Talking Toughness

Dr. Michael Gerson has worked with a diverse range of soldier-athlete-clinical populations in the field of performance, sport, military, health, and clinical psychology. Currently, he is a Core Faculty member at John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, California where he teaches sport/ performance psychology and mindfulness courses.

In addition, Dr. Gerson is the Director of Mental Skills at Mission 6 Zero, a tribe of performance experts that merges Special Operations Forces veterans with Behavioural Science Practitioners /Researchers.

With this wide and varied background, Michael Gerson is well-placed to add his perspectives to the importance and application of the mental toughness concept to all walks of life.

In this session, he addresses the growing interest in mental toughness in North America and the critical importance of Evidence-Based Practice. Something that he incorporates into his programmes as one of the key programme outcomes and why this embraces the mental toughness framework and the use of MTQ assessment.

Ultimately, he describes how you can make some changes in your life, tap into better aspects of yourself, and grow various skills – whilst noting that, although simple, it is not easy. It takes discipline and it takes time.

Listen and learn.

FORGING A CULTURE OF STRENGTH

HELPING THE MORE MENTALLY SENSITIVE TO THRIVE

This is the second episode of a two-parter with Ron Duren founder of Forging Mettle Inc in the USA where he and his team work with others to "forge a culture of strength".

An engineer by background and for some time a semi-professional baseball player, Ron is an advocate of the mental toughness concept. He is also a University professor, aerobatic pilot, Ironman triathlete and ultrarunner.

This eclectic mix helps to give Ron a valuable and different perspective on thriving and struggling. Particularly so, since much of this arises from how he has challenged himself.

In this episode we explore how the more mentally sensitive who can easily be forgotten can be guided to thrive. Again this is an issue that is prominent in a lot of AQR International's work.

Self-awareness is critically important here. It gives everyone a choice – "stay as I am or I can change something for the better". Mental sensitivity is more common than many imagine, it's quite normal but the more mentally sensitive can be "invisible" to many.

The challenge here is to live the most fulfilling life you can or as Ron succinctly puts it "to be uncommon".

Ron expresses his thoughts and his ideas with amazing clarity. Listen and Learn.

WHAT BEING AUTHENTIC REALLY MEANS

Diversity is society's superpower

Part two of our conversation with Joanna Lohman picks up on the theme of "human moulting" a change and adapting to events and circumstances.

A former international soccer star, today Joanna is as high profile as ever and now channels her energy into human rights, as a Sport Diplomat. Travelling the world running programs in less developed nations that promote gender equality, conflict resolution, cultural understanding, and economic development.

She is a globally recognised major champion of women's development as well as a champion for the LGBT+ global community. Joanna is also someone who has overcome devastating injury, defeat, and heartbreak to emerge undaunted as the best version of herself that she can be.

ADVERSITY – THE MOTHER OF RE-INVENTION

HOW HUMANS MOULT

Joanna Lohman is a very special individual who has won a deserved reputation as an achiever of the highest order. She is a former professional soccer player and for many years a member of the United States Women's National Team. To operate at the top of your profession, understanding your mental toughness and mental sensitivity is a must.

Today Joanna is a global keynote speaker and performance coach. She also channels her considerable drive into human rights activism, as a teacher, serving as a Sport Diplomat, travelling the world running programs in less developed nations that promote gender equality, conflict resolution, cultural understanding, and economic development.

All this has served to enable Joanna to form a down to earth view of life, people and the way we can all prosper which is perfectly consistent with AQR's work on mental toughness.

In Part 1 of this episode, we explore:

• How Joanna's mental toughness was crucial to her success in the world of soccer,

• How adversity could be the springboard for development. An essential aspect of character building,

• How agility and adjusting to life's twists and turns can lead to a human's form of moulting,

• And how all this came together when she suffered a serious injury – meaning the life she knew was over, that identity was over, .... but it provided a new opportunity to 'moult' and grow a new life.

In every aspect of her life Joanna demonstrates the value of understanding mental toughness and especially being self-aware about this.

It is a "must listen" episode with multiple learning lessons.

'TALKING LEADERSHIP' – FOCUSING ON STRENGTHS, HONESTY AND COURAGE.

Anna is an experienced non-executive director and senior executive across the financial services, management consulting, telecommunications, and technology industries.

Anna is an expert in strategy development and execution in cyber security, digital strategies, data, cloud and legacy systems. She has extensive experience balancing commercial interests with risk management in complex regulated sectors including her time at Telstra, PwC, NAB, IBM and Seek. She has graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has completed two executive management programs at MIT in the USA.

In this episode, we are discussing the challenges Anna faced in her leadership roles. Her focus has always been on nurturing someone's strong points and bringing the best out of an individual even at the price of creating an uncomfortable situation between her and the employee.

Anna has a powerful view of the world in which we live and of our relationship with it. It is very consistent with AQR's work on Mental Toughness.

Her philosophy is that as a leader, she's only as good as her team. Honesty and courage are two key principles through which she works and lives.

In 2021, Anna co-authored and published her first book, The Secure Board, on cyber security risk governance for Boards. She facilitates workshops to educate regulators and Directors on duties and obligations for cyber security across the public, private, ASX100, family and not-for-profit sectors.

