Andrew May is recognised as one of the world’s leading performance strategists and leadership coaches. A best-selling author, in-demand keynote speaker as well as a Leadership and transformation specialist. CEO and founder of StriveStronger.com.

Andrew’s Highlights

3:21 Mental health in the corporate context 

6:45 The lessons from resting and recovering in sport 

12:30 Covid lessons 

19:00 Positive psychology

17:30 Physical and emotional signs of fatigue

22:30 Sustained performance rituals

28:40 Resilience Training 

30:00 What are the levers that impact performance?

33:20 Defining Meditation

37:30 Diaphragmatic breathing 

38:25 “Play” & making the time to

43:20 Benefits of getting out of our “comfort zone”

55:00 Dealing with Divorce 

59:00 Vulnerability is real 

1:02:00 Slowing down to speed up

1:04:40 Learnings from Barack Obama

1:05:20 Advice to your 20-year-old self

Mental Health & Corporate Context 

First factor is that people are now more comfortable with admitting that they are not okay. 

Second factor is that we are under more pressure and we are connected from sun up to sun down. When you have uncontrollable factors the cracks in the systems become more prevalent.

Lessons from resting and recovering in sport

The world’s greatest athletes train hard but recover even harder, both physically and mentally.

Recovery is key for athletes having longer heights to their careers. – It is the key to extending their careers. 

Most corporates do not spend time recovering; it is common for work to impede on personal time. 

Covid lessons

For those that have three main things, money, a home, and connectedness, Covid has in ways been beneficial; we have had more time whether it is reflecting or connecting with our family. 

However, there is also a second phase which is fatigue. Fatigue of the ‘New World of Work’, which is a highbred of working from home and returning the work. 

Physical and emotional signs of fatigue

Physically you are tired, you have body aches when you are fatigued

Mentally it is multi factorial; for example, your body clock is all over the place, it is hard to get up, or your retreating from social factors

Emotionally you are disconnected or feeling angry 

As a leader it is really important to realise this, one for yourself and for your team, especially right now. 

Positive psychology

Tell me what is right with me rather than what is wrong with me. 

Reflect on what is positive in life and when you are above the line. You may have a pre-disposition of looking at what is wrong but through training you can shift to concentrating on what is right and having more of those above the line moments. 

Sustained performance rituals

Around 50% of your psychology is inherited; for example, if your mother has a pessimistic, then you are 50% likely to be a pessimist; but there is also a 50% chance that you will not. You can be trained with thinking skills, the life you lead, the people that you hang around. 

Just because of may have come from a tough background it doesn’t mean it has to continue. Examples such as Larry Olson, Owner of Oracle, Oprah Winfrey etc. 

You can change the way you think

Resilience Training 

Sports people have high performance scenarios, where they have done the training that many times, that it becomes a living blue print. 

You can learn how to reflect on the positives through journaling or thinking about what you are grateful for.  

What are the levers that impact performance?

We have looked into 1,000 of evidence-based peer reviews to find the levers that impact performance; at a high level it is the body and the brain. 

Further to this, it can be broken down to 6 levers:

1. MOVE – Getting active 10,000 steps a day, including regular weights etc. 
2. FUEL - Nutrition
3. RECHARGE – Physical recovery and psychology detachment
4. THINK – Base psychology and getting yourself above the line
5. CONNECT – Connecting with purpose, community and nature 
6. PLAY – Having fun, laughter and play

Meditation

It doesn’t have to be listening to a meditation track, it could be sitting in a park or walking. It is ultimately about being present and slowing down the internal chatter – psychologically disconnecting. People need to try different forms until you find what works for you. 

Diaphragmatic breathing 

This can be a great alternative to meditation and is easy to do. 

Play & making the time to

Young kids play but as adults we beat it out of our lives. There needs to be a balance; I often ask Executives what they do for fun, laughter and play.

Benefits of getting out of our “comfort zone”

The same game – same home, same clothes, same lunch.

Learning so much about yourself and not playing the stay game. Having a choice to finding a way or not and then making the first choice into a habit. 

Divorce 

During the challenges, you learn about yourself…I spent time rebuilding myself and being truly connected to others. I was functionally depressed for 2 years and I used the 6 levers and got support. 

Vulnerability is real 

It builds trust between people when you show it. 

Slowing down to speed up

Slowing down to be calm and ready for your performance moments. 

Barack Obama

It takes out the decision-making process.

To do “deep” work you have to get away and block distractions and with this why Barrack Obama only wore one type of suit; it is one less decision that they would have to make and they can use that energy into an important one. 

Advice 20-year old self 

Number 1 is to slow down to speed up; don’t try and do everything straight away.

Number 2 is to continually evolve and adapt to grow.

Your host, Shaun, sits down with inspirational individuals who share key learnings from their own experiences on becoming great; whether it is in their own career, in their own field or inspiring growth across a business.

Together, each month, we will unpack key actions on how we can all learn from others’ experiences; unlocking our own scope to grow so that we can all become the best version of ourselves.

Shaun McCambridge is the Ma...