I said, I'm totally and utterly broken.
And I said it and then just covered my mouth and went,
oh shit, what have I just done?
I'm the resilience guy.
I shouldn't have said that.
They're a comedy show.
They went, oh, okay.
Good stuff, mate.
Well, have a good day.
Chat to you soon.
And they were gone.
This week's guest on the Empowering Ladies podcast
is the remarkable Hugh van Kylenburg,
the founder of the Resilience Project
and the Imperfects podcast.
So Harvey not feeling good.
Fuck doing a virtue journal.
Like who's in control of, like who's controlling you?
Who is in control?
Hear Hugh talk about Billy Slater,
legendary state of origin superstar in the NRL
from Queensland as being the best leader
that he has ever seen.
Billy put his hands up five minutes in and he goes,
hey mate, this is fucking awesome.
He tells the incredible story of approaching
Ryan Shelton in a cafe, having never met him before
and leading to this great collaboration
on the Imperfects podcast.
Saw Ryan, I didn't want to annoy him.
I wanted to say, hey, you have had a massive impact on me
and I just want to say thank you.
I got so nervous.
I went to the cafe and I was,
it was the most uncool thing I've ever done,
but I sat down next to him and pretended I hadn't seen him
and went, oh, Ryan Shelton.
You get Hugh's take on what it really means
to be happy in life.
I used to say this from a place of privilege,
which was, I was just so happy, no problems in my life.
Come on guys, do this stuff, it really helps.
I'm now saying it from a place of,
life's pretty tough at the moment
and I know this stuff is going to get me through.
What does that mean to you, self-leadership?
I have thought about this
because I hear the term come up a bit.
I reckon the more time I have off,
the better leader I am, I think.
So I've got in my calendar, Hugh not available
in these big chunks.
It's not, I'm being lazy.
It's because I've burnt out 2019, 2020, 2020.
I burnt out three years in a row.
I got to November and I was really unwell.
When you go so hard like that,
you're not the only one who suffers.
We're lucky enough to have Hugh
as part of our Alita Connect program.
Head to alitacollective.com to check it out.
We love the group that Hugh van Kylenburg is in
in Alita Connect.
Dr. Troy Flanagan from the Milwaukee Bucks.
Amit Baines from the Western Bulldogs as a CEO.
Vanessa Ford, Tyson Ballard.
And you hear Hugh's take on why
the learning and sharing
and empowering is so important.
It's something he really values.
Big thanks as always to Jason Nicholas
and his team from Tempered Bedding
for their ongoing support of conversations
like this one with Hugh van Kylenburg.
Have a look at Tempered Bedding,
a mattress like no other.
Hugh van Kylenburg had been working
in education settings for over 15 years,
teaching both primary and secondary
in a range of different educational settings.
The highlight of his teaching career
was the year he spent in Far North of India,
volunteering and living at an underprivileged school
in the Himalayas.
It was here that he discovered resilience
in its purest form.
Inspired by the experience,
Hugh returned to Melbourne
and commenced working on his own programs for schools.
The Resilience Project was born.
Having completed his postgraduate studies
looking at resilience and wellbeing,
Hugh has developed and facilitated programs
for over 900 schools Australia-wide.
In 2015, the National Rugby League
asked Hugh to run workshops
at every club in the competition.
Since then, he's worked with the Australian cricket team,
the Australian netball team,
the Australian women's soccer team
and more than 10 AFL footy teams.
Beyond the team environment,
Hugh has worked one-on-one with the team,
and he's worked with the team,
and he's worked with the team,
and he's worked with the team,
with individuals the likes of Steve Smith,
Dustin Martin and Billy Slater,
And in addition to his work in schools and elite sport,
Hugh has presented to over 500 corporate groups
as a keynote speaker
and developed comprehensive programs
for a range of workplaces
across different sectors.
He's a best-selling author
and co-host of the incredible podcast,
Great to see you, mate.
I was really admiring your...
