He shares invaluable lessons on mental and physical resilience, authentic leadership, and the profound impact of humility. The discussion covers Mike’s personal battles, including his wife’s cancer diagnosis, and how faith and perseverance played a crucial role in overcoming adversity. Mike also introduces the concept of “hero lessons,” emphasizing humility in response to life’s events.

Mike Housey currently serves as EVP/General Manager of Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits of Indiana. He has spearheaded impressive achievements, including driving a $1.5B sales organization to a 67 basis point gross profit margin increase over five years. Beyond the boardroom, Mike is an Ironman triathlete, a devoted husband of 33 years to Marne, and a proud father of three. His wealth of personal and professional experience makes him a respected mentor and leader.

Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Watch the episode on YouTube.

Mike Housey Episode Highlights 

The Foundation of an Iron Life: At the heart of this episode is Mike’s incredible story, both as a leader and a human being. Currently serving as the Executive Vice President and General Manager at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits of Indiana, Mike has achieved feats many business leaders aspire to. He shares how he led a $1.5 billion sales organization to new heights, increasing year-over-year gross profit margins, all while creating authentic connections with his team. But leadership, as Mike reveals, is more than just hitting numbers. “People don’t buy into you because of your title,” he explains. “They buy in because of how you show up and treat them.” Throughout the episode, Mike unpacks the importance of humility, trust, and resilience—qualities that have defined his career and shaped his life outside the boardroom.

Strength Through Adversity: Mike’s iron resolve wasn’t forged in the comfort of victory but rather in the trials and tribulations of life. He opens up about his wife Marne’s battle with brain cancer, an experience that tested his faith, love, and strength. “Adversity doesn’t define you. How you respond to it does,” Mike shares earnestly. His reflections on navigating one of life’s greatest challenges add a deeply human element to a conversation largely centered on leadership and personal growth.

The Practices That Shape Progress: This episode isn’t just about stories; it’s packed with actionable insights. Mike dives into the concept of “building an iron life,” a philosophy rooted in daily habits, discipline, and balance. From his experience training and competing as an Ironman triathlete to leading large teams, Mike demonstrates how investing in yourself and remaining curious can propel you forward. “Leadership is less about having the answers and more about asking the right questions,” he notes. For those juggling work, family, and personal goals, his insights on maintaining equilibrium—whether it’s through routines, faith, or setting priorities—are deeply relatable and practical.

Implementing Hero Lessons: Mike shares a concept he refers to as the “hero lesson” framework. This involves reflecting on past events, understanding responses, and using humility to transform outcomes positively. Such insights into self-management and empathy are vital in leadership and personal development, illustrating how adaptive thinking can lead to constructive outcomes.

Building Culture and Leadership Evolution: Mike also sheds light on the importance of corporate culture. Upon transitioning into a new leadership role, Mike emphasizes the necessity of connecting with individuals personally before discussing professional objectives. This approach fosters a culture of openness and collaboration. His leadership philosophy has continuously evolved with an underpinning thread of trust, radical curiosity, and humility.

Finding Purpose and Personal Fulfillment: The core essence of Mike’s journey centers around family and personal fulfillment. Balancing professional ambitions with enriching personal relationships has been pivotal. For Mike, maintaining family values and pursuing holistic growth has ensured that his legacy extends beyond professional accolades. His practices, such as daily routines that focus on body, mind, and soul, symbolize the “iron life,” emphasizing health, faith, and resilience.

