A leadership team with top-tier talent, strong strategy, and capital behind it still misses targets. Engagement scores drift. Execution stalls. On paper, nothing is wrong. In reality, the environment is misaligned.

That gap between capability and consistent performance is where culture either compounds results or quietly erodes them.

Aaron Walsh, Head of Culture, Leadership and Mental Performance at the Rajasthan Royals and former Mental Skills coach with the Chiefs, has spent his career working inside high performance systems where results are unforgiving and scrutiny is constant.

Why is culture still treated as a “soft” variable despite overwhelming evidence that it shapes behaviour, decision-making and performance under pressure?

1:45 – Defining culture and what happens when reality doesn’t match the wall.
9:05 – Aaron’s work with the Chiefs and Mike Cron on building a successful culture.
15:45 – Connecting teams to the community and the last 10% performance gains from culture.
19:55 – Michael Gervais, the Seattle Seahawks, and bringing team culture to corporates like IAG.
27:55 – Immediate actions to improve culture and fostering psychological safety for innovation.
33:10 – Leadership, culture, and why your energy impacts corporate performance.
36:50 – Andrew’s morning routine and the quality vs quantity time debate.
41:05 – Measuring culture beyond annual check-ins and its impact.
47:15 – Modelling desired behaviours and Aaron’s 5-year vision.
54:35 – When systems fail, talent isn’t enough and why some teams may not need a mental skills coach.
59:55 – Spotting cultural clues on day one and lessons from sports to corporate mental skills.

Listen to the previous episode with Aaron here: https://performanceintelligence.transistor.fm/episodes/143-aaron-walsh

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Most people want the title of CEO but very few want the weight that comes with it. When you’re at the head of Australia’s largest bank, Commbank, there’s no hiding. No delegation of ultimate responsibility. Sometimes that means sitting alone at night reading a 600-page document because if your name is on it...you own it.

In this Bite Size, Matt Comyn shares what leadership actually feels like at that level. The pressure. The self-doubt. The constant balancing act when expectations — external and internal — start to tip. And the mental discipline he uses to steady himself before small cracks become big ones.

If you lead a team, carry responsibility, or aspire to — this is a rare look at what it really demands.

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You don’t drift into longevity. You build it...or you erode it. Most people think living longer is about genetics or luck. The data says otherwise. Where you live matters. But what you do daily matters more.

Mental Skills Coach, Andrew May, and Longevity Rsearcher Dr Tom Buckley break down what actually determines how long and how well you live.

From blue zones to biological age, from the pivotal impact of your 40s to the supplements Dr Tom genuinely backs, this is a sharp look at the habits that add years or quietly take them away. If you care about staying sharp, capable and competitive for decades to come — this one matters.

1:30 What is longevity and premature mortality?

6:15 The idea of blue zones around the world and how genetics can impact your lifespan.

17:00 Why what you do in your 40s can have such a massive impact on the rest of your life and how you’re still able to turn it around even if you were unhealthy beforehand.

22:30 Some of the long term effects drugs can have on your brain and methods to add years back on to your life.

29:00 How the 6 MatchFit levers fit into longevity and which supplements will help your long term health.

35:30 The main supplements Dr Tom gets his clients to take.

40:00 What is biological age vs chronological age, and why is having a low biological age so important?

45:00 How what you eat and drink can add or take years off your life.

51:00 Why doing moderate exercise more often is better than always doing high intensity and getting better sleep is a balance between quality and quantity of sleep.

55:30 Where Dr Tom sees the science of longevity going in the future.

Read the study here: https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(23)66280-X/fulltext
Listen to the podcast about saunas: https://performanceintelligence.transistor.fm/episodes/25-the-science-of-sauna-and-deliberate-heat-exposure-and-associated-benefits-dr-tom-buckley
You can find Dr Tom at his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-buckley-06a76b98/

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What if calm isn’t something you’re born with — but something you can train?

When the pressure hits, most people try to think their way through it. But breathwork expert Nam Baldwin argues that high performance starts in the body. Calm is not a vague mindset or a lucky personality trait. It’s a physical and neurological state — and it’s the foundation that elite performers rely on when everything is on the line.

From Olympic sport to high-stakes business moments, the ability to deliberately shift your state can be the difference between choking and delivering.

Nam unpacks why calm is a precursor to clarity, focus and execution — and shares simple, practical techniques to quickly reset your nervous system when you need to steady yourself fast.

If you’ve ever wanted to control your state instead of being controlled by it, this conversation shows you how.