With the podcast I do,
I have to do the introductions
and the amount of editing we do
to make me not sound like a moron who can't read.
I'm very impressed.
I'm very impressed with that.
Until I couldn't say Imperfects.
It was the second last word.
I'm usually the third word.
I'm like, okay, guys, let's start again.
We'll do a quick edit here.
Well, maybe there was some synergy in there,
because you celebrate people being Imperfectly Perfect,
so it wouldn't have been right to get that out.
Yeah, I don't know.
Stumbling on the word Imperfects is quite ironic.
There's a bit of something in that, I'm sure.
More than 500,000 kids and countless adults
have benefited from the work that you do
in teaching people to be grateful
and empathetic and mindful.
Must make you proud.
I mean, I think it was 2011 I did my first talk in a school,
and it went really badly.
And I remember, because I just wanted to do one-hour talks.
I love doing public speaking, and I love working with kids,
and my interest is mental health and education.
And the school said,
oh, we would like you to run like a whole-day program.
And I said, I've only really got an hour's worth of material.
And I said, well, if you want the opportunity,
it's going to have to be six hours.
So I went away and thought,
right, what's a six-hour talk I can do?
And put this talk together for year sevens.
No, no, year eights,
which is if anyone's worked in secondary schools,
year eights is probably the most challenging group you'll work with.
It was a state school,
and it was out of control when I walked in there.
And it was awful.
It was just, I hated it.
And I did such a bad job.
And there was one point,
I knew Daniel Jackson, who played footy for Richmond.
I got him to come in as a guest speaker.
Very articulate, very intelligent man.
And he was probably at the height of his career.
And I said to them early on,
Daniel Jackson's coming.
Daniel Jackson's coming.
He's coming to Richmond Football Club.
And they all just went berserk with either booing or cheering.
And I couldn't get them back.
I couldn't get them back.
It was like five minutes.
And I was looking at the teachers as if I wanted support from them.
They're looking at me like kind of going,
no, you're charging money to be here.
You can deal with this.
so the fact it's gone from that to now,
I think it's a thousand partnership schools.
So a partnership school does our curriculum
and has all the digital content sent to them throughout the year.
And they're with us for quite a few years,
well, for many years really.
So to get to that,
to this now in what,
it doesn't feel like it's been overnight.
It's just been so much hard work.
I don't know if proud's a word,
I do feel really proud.
I do feel really proud.
And I'm very proud to be here today as well.
I listened to this podcast
and this is not the question that you asked me,
but I'm going to say it anyway.
I love this podcast.
There's some great stories.
And my favorite episode would be with Richard Oppie.
I went to school with Ops.
He was a year above me.
And one of the things that he said,
which I think about all the time,
he spoke about on this podcast,
being aware of the energy that you bring into a room.
And I just took that very literally to my family,
to when I get up in the morning,
no matter what I'm feeling,
be aware of the energy you bring into the room.
And it actually reminded me of,
so Richard Oppie,
my first day of high school in year seven,
Richard Oppie was brought back as the year eight leader
to give a speech on what school's like,
what high school's like.
And he said something,
which I take into this,
I still practice every day.
his last thing was his big speech
and his closing line was,
and always pack your bag the night before.
And I have done it every day since.
Actually, Richard Oppie,
that is a brilliant story
and very kind of you to share.
And for those that don't know,
Richard went to Kerry Grammer a year above you
and has had this trajectory in life
that's quite ridiculous.
Maybe got the biggest marketing job in the world.
As far as I can tell,
he's like the CEO of beer.
I don't know exactly what the position is,
And we all dreamed of that as kids,
let's be honest with you.
Every time I pop up,
he's with David Beckham or Lionel Messi
or basically Budweiser around the globe.
It's just incredible.
I do wonder how easy of a job that is though,
like having to market beer.
I don't think it needs any marketing.
I think it's pretty popular.
I think his sales budget's something like $30 billion.
So you need to sell a few,
a few Coronas and a few Budweisers to achieve that.