Show Notes

00:00 Introduction to Building an Iron Life

00:04 Mike Housey’s Journey and Achievements

01:44 The Power of Authenticity and Humility

03:32 The Origin of Iron Life

06:46 Mike Housey’s Backstory

11:53 Overcoming Adversity: Marne’s Battle with Brain Cancer

17:08 Faith and Resilience in Tough Times

19:19 The Concept of Iron Life and Its Impact

24:16 The Hero Lessons: Humility and Response

34:30 Embracing Radical Curiosity in Leadership

35:42 Evolving Leadership Dynamics

38:17 Building a Positive Team Culture

40:47 Transitioning to a New Leadership Role

44:56 Balancing Professional and Personal Life

50:38 Daily Routines for Success

56:06 The Impact of Ironman on Leadership

01:00:20 The Essence of True Leadership

Connect with Mike Housey

Grab a copy of Mike’s book Iron Life

Connect with Mike on LinkedIn

Get Better Today with Matt Mayberry

Embark on a transformative journey with 2x Wall Street Journal and National bestselling author and world-renowned thought leader Matt Mayberry on his podcast, Get Better Today.

In each captivating episode, Matt unlocks the underlying characteristics of success through riveting conversations with some of today’s most influential people, from pioneering CEOs and transformative leaders to world-class athletes and living legends. Step into Matt’s world of endless curiosity and experience a refreshing fusion of critical thinking, varying perspectives, and storytelling that redefines leadership, business acumen, personal development, and the art of peak performance.

The post Business Executive Mike Housey: Building an Iron Life appeared first on Matt Mayberry.

The conversation also delves into leadership attributes such as courage, perseverance, and humility, and Diviney shares his fascination with the intersection of neuroscience and performance. Additionally, Rich Diviney touches on the concept of multiple identities and their unconscious influence on behavior, explaining how these identities accumulate over time and shape actions. The dialogue emphasizes the need to identify and deconstruct these identities to pursue personal excellence and achieve goals.

Rich Diviney is a retired Navy SEAL commander. In a career spanning more than twenty years, he completed more than thirteen overseas deployments—eleven of which were to Iraq and Afghanistan. As the officer in charge of training for a specialized command, Diviney spearheaded the creation of a directorate that fused physical, mental, and emotional disciplines. He led his small team to create the first-ever “Mind Gym” that helped special operators train their brains to perform faster, longer, and better in all environments—especially high-stress ones. Diviney is the founder of The Attributes Inc., which is a specialized consulting firm in leadership and team building. Rich is also the author of The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance.

Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Watch the episode on YouTube.

Rich Diviney Episode Highlights

Understanding Optimal Performance: One of the key discussions in this podcast surrounds the critical distinction between peak and optimal performance. Rich Diviney reveals that peak performance is often perceived as the ultimate goal, especially in athletics, but in the real world, and particularly in the SEAL teams, optimal performance is what truly matters. “Peak performance is an apex, and there’s only one place you can go from an apex, and that’s down,” explains Rich. Optimal performance, on the other hand, is about doing the best possible in any given situation, whether it’s a peak condition or a gut-wrenching, difficult environment. This perspective allows for “responsible energy management,” which helps sustain long-term high performance.

Attributes of Leadership: Effective leadership is another cornerstone of Rich’s expertise. He stresses that being a leader and being in charge are two different things. Leadership is a behavior, not a position. Some critical attributes that define great leadership include empathy, decisiveness, accountability, and authenticity. These traits ensure that one’s team views them as a leader worth following. Rich underscores that real leaders build environments where team members can thrive autonomously. This style fosters trust, making it easier to shift into a more directive role when necessary without losing the team’s confidence.

Neuroscience and Performance: Rich’s fascination with neuroscience significantly influences his approach to teaching optimal performance. He collaborates closely with neuroscientists like Andrew Huberman, leveraging scientific insights to demystify what makes elite performers tick. One profound revelation is how we learn and adapt through neural connections fortified by experiences marked by intensity, novelty, and focus. This process underlines why experiential learning, even through failures, can accelerate skill acquisition and resilience.

Transition from Military Life to Civilian Life: Transitioning to civilian life is a common hurdle for many veterans. Rich Diviney shares that for him, the defining factor was prioritizing his identity as a husband and father over that of a Navy SEAL. This focus provided a foundation on which he could build new professional identities, such as author and entrepreneur. Rich emphasizes the importance of recognizing and building new identities post-transition while honoring past experiences. This mindset paves the way for successful adaptation and growth in civilian life.

