Team Guru Podcast

Positive phycology. Positive leadership. Who wouldn’t want a piece of that? In this episode of the Team Guru Podcast Michelle McQuaid treats us to a masterclass; a brilliant guide to understanding and pursuing a life defined by the positive. Michelle defines, in an incredibly real and accessible way, positive psychology and the science that sits behind it. We talk explicitly about what it means to...

Wow - what a response to Part 1 of the Andrew Mewing story. The timing was pretty good - coming as so many Australian swimmers failed to convert their dreams into gold at the Rio pool. But from the feedback we got, listeners were just so impressed with Andrew’s story and the way he told it. This is Part 2 of that story. Andrew talks us through his experience at his second Olympic trials - Beijing...

As we soak up all the colour and thrills from the Rio Olympics, it’s worth spending a moment to consider that every athlete that flashes across our screens represents scores of would-be-Olympians who didn’t quite make it. Those who pursued their Olympic dream and failed. They each have a story to tell. My guest in this episode of the podcast is Andrew Mewing who has one cracking yarn to share abou...

Innovation. It rates pretty highly as a business buzzword of our time. So I wanted to dig into it. To find out what it means for organisations. For individuals. And in the context of the modern commercial environment. My guest in this episode is Gaia Grant who - along with her husband Andrew - published 'Who Killed Creativity' in 2011 and this month will release 'The Innovation Race'. I hit Gaia w...

Any conversation worth having about Millennials must equally delve into the characteristics and workplace habits of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers. For at least another 15 years these three generations will share the workplace. The survival of many organisations will hinge on their ability to work out how they will play nicely together – to form positive intergenerational teams. Lee Caraher is an exper...

The statistics around employee engagement are startling. A huge percentage of us are not satisfied with the work we do or the environment in which we do it. And given the amount of time we actually spend at work, it’s a hugely concerning issue. Caron Rounds is an expert in workplace wellness. In this episode of the Team Guru Podcast we talk through the issues that are affecting employee engagement...

This is Part 2 of the Ben Ikin story. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, I suggest you head back there and have a listen before you dive into this one. It's not as though this part won't make sense without it - it's that Ben Ikin's is a fabulous story. You won't want to miss a second. In this episode: marrying the coach's daughter; career end; transition to the media; leadership and the corpor...

Measured, insightful and colourful. Ben Ikin is the youngest person to ever play State of Origin. He played rugby league for Australia and won a premiership with the Brisbane Broncos. And these days he hosts Foxtel’s NRL 360. As impressive as all of those achievements are, it’s his thoughtful, reflective nature and his ability to extract lessons about life and leadership from his experiences that...

We all have difficult people in our lives. It’s a real skill to be able to manage our own emotions in the face of aggressive or spiteful behaviour - and to know how to respond rationally and constructively. Eleanor Shakiba is an expert in dealing with difficult people. In her book, Difficult People Made Easy, Eleanor helps us to understand the different modes and patterns of toxic behaviour. She o...

Entrepreneurs, wantrepreneurs and siderepreneurs – this episode is for you. Jim Palmer is an ultra-successful entrepreneur. He has created huge revenue that flows through multiple streams. But it wasn’t always that way - he began his business with enormous credit-card debt and a ‘revenue-free’ 12 months. Jim shares with us the lessons he has learned through the tough times and the good times. He o...

We live in the age of content marketing. ‘Publish or Perish’ is its mantra. But who should publish? What should they be publishing. How? My guest this episode of the podcast is Jeff Herman. It’s his mission to help people and organisations adjust and thrive in this brave new world. Whether you run a small business, think of yourself as an entrepreneur or work in a large organisation, Jeff will con...

The world of professional sport has changed at lightening speed over the past few decades. From an era in which players at the highest level were expected to crack open a beer straight after the match - through to the scientifically crafted players of today. From the joy of winning premierships with the Brisbane Broncos and a World Cup with the Wallabies to the heart thumping pressure of avoiding...

