073: The Play Zone: Revolutionizing Leadership with Polyvagal Theory with Michael Allison
Evolve: A New Era of Leadership
Release Date: 06/25/2024
090: Pausing to Evolve: Deepening my commitment to trauma informed leadership
Evolve: A New Era of Leadership
In this final episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I reflect on my journey of producing the show and share my decision to take a pause from podcasting to focus more deeply on trauma-informed leadership. After 90 episodes filled with meaningful conversations with incredible guests, I’ve come to appreciate the transformative power of trauma-informed leadership in creating resilient, purpose-driven organizations. Throughout this process, I’ve continually emphasized the importance of self-awareness, self-regulation, and co-regulation—three key elements that I believe every leader...
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089: Mastering Leadership Communication with Shelly Starks
Evolve: A New Era of Leadership
In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I’m joined by Shelly Starks, CEO of Inline Consulting Services and a seasoned business advisor with over 20 years of coaching experience. Together, they explore the profound impact of communication on leadership and dive into the powerful Identity Role Theory that Shelly uses to help her clients unlock new levels of personal and professional growth. Shelly emphasizes the critical importance of effective communication in leadership, highlighting how mindful and intentional communication can break down defensive barriers and raise emotional...
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088: The Power of Holding Space: Leading Through Liminal Space and Workplace Change with Heather Plett
Evolve: A New Era of Leadership
In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I’m joined by Heather Plett, author of the award-winning book The Art of Holding Space: A Practice of Love, Liberation, and Leadership. Heather shares her deep insights on the powerful practice of holding space, its transformative impact on leadership, and the evolving needs of leaders in today’s world. Heather discusses how holding space is a key leadership competency that fosters personal and organizational transformation. From her extensive experience as a facilitator and co-founder of the Centre for Holding Space, Heather explains how...
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087: The Proxy Diet: Bridging Mind and Energy for Effective Leadership with Tevi Lawson
Evolve: A New Era of Leadership
In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I’m joined by Tevi Lawson, author of The Proxy Diet: A Practical Guide to Self-Analysis and Healing. Tevi delves into his journey from West Africa to the U.S., his personal challenges, and how these experiences inspired the development of the Proxy Method, a framework designed to bridge the gap between mind, energy, and self. Tevi’s powerful insights highlight the importance of emotional and mental health in leadership and offer a unique perspective on how leaders can better align with their authentic selves. Tevi’s Proxy Method focuses...
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086: Leading with Conviction and Empathy with Sam Smith
Evolve: A New Era of Leadership
In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I’m joined by Sam Smith, founder and former CEO of financial services group FinCap, now Cavendish Financial. Sam shares her incredible journey as the first female chief executive of a city stockbroking firm and provides deep insights into empathetic leadership, culture, and growth. Sam's leadership journey is marked by her focus on treating people fairly, which she considers a cornerstone of her business success. She has worked on over 200 transactions, including IPOs and secondary fundraisings, and is now a champion of...
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085: Vulnerability and Curiosity: DeDe Halfhill’s Secrets to Leading with Authenticity
Evolve: A New Era of Leadership
In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I’m joined by DeDe Halfhill, a distinguished retired Air Force colonel, leadership consultant, and coach. DeDe shares her remarkable journey through 25 years of military service, including her pivotal moments in leadership that shaped her career and personal growth. As a former senior advisor to the Department of Defense and a commander of Air Force bases, DeDe offers profound insights on authentic leadership, vulnerability, and personal transformation. DeDe’s extensive military experience has been widely recognized, with Brené Brown...
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084: Why Traditional Leadership Development Programs Fail to Deliver Results with Ginny Baillie
Evolve: A New Era of Leadership
In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, we welcome Ginny Baillie, founder of Drum, a leadership development company in the UK. Ginny shares her journey in leadership coaching and development, explaining how her approach has evolved since 2017. Together, we explore the concept of "holding space" and why traditional leadership development programs often fail to deliver long-term results. Ginny provides insight into how leaders can foster deeper connection and trust within their teams by stepping away from prescriptive methods and embracing a more organic, space-holding approach to...
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083: Embodying Conscious Leadership with Merritt Minnemeyer
Evolve: A New Era of Leadership
In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I'm joined by Merritt Minnemeyer, Founder and CEO of Master of One Coaching. Merritt shares her unique journey from her background in acting to becoming an international speaker and leadership coach. Together, we explore the critical role of consciousness in leadership, discussing how leaders can elevate their awareness and intentionality to make better choices and lead with purpose. Merritt is on a mission to eradicate executive mediocrity. As is the Founder & CEO of Master of One Coaching she employs extensive leadership...
