In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Michael Gervais, a leading performance psychologist and author of the book “The First Rule of Mastery”.

1:14: Free Surfing and Competitive Surfing as an Introduction to Performance Psychology

4:52: The 3 Components of Performance - Training Your Body, Your Technical Skills, and Your Mind

6:03: Allodoxphobia and The Real Fear of Others’ Opinions

7:15: Going from Theory to Applicable Advice

8:17: Unmask, Assess, Redefine - The Book’s 3 Steps to Improving Performance

10:21: Practicing Self-Discovery Through Mindfulness, Journaling, and Conversations

12:20: Mental Systems: Your Brain as the Hardware, Your Mind as the Software

13:42: “Putting Your Own Life Vest On First”, and Supporting Yourself to Support Others

15:33: How the Lack of Social Belonging Impacts Performance

17:40: “Listening Hard” and Practicing Simple Curiosity as Tools for Connection

22:05: Honest Relationships, in Board Rooms and Locker Rooms

25:43: Bringing Coaching Mindsets Into Organizations

26:56: The Importance of Timeliness in Feedback

30:08: Psychological Safety as a Foreground for Improving Performance

32:16: Coaches’ Role as the “Chief Repeating Officer"

34:33: Michael’s Superbowl Experience with the Seattle Seahawks

42:58: The Epidemic of Disengagement, and How Modern Stressors Affect Us

46:44: The Trap of Mechanistic Models of Organizations

48:32: Going Beyond Mental Health to Training Mental Skills

50:08: Taking Courageous Decisions

Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence.

New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern.

Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators?

• Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

• Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube

• Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.

• Connect with Rita on TikTok

• Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.

• Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com