Craig Ballantyne is a man who simply wants you to have the perfect life. In his book, The Perfect Day Formula, Craig outlines a set of simple, practical steps to help you imagine, design and live the life that is perfect for you. In this episode of the Team Guru Podcast he talks us through those steps, the principles they are based on and his philosophical approach. And he addresses the thing that...

Trent Grimsey is the fastest person to ever swim across the English Channel. In this episode Trent tells us, in his incredibly humble and unassuming way, about his path to swimming immortality. His development as a young swimmer, his incredible training regime, the terrible misfortune that prevented him from ever becoming an Olympian - the tough times that only made him more determined. He tells u...

Steve Rodgers barely graduated from high school and didn’t go to college – but at the height of his corporate career he was the CEO of one of Warren Buffett’s most profitable real estate companies, turning over annual revenue of $25 billion. He then built his own billion-dollar real estate empire. Then, he gave it all up to peruse what he describes as his higher calling. Steve’s is a story of ambi...

Imagine being able to read someone’s personality the minute you meet them – just by observing their facial features? The benefits would be incredible – you’d know how to approach them physically, engage in the type of conversations they’d most enjoy, predict how they make decisions and much more. My guest in this episode is Alan Stevens – better known as the Celebrity Profiler. He’s Australia’s le...

What do parenthood and leadership have in common? Where did helicopter parenting come from and what has been the impact on the Millennial generation? What is the age of the Façade – and how is it impacting us? How are Millennials performing in the workplace and how should they be led professionally? In my conversation with Dr Joanie Connell we’ll tackle these questions and much more. This episode...

Storytelling in the business setting is a dying art – and that’s a terrible shame. Stories are so incredibly powerful for connecting, sharing information, motivating actions, clarifying direction, enjoying success… But we have become slaves to PowerPoint, charts, dot-points and theoretical lenses. My guest in this episode wants to change all that. Shawn Callahan is a storytelling consultant. He ta...

Trent Patten is one of Australia’s leading age group triathlon coaches. At any one time he is helping hundreds of athletes – of all ability ranges - achieve their personal goals. He trains world champions, national champions and has helped countless novices prepare for their very first event. Trent has a unique ability to tap into the things that drive individuals and use them to motivate commitme...

Thinking is fundamental to the human condition. But how well do we do it? My guest in this episode of the Team Guru Podcast is Peter Ellerton – lecturer in critical thinking. Throughout this chat we talk about the basics of rationalism and critical thinking - and its foundation in philosophy. We explore the nature of public debate and the rhetorical devises used by political leaders to subvert the...

Leading and developing their team is the core responsibility of anyone in a leadership position. In this episode of the Team Guru Podcast I speak with Chris Burton. Chris has been working with teams and training team facilitators for nearly 20 years. Chris oozes passion and knowledge about team development. He has a deep theoretical understanding of the phycology of developing, leading and partici...

Workplace bullying can be enormously destructive to a workplace and devastating for individuals. But what exactly is bullying? How do we recognise it? What do we do about it? How can we prevent it? In this episode of the Team Guru Podcast Maureen Kyne – an expert in workplace behaviour –takes us through the working definition of bullying and talks about some of the industry’s in which bullying is...

Brendan Cannon is a former Wallaby. He spent time working as a TV rugby analyst and is now well into a corporate career. And to add to all of that, Brendan is a man who was born to be interviewed. With a great voice for radio, Brendan indulged my fascination with the inner working of life as a professional sportsman. He drew on his 10 years as a fulltime rugby player, reflecting on the lessons he...

Astrid Jonelynas is one of Australia’s brightest young innovators and entrepreneurs. In this episode of the Team Guru Podcast we talk about her recent tour of Sillicon Valley – what she saw, how it inspired her and the barriers she sees to Australia biting off its piece of the tech start up pie. I ask her a whole bunch of old man questions about coding and we muse about the future of technology an...

Ted Kwartler has worked across the spectrum of corporate America – from an iconic dot com success, to a hundred year old financial institution, to his current role in a VC funded start up. Ted also happens to be someone who embodies the essence of Emotional Intelligence. Listen in as someone with a gift for personal reflection and awareness of others talks about his leadership philosophy, the less...