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082: How Soul Health Transforms Leadership with Pam Buchanan
Evolve: A New Era of Leadership
In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I'm joined by Pam Buchanan, the founder of Quantum Sense, to explore the concept of “soul health” and its relevance in the corporate world. Pam has had a remarkable 40-year career in corporate America, working in the financial and tech sectors, including serving as a director at NASDAQ. She was deeply involved in taking major companies like Tesla and Facebook public and had a front-row seat to some of the world’s most innovative minds. Now, Pam is applying the lessons she learned in corporate leadership to a new focus: soul health. Pam...
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081: How AI is Changing Leadership with Ajay Malik
Evolve: A New Era of Leadership
In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I'm joined by Ajay Malik, a prominent leader in the field of artificial intelligence. Ajay, who has previously held leadership roles at Google, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, and Motorola, now leads Studio X, an enterprise AI platform designed to help businesses integrate AI into their operations. Throughout the conversation, Ajay provides valuable insights into the impact of AI on leadership and organizational performance, emphasizing the importance of embracing AI as a tool to enhance human capabilities rather than replace them. Ajay shares his...
info_outlineIn this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I'm joined by Michael Allison, an educational partner with the Polyvagal Instituteory. Michael shares his profound insights on the application of polyvagal theory to enhance leadership and performance, iMichael's unique approach helps leaders and individuals achieve peak performance by consciously controlling their physiology. With extensive experience working with athletes and business leaders, Michael's insights are invaluable for anyone looking to elevate their performance and leadership effectiveness.
As mentioned, Michael is an educational partner with Polyvagal Institute and Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. (originator of Polyvagal Theory) leading the development and delivery of a Polyvagal-informed Certificate for Health, Wellness & Performance Coaches accredited by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaches.
His unique application of Polyvagal Theory to performance endorsed by Dr. Porges – The Play Zone – provides a paradigm shifting methodology to optimize control of our performance through skillful and conscious control of our physiology.
Michael consults with professional, collegiate and high performing coaches, teams, organizations, athletes and performers in a variety of disciplines, as well as schools, executive coaches, business leaders and corporate teams.
He is a Health & Performance Coach, Personal Trainer, Medical Exercise Specialist, Post Rehab Specialist and Certified Oxygen Advantage Breathwork Instructor, and the author of SMARTER Coaching, a certificated behavior change course accredited by the American Council on Exercise. In addition, Michael is a certificated ILS Safe & Sound Provider / Remote Provider and Focus System Training Provider.
🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways:
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Understanding Physiology: Michael explains the crucial role of physiology in influencing behavior and performance. He emphasizes how our internal state impacts our interactions and effectiveness as leaders. 🧠💪
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The Play Zone: Introducing the concept of the "play zone," Michael describes how achieving a state of play can enhance creativity, collaboration, and overall performance. 🎮🌟
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Polyvagal Theory in Practice: Insights into how polyvagal theory can be applied in both athletic and corporate settings to improve performance through better regulation of the nervous system. 🏃♂️🏢
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Importance of Safety: Michael discusses the significance of creating an environment of physiological and psychological safety to foster trust, belonging, and optimal performance. 🛡️🤝
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Navigating Different States: An exploration of the performance hierarchy, detailing the predictable physiological states we go through and how to manage them effectively. 🔄🧘♂️
We talk about:
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00:00 Intro
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02:04 Understanding Physiology and Performance
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06:15 The Role of Physiology in Leadership and Business
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15:43 Navigating Physiological States in High-Stress Situations
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24:25 Recognizing and Managing Physiological Responses
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29:32 Introduction to Neuroception
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30:03 Understanding Neuroception
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33:12 The Role of Neuroception in Leadership
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33:54 Building Awareness and Skills
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37:12 Practical Applications for Leaders
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39:06 The Importance of Psychological and Physiological Safety
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43:06 Strategies for Team Resilience
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55:25 Closing Thoughts and Resources
🌈 Closing Thoughts:
This episode with Michael Allison provides a deep dive into the transformative power of polyvagal theory and its application in leadership and performance. Michael's insights offer a fresh perspective on how to harness our physiology to become more effective leaders and individuals.
#PolyvagalTheory #Leadership #Performance #Physiology #PlayZone
Connect with Michael
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-allison-smarter/
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playzonepro/
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Blog: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-pressure-paradox
Connect with me
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolynswora/
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/
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Website: https://www.carolynswora.com/
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Contact: [email protected]