• How martial arts shaped Michael Gizzi’s leadership philosophy
• The “Theory–Action–Result” loop explained
• Why discipline beats motivation for long-term leadership success
• Leading during high-stress moments (like layoffs and team tension)
• How to build real trust that scales
• The link between humility, clarity, and power in leadership
• People-first HR that actually drives results
• Balancing systems with empathy
• What most leaders get wrong about company culture
• How to stay grounded when you’re not at 100%
• Designing leadership practices that are repeatable under pressure
• Creating cadence, structure, and sustainable growth in teams

00:00 – Intro: Claire sets the tone on brain-based leadership
03:12 – Michael’s story: from martial arts to HR executive
06:29 – The origin of the Black Belt Formula
09:47 – Discipline vs motivation in real-world leadership
12:58 – Leading through layoffs, chaos, and team tension
16:42 – Building trust that scales
20:50 – How to show up when you're not 100%
24:11 – The balance between head and heart in leadership
29:02 – What leaders get wrong about 'fixing' culture
34:16 – The importance of cadence and structure in people ops
37:00 – Final thoughts: clarity, humility, and continuous growth

• The “Theory–Action–Result” loop and how to apply it in real leadership situations
• Why self-discipline is more powerful than motivation
• How to lead people through chaos without losing yourself
• Tactical ways to increase trust and ownership in your team
• What martial arts teaches us about humility, adaptability, and clarity under pressure

• The “Theory–Action–Result” loop
• VetStrategy (Michael’s organization)
• Martial arts philosophy in leadership
• Synchros HR Advisory Services
• Trust, ownership, and scaling culture
• Strategy Institute’s Employee Experience Summit

Follow Claire on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairehayek/

Follow Michael on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgizzi/

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The NeuroLeadership Edge Podcast is produced by Claire Hayek. All opinions are those of the host and guests. For more leadership resources, visit www.mspteambuilding.com.