But I love the fact that they promote young people
in that organisation
and they saw this talented young guy in Australia
he's got something special.
He's doing something differently
and they back in young people.
His age to have that role was almost unheard of.
it's what I think is brilliant about the shared economy.
I'll talk about the imperfects,
but if you pick up something
and that you generally apply to your life,
that is a piece of gold to me,
And sometimes it is something,
pack your bag the night before
is just something that works for you,
It's small stuff.
It's even something else that,
I'm not going to make this a tribute to Richard Oppie,
but I remember playing cricket with him.
He was playing first love in cricket
in your 10 year old.
And so he's quite a good cricketer.
He's probably the first to admit
he wasn't the best cricketer going around,
but he was good enough to play first love in cricket.
Over the batting,
we were playing against St. Kevin's one day
and there was a guy bowling,
and he was bowling pretty quick for school cricket.
And he hit opposite,
literally on the,
it was a bouncer,
and hit him on the tip of the elbow.
Like such an awful place to hit.
And his elbow was just mushed
and he just kept batting.
when people are asking about it,
he was so stoic about it,
he wouldn't complain about it.
that was very much his thing.
He was very tough.
But I remember going,
like you don't make it,
don't make a big thing about it.
you pick up little things from people
there are three that I just think of,
think of Richard Oppie.
Every day I think about
the hacks of life,
which I think the podcast world
is bringing to life,
You used to have to wait
for someone to write a book,
see them in person.
But now in real time,
people are genuinely sharing
more than they've ever done before.
Are you finding that?
I think the whole world,
certainly commercial sites
are still trying to work out
how on earth podcasts,
because they're free.
I guess it's like TV,
like it's a free,
it's just this free product,
whatever you're into,
you can find someone having a really,
one of the things I love
I'll give you an example of it,
like that show that came up on,
I think it was Netflix
or wherever it was,
The Octopus Teacher
that guy who would,
it wasn't so much The Octopus,
I was interested,
I loved this man's passion.
I loved watching someone
who was so passionate
and the excitement he got from it.
And I feel the same
listening to a podcast
when someone's on a topic
they just love exploring
and they want to nerd out on it.
I'm often more interested
than what the topic is itself.
And I think podcasts,
I think they're just great for that.
and certainly with our podcast,
it's been an incredible experience
that I've loved so much.
And I get to do it with,
three of my best friends,
Bridget, our producer,
who you know well,
The Hot Breakfast for you
and my little brother Josh.
have these incredible people
on who are willing to share
really vulnerable stuff.
And then when that happens,
you have this closeness
and connection with them
that you never really forget.
These friendships have come
you can't have those conversations
and then not stay in touch with them.
So it's been incredible.
your superpower to me here.
The handful of times
I've been in your company,
you open up immediately
I start sharing with you things
I don't share with other people.
I don't know if you intend to do it,
but it seems as though
that's a sort of gift.
You make people feel comfortable enough
And that's what The Imperfects does,
It gets people to share
in ways they haven't before.
And is that something
that you've always,
valued and been able to do?
That's very kind to say.
I think I don't do it with everyone.
It's a certain energy.
I think you just want
a certain energy with someone.
I feel very safe to share stuff
with this person.
And I think when you do that,
that person feels like,
oh, this person trusts me.
I think that's kind of what it does.
I don't do it to everyone.
But you certainly have that energy
I can trust this guy.
I can tell him stuff.
Yeah, I think I've probably
always instinctively liked
those kind of conversations
where it's like very real.
well, I might only meet this person once.
I would like to make this encounter,
I'd like to make this encounter count
or like count for something.
I'd like it to be,
I'd like to know more about this person.
I sent an extra book on the plane
last night on the way back
And he would have been
older than my dad.
He was probably about 80 years old.
And he had his phone out
I say this in a kind way,
but old person sized text.
And he's writing notes to himself.
it said what I'd learned today.
And I was watching Unchained,
the Netflix cycling
Tour de France documentary.