Read Nam's LinkedIn post: https://shorturl.at/1OX81
Read the article with Jess Fox: https://shorturl.at/hJKtG
Visit Nam's website: https://www.nambaldwin.com/
Visit Hupo's website: https://hupo.com.au/

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Rose Herceg built her first business in her twenties. She’s led teams under pressure and shaped culture at the very top of Australian business. She takes risks most wouldn’t dare, spots opportunity where others see none, and somehow stays calm when everything is chaos. As President of WPP AUNZ, Rose Herceg sits at the helm of one of the most influential marketing and communications networks in the region, shaping strategy and culture across Australia and New Zealand.

Rose learned early that curiosity, grit, and a willingness to challenge the obvious give you an edge. Learn the lessons, instincts, and habits that keep her ahead—and how you might borrow a few for yourself.

In this episode Andrew and Rose discuss:

1:45 Growing up as the child of Croatian immigrants and the challenges and triumphs of that life.

5:40 The value of having people who will push back and fostering an environment of healthy conflict.

12:15 The real money is on the edges of trends, not the middle and taking the fear of money away.

16:15 Bringing together unconventional businesses and how Rose regulates her energy and capacity.

20:40 The difference between having a bad day and a mental health episode and why being messy is ok.

24:30 Losing is where the real learnings are and taking the losses on yourself and sharing the successes with your team.

29:50 Why we link failure to shame and not defining your success on the job you do, but rather who you are.

34:20 Make sure you’re able to step away from time to time and be sure to fall in love with yourself before anyone else.

39:40 Rose losing a million dollars on her first business, being too early in the digital content space, and when Rose felt at her most vulnerable.

46:00 Rose’s dad’s philosophy of just keep moving forward, and why Rose doesn’t like the word entrepreneur.

49:50 What drives Rose at WPP and where Rose sees herself in 5 years.

54:30 Will Rose start another business and what Rose thinks is driving the younger generation.

You can find Rose at her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-herceg-025982bb/

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If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

Fear isn’t weakness. It’s wiring. Your brain can’t tell the difference between a boardroom and a battlefield. A tough conversation can trigger the same survival response as a physical threat.

Performance psychologist Dr Scott Goldman explains why so many of our fears are rooted in primal instincts — and why they feel so intense, even when our lives aren’t actually at risk.

When you understand what your nervous system is really doing, you stop fighting fear… and start working with it.

Listen to the full conversation at #147.
Learn more about AIQ: https://aiq.team/
Connect with Dr Scott Goldman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottgoldmanphd/

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If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

Face challenges the way your toughest opponent would. Dr Paul Taylor, expert in hardiness, shows how hardiness isn’t just a trait - it’s a mindset, a practice, and a way to confront life’s most difficult moments.

He shares how he approached open-heart surgery like going into battle, found mindfulness in a simple morning walk, and trains attention and resilience as essential life skills. Paul also explains why most resilience programs fall short, why wellbeing is both physical and psychological, and why medication is often the least effective way to manage depression.

If you want to face life’s toughest challenges without breaking, this is the mindset you need.

1:55 Paul needed hardiness to face serious heart problems, treating them as a worthy challenge and drawing on his lifelong training in resilience.

7:30 Approaching surgery like going into battle, confronting mortality, and choosing how to respond to life’s toughest moments.

13:50 Finding mindfulness in a simple morning walk and using small rituals to strengthen the mind.

16:30 Advice on attention control, including insights for Andrew’s arm injury and daily focus.

25:00 The science of hardiness—why it’s not an outcome but a way to navigate challenges.

29:30 Why many resilience programs fall short and what actually builds mental toughness.

32:00 Paul’s new book on hardiness, and why wellbeing is both physical and psychological.

35:30 Why medication is often the least effective way to address depression.

41:35 How normal human emotions have been over-medicated, and how Paul trains hardiness instead.

51:15 Pushing limits after surgery: doing 10 squats the morning after open-heart surgery to reclaim strength.

55:00 Applying hardiness in rehab and everyday challenges.

You can find Dr Paul at his website: https://www.paultaylor.biz/
or at his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultaylor1971/
Buy a copy of Dr Paul's new book: https://www.paultaylor.biz/books

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If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

The best coaches don’t always give answers. They ask questions that make you think differently about yourself, your game, and the moment you’re in.

Aussie cricket legend, Michael Bevan, reflects on the coaching lessons he’s picked up over decades at the highest level — and why knowing what to ask, when to ask it, can be more powerful than any instruction. It’s a reminder that growth often starts with awareness, not advice.

NRL star Jake Trbojevic then shares what it’s like to be on the receiving end of that approach. He explains how Bevan’s questions helped him break out of familiar patterns in training, play with more freedom, and open up more honestly within his team.

A short listen on leadership, trust, and why the right question can change everything.

You can find Bevo at his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bevo_michaelbevan/?hl=en
You can find Jake at his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaketrbojevic/?hl=en

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If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.