Practicing Optimal Performance: Rich outlines several practical steps for maintaining optimal performance. The three components he shares center around physiology, recovery, and self-improvement.

• Physiology: Prioritize proper nutrition, sufficient sleep, and regular exercise. These are foundational to high performance.
• Recovery: Engage in activities that bring joy, which helps in micro-recovery moments and prevents burnout.
• Self-Improvement: Adopt practices like breath work, mindfulness, or any routine that aids mental clarity and resilience.

Show Notes

00:00 Guest Introduction: Rich Diviney

1:10 Understanding Optimal Performance

6:10 The Journey to Becoming a Navy SEAL

8:57 Lessons from SEAL Training

19:51 Attributes of Optimal Performance

25:01 Leadership Insights and Practices

34:20 The Irony of Leadership

35:19 Courage, Humility, and Empathy in Leadership

37:13 Delegating Responsibility vs. Accountability

40:43 Decision-Making vs. Decisiveness

45:20 The Role of Neuroscience in Optimal Performance

50:45 High Performance Protocols

54:15 Transitioning to Civilian Life

55:03 The Power of Identity

1:01:31 Defining Excellence

Connect with Rich Diviney

Website 

The Attributes Book

Get Better Today with Matt Mayberry 

Embark on a transformative journey with 2x Wall Street Journal and National bestselling author and world-renowned thought leader Matt Mayberry on his podcast, Get Better Today.

In each captivating episode, Matt unlocks the underlying characteristics of success through riveting conversations with some of today’s most influential people, from pioneering CEOs and transformative leaders to world-class athletes and living legends. Step into Matt’s world of endless curiosity and experience a refreshing fusion of critical thinking, varying perspectives, and storytelling that redefines leadership, business acumen, personal development, and the art of peak performance.

The post Rich Diviney: Achieving Optimal Performance appeared first on Matt Mayberry.

Liz Elting has been recognized as one of the world’s most successful self-made women, and she is lauded for her efforts to address systemic barriers to success and equality, as well as to develop the next generation of women business leaders.

In this episode of Get Better Today, Liz Elting shares her inspiring journey of growing TransPerfect, a language solutions company, from an idea in her dorm room at NYU into a billion-dollar business. Highlighting the importance of leadership, setting audacious goals, pushing past fear, and the importance of hard work in achieving extraordinary results, Elting delves into her entrepreneurial journey and the key lessons she’s learned. She underscores the need for having goals to work toward, the drive for constant improvement, and the importance of a proactive mentality in leadership. Liz Elting also discusses her foundation’s mission to help women business leaders and people from marginalized communities, as well as her passion for making a positive impact in the world.

Listen to the Liz Elting episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Watch the episode on YouTube.

Liz Elting Episode Highlights

It’s Not About You: With all of her remarkable achievements and experiences, I was curious to find out what one of the greatest lessons she discovered throughout her journey was. Liz opens up about one fundamental lesson: as a leader, it’s not about you. The focus should be on what you can inspire your team to do and motivate them towards a winning mentality. According to Liz, she learned this key lesson gradually, having initially started with virtually no management or leadership experience. Elting’s approach to differentiating their business was simple: by nurturing employees, thereby incentivizing them to perform better, and by providing superior service to their clients. As Elting puts it, “It comes back to the people, you know, on both counts.”

The Journey of Liz Elting: Going back in time, Liz Elting shares her backstory. She passionately talks about her past adversities and how they shaped her into the successful woman she is today. Having been identified as off-key in a school choir formed her resolve to thrive in other areas, even if she could not become a professional singer. She sought to find something she could do better than anyone else, and she tirelessly gave it her best. Overcoming a near-death situation when she was young further built her character, affirming to her that she was meant to live for something greater. Liz believed all these experiences had built her character and the drive to be indomitable against life’s adversities.