But my screen was very close
to where he was holding his
and it's huge text.
and I was trying not to look,
but it was very hard not to.
He was writing his reflections on the day.
And it was really vulnerable stuff
I don't know who it was,
but he was reflecting on someone
who he wants to know,
he wanted to know
why they keep him out of the loop
and only bring him the last minute.
Do they not trust him?
Do they not love him?
And it was really,
I so want to talk to this man.
I want to hear the actual story.
He just didn't look like
who would even have those thoughts,
let alone reflect on them.
And it's a two-hour flight,
there's really deep thoughts
and I didn't read all of them.
I read a lot of them.
It was hard not to,
but I think everyone has a story.
Like everyone has this,
has an incredible story.
And I kind of want to share mine
and have them share theirs.
And it sort of results in,
like the result is,
so with your leader group,
So we started last,
just started later last year
and remarkable people.
So we've got high performance
from Dr. Troy Fleming.
We have Vanessa Ford,
who's the creative super senior
Mick Baines from the Western Board.
who's a serial entrepreneur
that is a remarkable human being.
It's like 50 companies.
He's out of control, Tyson,
with what he's doing creatively.
And the first two sessions are good.
Like we were getting a lot out of it.
And then session three,
I don't think you might be saying this,
but Dr. Troy Fleming,
Dr. Troy Fleming just told us
about a problem he was having
that was more about his life
than his personal life.
And he was really vulnerable
He was sharing where he was at
and all the walls came tumbling down.
And all of a sudden,
I went from really liking these people
to just loving these people.
I was looking at this bloke on the screen
who I've never met before.
He's over in Milwaukee
And it was all because he just told us
what was really happening in his life.
I think that's what it is.
When people tell you
what's really happening in their life,
like when someone tells the world
what they're struggling with,
the world just wraps their arms around them.
yeah, hey, we've got you.
And that's certainly my experience.
It's just a much nicer feeling
to walk side by side
with someone thinking
they've got my back
because I know what's really going on
I'll pretend everything's fine
because they'll think I'm great
because everything's fine.
It's just never really.
No, particularly when you,
people that look like
they've got their life
completely sorted out,
And we always look and go,
God, there's nothing going on there.
And then when someone does let you in,
because everyone's got shit going on,
We're all making mistakes.
We've all got stuff happening
on the family front.
I think everyone's up against it.
Everyone's up against it.
We just have been taught,
somewhere along the line,
whether it's through our parenting
or through school
or just through society,
that the aim is to present
so that you're impressive
and then you're accepted,
which I think is fine,
but I think eventually
or that comes undone
at a certain point.
Whereas I think if you just,
hey, this is what's happening,
it provided you feel safe
you get a much more,
a full rounded experience
of the human emotions.
And what I love about
what you've been able to do,
there's so many questions
and I will in a moment,
I see you in the huddle
at State of Origin
You don't get more alpha.
You don't get anywhere
AFL world's not far behind
and they're bringing in
Hugh Van Collenburg
from Kerry Grammar.
and teach them that,
teach them to be vulnerable,
teach them to share
their feelings more.
it's the world I grew up in
Shit, don't do that.
You'll be ostracized.
You've brought that
to mainstream here
do you have those moments
where you look around and go,
or does it just feel so natural?
You walk into those environments now
and you can create that?
I feel confident now
but it wasn't always the case.
my first deleting,
I wanted to do this in schools.
I wanted to do talks in schools
and some workplaces,
but never really felt qualified
because as a teacher,
I haven't spent much time
in corporate world.
And then when I got the opportunity
to the Melbourne Storm
I was really nervous
and I don't often get
but I was extremely nervous.
They're the biggest men
in my entire life.
They didn't look like
they were ever wrapped
listening to guys
about mental health
and NBA finals were on.
they're watching the NBA finals
and I had to turn it off
this is not good.
