The High Performance Zone

Dr. Christian Conte is a leading emotional and anger management expert who often works with prisoners, prison officers, and high-performance sports teams. Christian is passionate about helping people gain control over their emotions, and his book Walking Through Anger provides valuable strategies for confronting conflict and staying focused and calm in emotionally charged situations.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Christian on:

• (00:13:09) Sports psychology. He explains why mastering the art of being present is the pathway to achieving peak performance and shares some tips for eliminating mental clutter and focusing on the task at hand.

• (00:21:45) Visualization. As an experienced prison counselor and educator, Christian describes the powerful visualization technique he uses to deal with chaotic and potentially dangerous situations.

• (00:25:02) Zen parenting. We talk about The Four Cs of effective parenting, and Christian reveals how his Thousand Times Rule can help parents be more compassionate, patient, and calm.

• (00:38:54) Tonglen Breathing Practice. Christian describes the meditation technique he uses to help heal pain and suffering. Plus, he shares his unique Seven Breaths technique.

• (00:50:12) Yield Theory. We discuss Christian’s Yield Theory which involves meeting people where they’re at and listening to, validating, and exploring their options with compassion and creativity.

Jessica Kriegel is a Workplace Culture Expert, the creator of The Culture Equation, and Chief Scientist of Workplace Culture at Culture Partners. Jessica knows that culture drives results, and through her tried and tested tools and strategies, she empowers leaders to improve employee fulfillment and increase performance and profitability. As a culture change specialist, Jessica is a sought-after keynote speaker and the author of Unfairly Labeled: How Your Workplace Can Benefit from Ditching Generational Stereotypes and Proving the Value of Soft Skills: Measuring Impact and Calculating ROI.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Jessica on:

• (00:09:20) Love-based leadership. According to Jessica, fear is our worst enemy when it comes to creating a healthy workplace culture. Instead, she advises CEOs to lead from the heart and concentrate on building a sense of loyalty and trust that improves performance and productivity.

• (00:21:06) The Culture Equation. Jessica sets out the basis of her Culture Equation model, where purpose and strategy combine with organizational culture to deliver consistent results. Plus, she points out that a company’s key outcomes must be meaningful, measurable, and memorable so everyone knows what they are and if they’re on course to achieving them.

• (00:32:53) Scaling culture. She explains how to build a more successful company culture by focusing on results and creating intentional employee experiences through a combination of culture management tools, such as feedback, employee recognition, and storytelling.

• (00:34:17) Saudi Arabia Vision 2030. We talk about Jessica’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia and the country’s efforts to create greater economic diversity and achieve gender equality for women and girls.

• (00:41:07) Accountability. Jessica stresses the importance of identifying problems, acknowledging shortcomings, and engaging in ‘above the line’ thinking that concentrates on solving the problem rather than allocating blame.  

Today's Best of Episode features Catherine Hernandez-Blades. Catherine is an award-winning CMO and PR News Hall of Famer who is currently the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at SAIC. With over 25 years of experience in senior marketing and communication roles at Fortune 500 companies, Catherine likes to position herself at the nexus of purpose and profit, and she’s passionate about the social impact that corporations can make in the world.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Catherine on:

• (00:02:52) Her early ambitions. Catherine talks about her childhood dream of becoming a reporter and recalls how, as a young girl growing up in Louisiana, she would wear a little fedora hat with PRESS written on it and ‘interview’ people in her neighborhood with a fake microphone.

• (00:06:44) The secret to her success. For Catherine, success comes down to caring about your people and giving them the tools they need to thrive. She credits Jon Jones, her former boss at Raytheon, with helping her become a better leader by showing her how to build connections and create a sense of inclusivity and belonging at work.

• (00:18:20) Social impact. We discuss the role that Catherine played in the creation of My Special Aflac Duck, a social robot designed to facilitate communication and provide comfort to children undergoing cancer treatment. As Aflac’s former Chief ESG and Communications Officer, Catherine explains that consumers always reward companies for doing the right thing, and she adds that, as a result of the program, 15% of Americans were more likely to buy an Aflac policy.

• (00:42:42) Accountability. We talk about the similarities between the Blue Angel Debrief and the way that Catherine prefers to provide feedback to her team. Above all, she reminds managers and leaders to be kind, and she encourages employees to embrace the empowering effect of holding themselves accountable. 

• (00:51:39) Paying it forward. Catherine refers to the work she does with college students and explains why it’s important for women who have climbed the corporate ladder to share their knowledge and experience and give others the tools and coaching they need to succeed.