The Inspiration Behind Dream Big and Win: Liz Elting credits her inspiration to write her new book, Dream Big and Win, to her own journey as an entrepreneur. She wanted to share her insights and lessons learned over her 26-year experience. The aim of the book is to mentor aspiring entrepreneurs and provide them with the tools she wishes she had had in her 20s. Her new book is a blend of her entrepreneurial journey interwoven with valuable nuggets of wisdom and advice.

A Culture of Disagreement: In any successful company, conflicts and disagreements are not uncommon. According to Liz Elting, creating an environment where people feel comfortable voicing their disagreements or diverse opinions is crucial. The former TransPerfect CEO emphasized the merits of having one-on-one meetings with employees and prioritizing employee surveys and exit interviews. She further advocated for an environment that encourages employees to express their perspectives on what can be improved within the company.

Qualities of Exceptional Leaders: When asked about the significant qualities of exceptional leaders, Elting identifies curiosity and a strong sense of proactiveness as vital traits. Leaders displaying these characteristics constantly strive for better and inspire their teams to follow suit. Incline towards action, intense focus, and a high level of discipline are also equally essential for leadership success, according to Elting.

Show Notes

0:00 – Guest Introduction: Liz Elting

1:11 – Beginning of Interview with Liz Elting

3:29 – Liz Elting’s Early Life and Challenges

7:34 – Inspiration Behind Liz’s New Book

8:57 – Origins of TransPerfect

11:22 – The Importance of Taking Risks in Entrepreneurship

14:04 – The Role of Hard Work

20:05 – The Importance of Setting Goals and Taking Action

25:10 – Scaling a Company and Driving Accountability

27:40 – The Art of Giving Feedback

28:16 – The Importance of Goals in Business

28:57 – The Problem with Lack of Transparency in Organizations

29:44 – The Power of One-on-One Meetings

30:47 – The Role of Compensation in Employee Retention

31:22 – The Excuse of Not Having Time for One-on-Ones

31:38 – The Importance of Understanding Expectations

33:22 – The Key to Personal and Professional Breakthroughs

33:51 – The Power of Grit and Persistence

37:09 – How Liz Approaches Goals

41:48 – Cultivating a Culture of Psychological Safety

44:14 – Qualities of Exceptional Leaders

44:42 – The Power of Curiosity and Proactivity in Leadership

47:15 – The Mission of the Elizabeth Elting Foundation

Connect with Liz Elting

Website

Dream Big and Win Book

Elizabeth Elting Foundation

Get Better Today with Matt Mayberry

Embark on a transformative journey with Wall Street Journal bestselling author and world-renowned thought leader Matt Mayberry on his podcast, Get Better Today.

In each captivating episode, Matt unlocks the underlying characteristics of success through riveting conversations with some of today’s most influential people, from pioneering CEOs and transformative leaders to world-class athletes and living legends. Step into Matt’s world of endless curiosity and experience a refreshing fusion of critical thinking, varying perspectives, and storytelling that redefines leadership, business acumen, personal development, and the art of peak performance.

The post Liz Elting: From Dorm Room to Billion-Dollar Business appeared first on Matt Mayberry.

Today, Matthew Kelly is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, and business consultant. His books have been published in more than 30 languages, have appeared on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists, and have sold more than 50 million copies.

In this captivating conversation, Matthew Kelly offers insights on embracing life’s challenges, the role of dreams in our lives, and the key attributes of effective leadership. Kelly’s conversation is deeply personal and reflective, revealing a rich perspective filled with resilience and courage. Kelly developed the “the-best-version-of-yourself” concept and has been sharing it in every arena of life for more than 25 years. It is quoted by presidents and celebrities, athletes and their coaches, business leaders, and innovators, though perhaps it is never more powerfully quoted than when a mother or father asks a child, “Will that help you become the-best-version-of-yourself?”

Listen to the Matthew Kelly episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. Watch the episode on YouTube.