This was a thought-provoking and insightful discussion. Listen and learn.

SELF-AWARENESS AND SELF MASTERY

USING FAILURE AND SETBACK AS THE STEPPING STONES TO GROWTH

Stella Petrou Concha is the inspiring co-founder, CEO, and driving force behind the fast-growing Reo Group – an Australian talent search agency. She was named one of Australia's Top 10 Female Entrepreneurs in 2018.

Stella has a powerful view of the world in which we live and of our relationship with it. It is very consistent with AQR's work on Metal Toughness.

Her mission is to elevate human potential by working with executives to deliver value for their organisations through talent selection, leadership, strategy and vision.

Her philosophy embraces:

§ Failure is the path to growth

§ Mastery of the mind – our mental responses

§ 'Detachment' in a sense of detachment from the judgement of others. Others may judge, but they do so narrowly in the sense of "good" and "bad".

§ Exploring the 'personal resume' rather than 'what's written down on paper', because that talks more about 'the how' than 'the what'. Also 'the why' which is the personal vision for their life.

Stella is the best-selling author of "Stone Heart, Light Heart: The Intelligence of Self Mastery".

This was a fascinating discussion that looked at the importance and application of self-awareness about our mental responses to the world around us.

Again we have a thought-provoking and insightful offering. Listen and learn.

MENTAL TOUGHNESS – THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN LIFE AND IN WORK.

A STUDY IN CONTENTMENT AND STRIVING TO BE THE BEST THAT YOU CAN BE. PART TWO

This is the second part of a remarkable discussion with a very special guest.

Neil Scales OBE is Director General for the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads in Australia managing a budget of more than $10 billion. Before this, he was CEO for Merseytravel in the UK. Both roles carrying huge responsibilities and accountabilities.

In part one, Neil described his journey through life and how his resilience and positivity has enabled him to thrive as well as his interest in leadership and in life long learning.

In part two, we discuss reflections on events from his career, including the practical relevance of mental toughness in good leadership practice. We pick up on the importance of purpose - creating long lasting economic effects; caring for staff/people; creating the right culture and the value of perseverance.

This is a very accessible and down to earth exploration of a wide range of issues relevant to today's world and its many challenges.

Listen and learn

MENTAL TOUGHNESS – THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN LIFE AND IN WORK.

A STUDY IN CONTENTMENT AND STRIVING TO BE THE BEST THAT YOU CAN BE. PART ONE

Our guest for this podcast is someone who, by any standards can be described as having lived a successful and fulfilling life and yet started his life pretty much at the same place as most people.

Neil Scales OBE is Director General for the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads in Australia managing a budget of more than $10 billion. Before this, he was CEO of Merseytravel in the UK. Both roles carry huge responsibilities and accountabilities.

Neil's career begins as an engineering apprentice in the North East of England.

In part one, Neil describes his journey through life and how his resilience and positivity have enabled him to thrive. Never one to shirk a challenge, he talks about the importance of leadership on his journey as well as the idea that you can never stop learning.

This is a very accessible and down-to-earth exploration of what success means through the eyes of one of the most reflective people we know.

We have had the privilege of knowing and working with Neil for 25 years. He is very grounded and there is much to learn from his approach and his experiences.

Listen and learn

Our very special guest for this podcast is a unique individual whose life experiences provide a perfect setting for exploring the importance of being self-aware of your level of mental toughness.

Dean Mumm is better known as one of the world's elite Rugby Union players. An athlete operating at the very height of his profession, Dean was captain of the Wallabies as well as captain of Exeter Chiefs one of Europe's leading rugby union clubs.

To perform at the top of a global sport is one thing. To be recognised as a leader, with its additional stressors and pressures, is quite another.

There is another, very personal, dimension to Deans story. He is the co-founder of BorneHMRI which is an Australian research charity into the prevention of preterm birth. Dean and his wife cofounded the charity after losing 4 of their children simply because they were born too soon. A remarkable example of managing adversity to create something positive.

Dean is now Head of Corporate Sport for Marsh, the world's leading insurance broker and risk advisor.

Dean generously and openly shares his thoughts and reflections over two podcasts. We are privileged to have the opportunity to hear them.

Listen and learn

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS THROUGH THE LENS OF SPORT AS WELL AS PERSONAL TRAGEDY

PART ONE

Our very special guest for this podcast is a unique individual whose life experiences provide a perfect setting for exploring the importance of being self-aware of your level of mental toughness.

Dean Mumm is better known as one of the world's elite Rugby Union players. An athlete operating at the very height of his profession, Dean was captain of the Wallabies as well as captain of Exeter Chiefs one of Europe's leading rugby union clubs.

To perform at the top of a global sport is one thing. To be recognised as a leader, with its additional stressors and pressures, is quite another.

There is another, very personal, dimension to Deans story. He is the co-founder of BorneHMRI which is an Australian research charity into the prevention of preterm birth. Dean and his wife cofounded the charity after losing 4 of their children simply because they were born too soon. A remarkable example of managing adversity to create something positive.

Dean is now Head of Corporate Sport for Marsh, the world's leading insurance broker and risk advisor.

Dean generously and openly shares his thoughts and reflections over two podcasts. We are privileged to have the opportunity to hear them.

Listen and learn