With the Melbourne MCTI Summit only weeks away, in this episode, Dr. Preston Cline and MCTI’s Director of down-under, Harry Moffitt, prime the audience for some of the subject matter that will be covered at the summit – themed this year around Navigating Change. 

The MCT community is home to the oldest institutions on earth – military, medical, fire and emergency, police – and in the modern age, all are grappling with the issue of change. How to prepare for change, how to manage it, and how to make it an ongoing practice. During the summit, the audience will be discussing and sharing how change management has been done well in MCTs and share some of the challenges of attempting to enact change in our institutions who are often hampered by longstanding, and sometimes dated, traditions, standards, and stories.

In this relaxed, informal chat between Preston and Harry, they discuss

• Empowering agents of change and empowering zealots.
• The rise of the enabler.
• Standards, asking are they all still fit for purpose?
• New approaches to training and development.
• And some observations from their Guinness tasting adventure across the US and UK earlier this year.

In this episode, Dr. Preston Cline and Dr. Art Finch talk about the types of people who choose the hard path. Where do they excel, where do they struggle, and why don’t they quite fit in with “normal” People. We focus on different learning and motivation profiles as well as the transitions between the routine and critical worlds.

COL(R) Art Finch, Ph.D., spent over 23 years providing psychological insight to the leading Special Operations and Tactical Law Enforcement organizations in the world. He is a graduate of U.S. Army Airborne, SERE, and Ranger Schools with more than 20 combat deployments to both Afghanistan and Iraq. He retired at the rank of colonel. created personality profiles for more than 10,000 candidates in support of assessment and selection events. Art continues to be licensed to practice psychology in North Carolina and in addition to serving as the Director of the newly formed Mission Critical Psychology Division at MCTI, he also serves as a Research Scientist with IHMC and The Gauge Group, a psychological consulting and executive coaching firm and is the founder and president of The Gauge Group has led leadership consultation and executive coaching for Fortune 100 tech companies; led assessment and selection support for Major League Baseball and National League Football; conducted high-stakes, high-performance psychological support for elite athletes; and assessment and selection psychological support for FBI, HRT and New York State Police SWAT team. 

Join Dr. Preston Cline, Clare Murphy and Dr. Angus Fletcher as they discuss the role of story in navigating transitions. Dr. Angus Fletcher is an English professor and faculty within “Project Narrative” at Ohio State. Clare Murphy, the Director of Story at MCTI is a professional storyteller who tells myths, folklore and history throughout the world.

Angus Fletcher's new book Wonderworks is available now.

Please enjoy Harry's conversation with cognitive coach, Paddy Steinfort.

Paddy is rare in that he is a psychologist who has lived the high performance life. A former elite Australian Rules Footballer for the Richmond Football Club in Melbourne, Paddy has worked with the Philadelphia Eagles, Blue Jays, 76ers, Red Socks, UPenn, Texas Tech and is now Director of Performance at Football Australia. Over his journey he has worked with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Ben Simmons, and Toronto phenom Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Harry and Paddy have a broad ranging discussion about the complexity and challenges of applied cognitive coaching and psychology. Below are some of the resources and links to concepts mentioned in the episode, meant only for introductory purposes.

Allostatic load – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allostatic_load

Superstitions in performance – https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326330

GRIT by Angela Duckworth – https://angeladuckworth.com/

Acceptance-Commitment Theory – https://positivepsychology.com/act-acceptance-and-commitment-therapy/

Peer Support - https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/home/topics/general-psychiatry/exploring-the-value-of-peer-support-for-mental-health/

Navigating human complexity - https://hbr.org/2007/11/a-leaders-framework-for-decision-making

The benefits of psycho-education - https://healthengine.com.au/info/psychoeducation

Paddy Steinfort; Spots Illustrated - https://www.si.com/edge/2020/10/02/paddy-steinfort-mental-performance-coach-daily-cover

Kind regards,

Harry

Latest Book – Eleven Bats

Please enjoy Preston's conversation with Jay Hennessey, focused on his perspective of developing both SEALs and Professional Baseball players, as well as the lessons he has learned along the way.

Jay is currently the Vice-President of Learning and Development at the Cleveland Indians (soon to be the Cleveland Guardians). Prior to joining the Guardians, Jay spent 25 years in Naval Special Warfare (The Navy SEALS). During the latter part of his career, he was the Commanding Officer, Naval Special Warfare Basic Training Command. 

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Please enjoy Preston's conversation with Dan Dworkis on "lessons from the ER and beyond on developing the tools it takes to succeed during emergencies and apply knowledge under pressure".

Dan Dworkis, MD PhD, is a clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at USC’s Keck School of Medicine, a board-certified emergency medicine physician at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, and a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. He trained at Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency. Dr. Dworkis built The Emergency Mind platform and podcast to help individuals and teams perform better under pressure in and out of the emergency Department.