Matthew Kelly Episode Highlights

Matthew Kelly’s Story: Walking the Unfamiliar Road: Matthew Kelly has had a fascinating journey. Contrary to societal expectations for planning out our lives, he emphasizes the fulfillment found in traversing unexpected paths. Matthew’s journey began with a chance to speak at an event while still in business school, from which he grew into a renowned author and speaker. He explains, “I’ve been on this adventure, and I really didn’t plan it, and I don’t know where it’s going next.” One of Matthew’s outstanding skills is his ability to capture listeners’ hearts, a gift largely honed in high school gymnasiums, where he learned the importance of audience engagement. His storytelling ability, through his books and videos, indeed touches lives profoundly.

Nurturing Passion and Purpose Amid Chaos in Our Lives: Matthew Kelly discussed the importance of living every day with passion and purpose and how to do so amid the chaos in our personal and professional lives. He emphasized that we are made for a mission—not to serve ourselves but to serve others. This principle applies in our personal lives, our professional lives, and in leadership in organizations. Matthew explained the power of dreams, asserting that having a dream for our lives injects us with passion and purpose. In his latest book, The Rocking Chair Prophet, Matthew tells the story of a man named Ezra who begins to chase his dream and how that changes him profoundly.

Learning to Slow Down and Embrace Vulnerability: Matthew Kelly expressed strong sentiments about slowing down in life. He believes that slowing down brings mindfulness, efficiency, and focus and allows us to be present in the moment. In his recent works, Matthew has expressed deep vulnerability, sharing that being honest and real with oneself is incredibly powerful, especially in coping with personal trials such as his experience overcoming cancer multiple times.

Embracing the Messy: Navigating through life’s mess requires us to fight our battles every day and strive to be better than yesterday. Matthew uses his personal experiences to send a resounding message that, despite life’s mess, we can achieve excellence and wholeness. It’s crucial to remember, as Matthew Kelly wonderfully puts it, “Life is messy, but you’re not doing it wrong.” The pursuit of excellence lies in our everyday choices, habits, and mindset. It’s not merely a goal, but a journey marked by constant growth and transformation. We must acknowledge our vulnerabilities and accept that life is messy, but within this mess lies the potential for our excellence.

Show Notes

1:00 – Guest Introduction: Matthew Kelly

1:30 – Matthew Kelly’s Journey and Career

3:54 – The Art of Public Speaking

5:48 – Living with Passion and Purpose

11:15 – The Power of Dreams

16:18 – The Importance of Personal Dreams in Professional Life

19:35 – The Role of Leaders in Encouraging Dreams

22:20 – Practical Steps for Leaders to Encourage Dreams

25:58 – Appreciating the Power of Dreams

27:33 – The Uniqueness of Human Dreams

28:28 – Redefining the Concept of a Better Future

29:56 – The Power of Giving and Simplifying Life

31:00 – The Role of Habits in Unleashing Potential

31:12 – The Power of Reading and Coaching

34:06 – The Importance of Silence and Slowing Down

35:18 – Embracing Vulnerability and Overcoming Challenges

42:03 – The Impact of Books

47:37 – Personal Definition of Excellence

Connect with Matthew Kelly

Matthew Kelly Website

Matthew Kelly YouTube Channel

Matthew Kelly Books

Get Better Today with Matt Mayberry 

Embark on a transformative journey with Wall Street Journal bestselling author and world-renowned thought leader Matt Mayberry on his podcast, Get Better Today.

In each captivating episode, Matt unlocks the underlying characteristics of success through riveting conversations with some of today’s most influential people, from pioneering CEOs and transformative leaders to world-class athletes and living legends. Step into Matt’s world of endless curiosity and experience a refreshing fusion of critical thinking, varying perspectives, and storytelling that redefines leadership, business acumen, personal development, and the art of peak performance.

The post Matthew Kelly: Becoming the Best Version of Yourself appeared first on Matt Mayberry.