In today's Best of Episode, we feature Steve Leder. Steve is a husband, father, and the Senior Rabbi of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles. He’s also a respected scholar and religious commentator and the author of several bestselling books, including The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Things and More Beautiful Than Before; How Suffering Transforms Us. His latest book, The Beauty of What Remains; How Our Greatest Fears Become Our Greatest Gifts, shows us how our fear of death can help us define what’s truly meaningful and bring more gratitude, value, and purpose to our lives.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Rabbi Leder on:

(00:15:10) The joy of hugs. As enthusiastic huggers, we talk about the power of human touch and its ability to connect and console people in a way that words can’t. Also, Rabbi Leder explains how hugs help us demonstrate trust, express empathy, and affirm each other’s humanity.

(00:31:18) Death as a teacher. Despite Rabbi Leder’s long experience of dealing with the dying and their grieving relatives, he admits that only the experience of looking at his own father’s body made him finally realize that he, too, was going to die. As a mourner rather than a rabbi, he reveals how his experience of bereavement changed his life for the better and helped make him a better husband, father, and human being.

(00:38:57) The transmigration of the soul. Rabbi Leder shares his stories of witnessing the sense of peace that comes over the dying as the energy of the soul leaves the body and is transformed into an unknown but continuing force.

(00:53:01) The indefinable nature of God. We discuss the meaning of God’s ‘ I Will Be Who I Will Be’ statement to Moses, and Rabbi Leder points out that the phrase is deliberately vague since the true nature of divinity and cosmic justice is just too powerful and complex for human beings to understand. 

(01:04:38) Gratitude. Rabbi Leder encourages us to count our blessings and keep going until we reach a hundred! In particular, he reminds us to be grateful for even the smallest of things and celebrate all the abundance and beauty in our lives.

In today's Best of Episode, we feature Dr. Gillian Mandich. Dr. Gillian is a happiness researcher, public speaker, and the founder of The International Happiness Institute of Health Science Research. Gillian believes that happiness is a practice, not a destination, and, through her keynote speeches, workshops, and courses, she helps people become healthier and happier by encouraging them to adopt simple habits and practices that have been scientifically proven to increase happiness and produce a greater sense of fulfillment and well-being.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Gillian Mandich on:

(00:33:33) The meaning of happiness. Gillian defines happiness as the experience of joy, contentment, and positive well-being combined with the sense that your life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile. However, she points out that happiness means different things to different people and stresses the importance of developing an awareness of what makes you happy and making an effort to do more of what you love and less of what you hate.

(00:50:07) Overriding the brain’s natural negativity bias. She explains that practicing gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to train your brain to focus on the positive rather than dwell on the negative. She also suggests keeping a gratitude journal and even a gratitude jar to heighten your appreciation of all the good things in your life.

(01:06:21) Creating small bursts of joy. According to Gillian’s research, the small moments of joy in our daily lives, rather than the big occasions such as birthdays, graduations, and vacations, bring us the most happiness. So, her tip for living a consistently happy life is to create small bursts of joy throughout the day by doing simple things, like calling a friend or going for a walk. 

(01:30:12) Taking control. She talks about the benefits of focusing your attention on the areas of your life over which you have control. Plus, she emphasizes the importance of accepting the fact that bad things happen and understanding that it’s impossible to be happy all the time.  

(01:51:10) Learning to see the world through the lens of awe. Gillian describes a recent experience of awe that made her change the way she saw the world. She suggests seeking solace and inspiration in beauty and nature by taking the time to look up at the stars or gaze at a beautiful sunset. 

In this week's Best of Episode, we welcome Molly Fletcher.  Molly is a keynote speaker and former top sports agent who has represented over 300 high-performing athletes, coaches, and broadcasters. She’s also the author of several best-selling books, including The Energy Clock, The Business of Being the Best, and Fearless at Work. Molly’s mission is to lead, inspire, and connect with courage and optimism. She encourages people to find the courage to combat complacency, and through her recently released TED talk, her Game Changers podcast, and her in-person and virtual trainings, she helps others strengthen their resolve, maximize their potential, and develop a winning mindset.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Molly Fletcher on:

• (00:03:05) Navigating change. Molly emphasizes the importance of adapting to change and refers to the example of one of her former clients, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz, who successfully transitioned from starting pitcher to closer. She praises his ability to see his new role as an opportunity rather than a challenge and encourages everyone to view change as a chance to get curious, explore new possibilities, and fulfill their true potential. 

• (00:06:53) Creating a Smile File. Molly recalls making a highlights reel for one of her athletes and using it to help him recover his form. She describes how she continues to apply this technique in non-sporting contexts and suggests compiling a ‘Smile File’ of appreciative emails, inspirational quotes, and words of wisdom to provide comfort and motivation when things get tough.

• (00:17:39) Conducting an energy audit. She explains how to live a more energized life by scheduling time on your calendar for the activities that light you up while making a conscious effort to minimize, delegate, or remove the tasks that leave you feeling exhausted and drained. 

• (00:41:50) Molly’s morning workout. She talks us through her morning routine,  which consists of hot yoga, cardio training, and strength conditioning, and she extols the benefits of walking, eating cleanly, and taking regular cold showers and plunges.