The Emergency Mind - Amazon

In 2013, Jimmy Lee Dykes walked out of his house in Alabama, boarded a school bus, and abducted an autistic child. He then retreated into a bunker and contacted law enforcement with a list of demands. This Teamcast is about how the Federal Bureau of Investigations Hostage Rescue Team rescued that child. The recording does not name any of the agents involved and was done with the permission and support of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the intent to show one aspect of the pressures and burdens that come with Modern Law Enforcement in America.

Please enjoy Harry's conversation with Professor Kate Stevens and Ben Pronk. Kate is a cognitive scientist and Professor in Psychology who’s work investigates humans interacting with each other, their environment, and with technology. Ben is a veteran and former Commanding Officer of  Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment and is now the managing partner of Mettle Global. They have a broad ranging discussion on whether or not creativity is more prevalent or necessary in the MCTI community, or is it merely Harry’s recency/confirmation bias. Below are some of the resources mentioned in the episode. 

• The “Bodystorming” concept - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodystorming
• Professor Kate Stevens research - https://katestevens.weebly.com/
• Unforgiving 60 podcast – https://unforgiving60.podbean.com/
• Robert De Cormier - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_De_Cormier
• Simon Rattle - https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tLP1TcwLCvKyakyYPTiKc7Mzc9TKEosKclJBQBv-AjU&q=simon+rattle&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBAU826AU826&oq=simon+rattle&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j46j0i395l3j0j0i395l2j0j46i395.9293j1j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
• Books mentioned include
• Anne Osborn, Brain - https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Osborn_s_Brain.html?id=IaeswgEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y
• Michelle Tucker, Elizabeth Macarthur - https://www.booktopia.com.au/elizabeth-macarthur-michelle-scott-tucker/book/9781925773736.html?source=pla&gclid=CjwKCAjwiLGGBhAqEiwAgq3q_pi-caPN6PV2wXA51LDqq7i1sMHKC2Rw1GB5OgwIeL66JoQJyFPq3xoCX8UQAvD_BwE
• Bruce Pascoe, Dark Emu - https://www.booktopia.com.au/dark-emu-bruce-pascoe/book/9781921248016.html
• Dan Harris, 10% Happier - https://www.booktopia.com.au/10-happier-dan-harris/book/9781444799057.html
• Michael Pollan, How To Change Your Mind - https://www.booktopia.com.au/how-to-change-your-mind-michael-pollan/book/9780141985138.html?source=pla&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs8uBkMXK7wIVDpVLBR33-ACXEAQYAiABEgJm5_D_BwE
• Norman Doidge, The Brain That Changes Itself - https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-brain-that-changes-itself-norman-doidge/book/9781921372742.html
• Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outliers_(book)
• Angela Duckworth, Grit - https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-book/
• David Epstein, Range - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range:_Why_Generalists_Triumph_in_a_Specialized_World
• Music mentioned include
• Powderfinger, Vulture St - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0HaoY81jCMiGVBP3fE6mK7
• The Externals, The Hell Beyond - https://open.spotify.com/album/5NNRcziDrTnwr6orAT6R3N

Please enjoy Preston's conversation with Rowdy Muir on the evolution of Wildland Fire.

Rowdy Muir came up through the ranks in the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management and was a District Ranger on the Ashley National Forest in Utah and was an Area Commander on one of three existing Area Command Teams.

Please enjoy Preston's conversation with Command Chief Master Sergeant Greg Smith on the evolution of Special Operations Forces.

Command Chief Master Sergeant Gregory A. Smith is the tenth command senior enlisted leader, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Florida. He assumed the position on July 11, 2019.

Chief Smith entered the U.S. Air Force in 1990 as an aircraft armament systems specialist. His initial assignment was with the 3246th Test Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. In 1993, Chief Smith was reassigned to the 355th Fighter Squadron, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska where he served as a weapons load crew member on A/OA-10 aircraft. He completed multiple deployments to the pacific theater.

Chief Smith was selected for special duty as an AC-130H/U aerial gunner in 1996. He served as lead, instructor and evaluator gunner with the 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida. He also served as the superintendent of Wing Strategic Plans with the 16th Special Operations Wing. In September 2001, Chief Smith was part of the first team to deploy following the terror attacks on 9/11. He established the first forward operating base and then deployed to Pakistan where he established a joint interagency forward operating location. In 2009, Chief Smith became the first course director and chief of academics for the Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy.

In June 2012, Chief Smith was selected for command chief master sergeant for the 58th Special Operations Wing where he oversaw the training and readiness for special operations and combat rescue personnel. In 2013, Chief Smith was selected as the command senior enlisted leader for Special Operations Command Europe where he led special operations forces through multiple contingencies in Ukraine, Turkey, and Syria. Chief Smith became the command senior enlisted leader for NATO Special Operations Headquarters in 2015. In this role, he synchronized Allied special operations forces for employment in support of NATO missions across the globe. Chief Smith’s last assignment was the command chief master sergeant, Air Force Special Operations Command.