Elite Team Talks

Today, I am joined by James King, best-selling author, peak performance expert and advisor to elite athletes, military leaders and business pioneers. 

In the world of business, James has helped companies such as Onyx Commodities to become the number 1 liquidity provider for oil derivatives in the world, through 'hiring and training some of the world’s best traders'.

In the performance world, he has counselled government agencies and specialist military units, which is where James and I met just over half a decade ago.

He also provides guidance to coaches, managers and athletes within the English Premier League (EPL), Team GB, and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

He holds a first class degree in Applied Sports Science, and an MSc in Performance Psychology, both from the University of Edinburgh.

He has spent the last fifteen years hitting all this theory hard with the biggest metaphorical hammer he could find, to see what breaks in practice.

James has presented case studies on his work for the MBA programs at the University of Oxford, Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

In this episode, you can expect to understand; 

- How to unlock your potential by aligning with your unique "sweet spot."

- Why real success comes from pursuing purpose and values-led goals

- Ways to accelerate your career and avoid stagnation

- The scientific, no-bull**** development strategies that lead to lasting fulfilment and sustainable high performance.

If you enjoy the episode then please like, share and subscribe so others can do the same. 

You can find James Book ‘Accelerating Excellence’ on amazon and visit him at his website jamesaking.com.

Thanks as always for listening, and I hope you enjoy my conversation with James as much as I did.

00:00 Episode Intro

01:29 Introduction and Background

18:01 The Importance of Pursuing Concordant Goals

27:57 Finding Your Sweet Spot: Aligning with Strengths, Interests, and Values

32:13 Activating Your Psychological Firepower

36:22 The Role of Interests in Goal Pursuit

40:07 The Significance of Values in Driving Performance

41:52 Aligning with Strengths, Interests, and Values

43:44 The Importance of Self-Understanding

45:04 Creating Conditions for Motivation and Confidence

49:27 Crafting Roles to Align with Strengths and Interests

52:42 Accepting and Embracing Discomfort

59:55 Taking Action and Pursuing Meaningful Goals

1:02:26 Removing Excuses and Embracing Personal Growth

Today, I am joined by Jack Swift, CEO of Liminal Collective,

After a career as a US Army Ranger, elite athlete, and

Jack, and the rest of the Liminal crew have worked with some of the highest performers in the world. From Cirque Du Soleil artists, to Red Bull athletes and US Special Operators. Through these learnings, they now help teams,

Through experiences such as their vision quest rituals, and

In this episode, you can expect to understand;

- How leaders can thrive in an increasingly unpredictable world

- Why creativity & imagination are crucial skills for the next

- How business school didn’t prepare him for today’s leadership challenges

- How to rapidly transform your mind and skills as a leader

- And how to build teams that thrive under pressure and uncertainty

If you enjoy the episode then please like, share and subscribe so others can do the same.

Thanks as always for listening, and I hope you enjoy my conversation with Jack as much as I did.

Today, I have the honour of speaking with Captain Bradley

Brad most recently served as the commanding officer of Naval Special Warfare Centre, located on Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. The organisation responsible for the outreach, assessment and selection of Navy SEAL and SWCC candidates and the subsequent advanced training to the Navy’s SEAL and Special Boat communities. Brad oversaw the rigorous selection and training programs that identify and prepare Navy SEAL candidates for the demands of special operations.

His leadership at the Naval Special Warfare Centre was

In this episode, you can expect to understand;

- How leadership can cause ‘brain damage’