• (00:43:55) Cultivating a champion mindset. We discuss Molly’s recent TED talk, and she reveals how her time as a sports coach taught her that the most successful athletes concentrate on upping their own game rather than focusing on what their competitors are doing. She also recommends chasing constant improvement and fulfillment rather than recognition and achievement.

In this week's Best of Episode, we welcome Dr. Bill Howatt. Bill is an expert in mental fitness and psychological safety in the workplace who specializes in helping employers create positive workplaces where employees feel included, valued, and fulfilled. He has over thirty years of experience in consulting and coaching, and he’s the author of over fifty books, including the soon-to-be-released No Regrets: How to Live Today for Tomorrow’s Emotional Well-Being.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Bill Howatt on;

• (00:10:02) Acts of kindness. We discuss the unexpected benefits of altruism, and Bill explains how being kind and helping others activates the release of the feel-good hormone oxytocin, which contributes to our overall sense of happiness and well-being.

• (00:35:40) Moving from languishing to flourishing. Bill describes how to build a more motivated mindset by training the brain to overcome its natural negativity bias. As well as practicing gratitude and focusing on the positive, he advises us to surround ourselves with people who light us up and make us feel energized.

• (00:42:06) Building mental fitness at work. He encourages everybody to believe in their potential and be compassionate towards themselves and others. In addition, Bill advises employers to provide their employees with a clear sense of purpose and to focus on making them feel valued, included, and safe. 

• (00:56:56) Self-acceptance. Bill shares a powerful personal statement that reminds him that he doesn’t have anything to prove and that he’s good enough just as he is.

• (01:07:37) The definition of empathy. We talk about the true meaning of empathy, and Bill defines it as the ability to understand and be curious about another person’s experience without judging them or feeling the need to impose our own opinions. 

Aaron ‘Big A’ Walker is the founder of View from the Top and creator of the Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind. Aaron is a serial entrepreneur turned mentor and coach with over four decades of business experience. As a self-made man, he motivates others to strive for significance and success, and his mission is to help ordinary men become extraordinary in all they do.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Aaron on:

• (00:11:08) Why isolation is the enemy of excellence. Big A recalls the experience of attending his first mastermind and describes how it provided him with invaluable support, advice, and encouragement at a particularly challenging time in his life.

• (00:19:31) His core values. Aaron sets out his proven formula for success, which centers around the maxims of Relationships Matter Most, No Excuses, Make It Amazing, Everything’s Figureoutable, and Truth before Opinion.  

• (00:29:22) Work-life balance. We talk about avoiding distractions, getting clear on our priorities, and focusing on the four or five areas of our lives we want to improve the most.

• (00:35:13) Significance and success. Aaron explains why he decided to start living a life that positively impacts others rather than simply striving for material success.  

• (00:47:05) Consistency and courage. Big A points out the critical role that persistence and the willingness to take risks play in creating significant and sustainable business success.

Dr. Chris Honey is the Professor and Head of Neurosurgery at the University of British Columbia. As well as being a distinguished surgeon and educator, Dr. Chris is also the Neurological Director of the Canadian Football League Players Association, an ex-Olympic diver, and the author of The Tenth Nerve, A Brain Surgeon's Stories of the Patients Who Changed Him. 

In this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Honey on:

• (00:16:32) How aviation has influenced the culture of the operating room. He explains how surgical teams have adopted the aviation industry’s practice of improving safety standards by encouraging team members to speak up about potential errors and risks during surgical procedures. 

• (00:24:54) The link between happiness and goal setting. Dr. Chris reveals how achieving our goals triggers a dopamine release in the reward centers in our brains. Plus, he shares some of the goals he has successfully attained, such as discovering a new disease and curing it!

• (00:28:38) What his patients taught him about medicine. Chris explains how taking the time to listen to his patients and investigate the symptoms they described led him to diagnose and treat the first case of hemi-laryngopharyngeal spasm (HELPS syndrome). 

• (01:01:37) Sport and stress relief. As an enthusiastic soccer player, swimmer, and mountain biker, Chris reveals how participating in sports helps him cope with the stresses of his surgical career. He also recalls his experience of combining his Olympic diving practice with his medical studies.

• (01:10:27) The Tenth Nerve. Dr. Honey points out that the title of his book refers to the vagus nerve, the tenth cranial nerve that sends information back and forward between the brain and the body and controls the movement of the gut, the voice box, and the muscles of the throat.    

Today we’re honouring Black History Month by re-releasing our episode with A.J. Andrews. A.J. is a professional softball player, TV sports analyst, and the first woman to receive the prestigious Rawlings Gold Glove Award. She is also an entrepreneur, a motivational speaker, and the host of the Barrier Breaking Women podcast, which celebrates and elevates the achievements of inspirational women in sport and business. She is an incredible athlete with a formidable work ethic, and her mission is to break down barriers for softball players and pave the way for more women to succeed in sports.