to see things from a different angle
• [07:33] The social learning theory
• [13:38] The gap vs. the gain thinking
• [18:22] Purpose beyond ourselves
• [20:57] Pursue mastery, not results
• [22:00] Failures and success are just an illusion

Resources: 

• The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan
• Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy  

Sanyin Siang, an expert in leadership and a practitioner of what she calls a portfolio career, joins us in this episode. Wearing multiple hats, Sanyin aids leaders in optimizing their unique strengths and creating super teams for next-level success. 

Throughout our conversation, Sanyin shares insights on how to navigate imposter syndrome, transition from manager to leader, and the profound impact of the stories we tell ourselves. She also discusses the parallels between leadership and parenting, emphasizing that parenting is indeed an act of leadership. Join us for an enriching discussion packed with valuable leadership lessons and personal growth strategies, as Sanyin imparts wisdom from her extensive experience. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Overcoming feelings of imposter syndrome
2. Transitioning from manager to leader for individual contributors
3. The power of the stories we tell ourselves
4. Parenting as a form of leadership 

Highlights: 

• [5:09] Sanyin’s life updates: current role, passion, and interest 
• [17:00] Drawing on diversity 
• [20:39] Building a sense of belonging in group settings while being a bridger 
• [23:33] Easing leaders' imposter syndrome 
• [36:26] The importance of having goals and objectives 
• [41:32] Taking the time to get to know your people 
• [56:22] The need for experts with deep domain knowledge to step up and lead 
• [59:47] Leadership through parenting 
• [1:02:25] Moving forward together as a team 

For More of Sanyin:

• Sanyin’s Newsletter: https://leadershipplaybook.substack.com/
• Sanyin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanyin
• Website: www.teamsanyin.com  

As we kick off our sixth season, we are joined by Derin McMains who goes by DMac. Derin McMains is a Mental Performance Coach to some of the highest performing athletes, teams, and business executives in the world. The former professional baseball player and manager began working in the mental performance space in 2012. 

Over the past 12 years, he has built out mental performance programs for the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and the University of Notre Dame.  He continues to work in professional baseball as a mental performance consultant with the Arizona Diamondbacks. This season with the Diamondbacks will mark his 24th year in professional baseball. In addition to his work in professional baseball, he consults with professional athletes in the NFL, MLS, and professional Tennis.  In 2021, he began to take the lessons he’s learned from sports into the corporate space. He's currently the Director of Mental Performance at ReliaQuest. ReliaQuest is a global cybersecurity company headquartered in Tampa, Florida that protects some of the largest corporations in the world.  Derin McMains is the Director of Mental Performance at ReliaQuest. The former professional baseball player and manager began working in mental performance in 2012. He has built out mental performance programs with the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and the University of Notre Dame. He currently consults with athletes in the NFL and MLS, in addition to consulting with the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

In today’s episode, DMac connects the worlds of sport and business, discussing the overlaps and separations between the two industries. In this powerful discussion, DMac shares how you can use the power of mindset to perform your best when it matters the most. Join us as we kickoff our sixth season and get ready to be indulged with great stories and valuable insights on coaching, leadership, and growth. 

Key Takeaways: 

1. Learn how undisciplined strengths can become our weaknesses 

2. Learn how to reframe your view of failure. Do you fear failure or do you fear what people will say about your failure? 

3. Focusing just on the results and the things you can't control hurts performance 

4. Define the standards of high performance 

5. How Mental Performance Coaches are an extension of the CEO when working in the business world 

6. Learn how the five love languages apply to better understanding your athletes or people who report to you 

7. The difference between athletic coaching and leaders in business 

8. We limit ourselves to stories that we tell ourselves. 

9. It's important to have a coach or people that you trust who can help you read the label 

10. If you want to do things that you are proud of, you need to do the hard things 

11. Reflecting on experience is the best teacher. 

Highlights: 

• [07:40] What sparked DMac’s journey into reexamining his goals
• [16:42] Gaining control and aligning with our goals
• [20:32] Transitioning from a player to a coach
• [24:37] Trusting the process and shifting your values
• [28:49] What holds people back from reaching their potential
• [32:00] Overcoming the fear of public perception
• [35:54] DMac’s role as Director of Mental Performance
• [40:08] The parallels and distinctions between sports and business
• [45:57] The importance of senior leadership
• [48:08] Getting an all-star performance from bench players
• [54:20] Advice to struggling new managers
• [58:35] Distancing oneself from the results
• [01:02:09] Taking care of yourself

For More of DMac: 

• LinkedIn: Derin McMains, CMPC 

• Instagram: @dmac_mindset 

• Podcast: No Show Dogs: Powered by ReliaQuest