- How to build resilient, high trust organisations

- How to use vulnerability as a leadership superpower

- The necessity of non-conformists and mavericks

- How a US Navy Seal commander would hire in the corporate world

As always, if you enjoy the episode and want to be the first

Most importantly, thank you for watching and listening. This

(00:00) Episode Intro

(00:48) Introduction and Background

(02:29) Building Trust: Empowering Team Members

(07:52) The Importance of Proportionate Accountability

(15:52) Identifying High-Potential Talent: A Multi-Day

(27:06) Transparency and Vulnerability: Keys to Building

(37:10) Leadership as Leading, Coaching, and Mentoring

(39:50) Countering Hubris Syndrome in Leadership

(43:47) Fostering Non-Conformity and Diverse Thought in

(48:02) The Role of Conflict in Innovation and

(53:42) Recruiting for Diversity and Welcoming Diverse

(01:02:41) Empowering the Next Generation to Challenge and

(01:14:20) Embracing Pre-Existing Scar Tissue and

(01:18:59) Overcoming Fear and Finding Opportunity in

(01:24:45) The Role of Trust and Vulnerability in Team

(01:29:29) The Power of Collective Suffering in Building

(01:36:44) Word Association

(01:39:28) Summary & Takeaways

In this episode, I sit down with Calum Clark.

Calum is a former international rugby player turned psychologist to elite performers, through his company Innate High Performance.

In this episode, we dive deep into the transformative power of harnessing your emotions for sustained high performance. Tackling pervasive issues such as toxic masculinity, and the societal norms that discourage emotional openness. With Calum explaining how these factors impact mental health and performance.

You can expect to understand;

- The necessity of acknowledging & accepting our emotions for high performance

- How to respond, not react when emotions runs high

- The importance of self-reflection for living a fulfilling life

- How to identify self-limiting beliefs and break through them

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone interested in creating a healthier, more emotionally aware environment where individuals can truly thrive. Or simply those wishing to live a more meaningful, high-performing life.

As always, if you enjoyed the episode and want to be the first to hear when new episodes drop, please like, rate, review and subscribe to the podcast.

Most importantly, thank you for watching and listening. This podcast was created for you, and I hope you enjoy the episode.

(00:00) Episode Intro

(00:40) Introduction and Background

(02:43) Lessons from High Performance Sport

(03:17) Toxic Masculinity and Emotional Expression

(06:53) The Risks of Suppressing Emotions

(08:11) Leadership and Self-Focus

(09:16) Building Strong Foundations for High Performance

(18:25) Leadership Paradox

(20:17) Leadership and Identity

(22:46) Sustaining High Performance

(24:07) The Path of High Performance

(27:00) Understanding Strengths and Identity

(29:36) Excellence and Process Focus

(34:09) Balancing Work and Personal Identity

(35:44) Finding Fulfilment Beyond Achievements

(36:34) Integrating Psychology for a Healthier Working Environment

(43:51) Authentic Suffering and Challenge for Growth

In this exciting episode, I am thrilled to welcome Aldo Kane to the podcast!

Aldo is a world-record holding adventurer, former Royal Marine sniper and TV presenter known for pushing the boundaries of human endurance and exploration.

With a career spanning two decades, Aldo has led diverse teams and tackled some of the planet's most challenging environments, from scaling remote peaks to abseiling

Join us as we dive into Aldo's incredible journey. We'll explore how he builds resilience, hear behind-the-scenes stories from his TV shows, and gain insights into the leadership skills required to lead through volatile, unpredictable environments. From the boardroom to Everest.

Whether you're an adventure enthusiast or simply curious about what it takes to successfully lead in the unpredictable

You can expect to understand;

- How to maintain composure and effective decision making

- How to build outstanding mental resilience

- How to rapidly build high-performing teams

- How to successfully lead through these volatile,

If you enjoyed the episode then please like, share and subscribe so others can do the same.

Thanks as always for listening, and I hope you enjoy the episode.

00:00 Intro

00:52 Aldo’s background

03:26 Overcoming Challenging Experiences and Lessons for Leaders

09:16 Maintaining Composure and Making Effective Decisions Under Pressure

29:38 Developing Mental Resilience and Making Deliberate

39:59 Building Resilience and Maintaining Balance

40:52 Embracing the Unknown and Relinquishing Control

42:11 The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

43:27 Empowering Team Members and Making Quick Decisions

51:27 Resilience and the Power of Positive Storytelling

01:06:06 The Impact of Negativity and the Importance of Trust

01:12:11 Having Courageous Conversations to Address Negative Behaviour

01:15:50 Empathy and Adaptability in Leadership

01:21:39 Embracing Failure as a Path to Growth

01:25:29 Resilience: Enduring Uncomfortable Situations

01:36:24 Inspiring Others and Being a Servant Leader

01:39:37 Developing Empathy and Adaptability as Leadership Skills

Welcome back, and today we chat with highly respected human performance expert Andy Walshe.

Through his work as Red Bull Head of High Performance and now CEO of The Liminal Collective, Andy has helped individuals and teams to push beyond the boundaries of what's possible for the last several decades.

In this episode, you will learn;

As always, thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoy this episode.

01:05 Andy Intro

Hi everyone,

Hi everyone and welcome back.

Hi everyone,

Join us this week as we dive deep with Dr. Preston Cline, co-founder of the Mission Critical Team Institute (MCTI).

With a background that intertwines academic rigour with real-world experience, Dr. Cline is at the forefront of developing high-stakes teams operating at the edge of human performance.

In this episode, we unpack the science and psychology behind mission critical teams, those groups for whom failure could mean the difference between life and death.

From Navy SEALs to surgical units, discover how these teams prepare for the unpredictable, manage risk, and make decisions under extreme pressure.

Dr. Cline shares insights from his extensive research and fieldwork, offering lessons on leadership, teamwork, and resilience that apply far beyond the battlefield or the operating room.

Whether you're leading a team, part of one, or simply fascinated by human performance under pressure, this conversation will change the way you think about teamwork in critical missions.

From this episode you can expect to understand;

- The system used by the Navy Seals to develop their people

- How to avoid promoting the wrong leaders

- Why psychological 'safety' isn't what we're actually after

- And what humans really require for sustainable success

As always, if you enjoyed this episode and want to be the first to hear when new episodes drop, please like, rate, review and subscribe to the podcast.

Most importantly, thank you for watching and listening. This podcast was created for you and I hope you enjoy the episode.

00:00 Episode intro

00:35 Introduction and background

01:04 Preston's journey and research focus

03:22 Lessons from mission critical teams for ambitious companies

06:31 Achieving resilience and thriving in uncertainty

08:37 The risk or safety paradox

20:09 Creating a universal language and the role of guides

25:49 The DR5 model for optimising performance

29:01 Pattern recognition and conditioning in training and performance

31:18 The power of a shared language for effective intervention

34:45 Finding balance and richness in life with the 'third thing'

41:17 The role of eldership in guiding and supporting younger generations

52:05 Creating authentic community and connection in organisations

57:15 Word association

59:30 Summary & takeaways

Hi everyone and welcome back.

I'm excited for you to listen to our episode with Brad today.

Personally, he was the first coach I worked with during my time in New Zealand and he has gone on to do wonderful things since then.

This episode is packed full of nuggets and insights, so expect to understand;

- How to create lived, not 'part time', values

- How to achieve sustainable success

- The 3 steps you can take to get the best out of your team

- And, how to effectively lead through a storm

As always, if you enjoyed this episode and want to be the first to hear when new episodes drop, please like, rate, review and subscribe to the podcast.

Most importantly, thank you for watching and listening. This podcast was created for you and I hope you enjoy the episode.

0:00 Episode intro

0:36 Going from a lawyer to coaching the All Blacks

08:25 What makes the All Blacks world-class

09:07 How to create a legacy of sustained success

10:13 How to succeed under pressure

13:14 How to maximise your company’s training time

14:28 The 3 steps process for getting the most out of your

15:46 The importance of psychological safety and

17:25 Leveraging diversity for innovative solutions

18:43 Lived vs ‘part-time’ values

22:44 Why the best teams are full of custodians

27:55 How to lead through a storm

30:48 Embracing scrutiny & high expectations

32:38 Understanding your culture

37:01 The first step he takes when joining a new team

37:37 Seeking other perspectives to build your toolbox

44:55 How to switch gears and recover hard

48:00 What the best in the world all do

51:01 How the All Blacks select team members

55:29 How to onboard new hires

1:02:21 Brad’s coaching and leadership philosophy

1:09:05 The highs and lows of leadership

1:09:57 Word association

1:11:40 Summary & takeaways