And a few of the boys
had their iPads out
and they were watching
And five minutes in,
Billy Slater put his hand up
I'm a Melbourne boy,
so I knew Billy Slater,
I knew Cameron Smith.
I didn't even know
who Cooper Cronk was,
so I didn't know anyone else.
That definitely helped,
but Billy put his hands up
this is fucking awesome.
And he pointed at me
I wasn't going to stop,
And from that point
I was looking around,
their iPads are down.
like they really need this stuff.
And from that point on,
Like it just took off
And the funny thing
is it got to a point
I just want to have a rest
from doing a late sport
I love sports so much.
And so when I work with a club,
I become obsessed with that club
and while Port Adelaide,
while I was working with Port Adelaide
for a couple of years
and we did some really great stuff together
I was so nervous at game times.
I couldn't relax and enjoy footy.
And then when I was doing
with Cricket Australia,
I couldn't watch the cricket
and so I just want time away
I just want a couple of years off.
Billy Saita said,
I'd love you to work
with the Queensland State of Origin team
and gave a big spiel on why
what do you reckon?
I'll do it if the coach is,
if the coach is in,
Because if the coach isn't in mate,
he paused for a minute
so I'm the coach.
I'm not all over,
I'm not over rugby league.
I have never seen culture
like that before.
I quite generally,
have learned a lot more
from them than they did me.
I love that story
that you mentioned,
is basically signal to the group,
you need to be in as well.
and that's what great culture
I don't care what,
get off your iPads boys.
we need to absorb this.
And the fact that
you get an entree in
through someone like Billy Slater
is why it probably works
there's 500 questions
in so many different directions.
I feel like I could do
a three part series
on Queensland State of Origin.
there's a whole new podcast
I do want to go back a bit
just to give you the context.
You standing in front of
Queensland State of Origin
and so many other stories
that maybe don't make sense
to people without going back
that I really believe in
on the other side of pain
and hardship in life
often is almost everything
And you had some serious
hardship growing up
and particularly,
and the effect that had on you
and her more pertinently.
if you could explain
a bit of that story
living through that
has given you this platform
and it does sound
a little bit cliche
but I do feel like
if my family didn't go through
when she was 14 years old
with anorexia nervosa
an eating disorder.
it ravaged the family
and when she was 17 years old
she's admitted to hospital
because she dropped
below crisis weight
and it was extremely,
until she was actually in,
that was the night
my sister's admitted
my little brother Josh
and we're sitting
around the dinner table
George is not there
just picked up his plate
and went to the kitchen
and was cleaning up
and asked him a question
so I turned around
and I'll never ever forget
hunched over the kitchen
and I hadn't really
seen dad cry before
and for anyone listening
from chatting to people
for a lot of people
you remember the times
you saw your parents cry
and it's very unnerving
it's very unsettling
because they're like
the people keeping you
safe from the world
and there you gauge
on how things are going
and when you see them
it's kind of like
I just remember it
so clearly thinking
where I became fascinated
with the question
what is it that makes
I knew I couldn't
but I so desperately
wanted to make dad happy
because I'd realised
oh, we're not a happy family
we're not anymore
and I had no idea
for a very long time
but that's what started
I think that question
what is it that makes
was burning quite fiercely
in the back of my mind
for the whole of my 20s
and I had no idea
what I was going to do
that was my biggest fascination
and that led me to do
primary school teaching
because I thought
well if I'm a primary school teacher
I'll stop them getting
I'll stop them getting
but I'll stop that happening
I remember my first day
in front of grade 5
was the first day
time to stop this
it's getting a mental illness
but so to come back
I'm not doing this
and it's almost unfair
my sister went through that
that's kind of what happened
I have to ask you
what does it take
I've been on such a journey
we've had struggles
which I'll speak about
a lot of people said
what do you want most
for the first month
was I just wanted
and it would lead me
you practice gratitude
empathy and mindfulness
that's what I learnt
that's what the research
the older my kids
I mean I learnt this
he's not going to be
happy all the time
that's not the goal
happy all the time
what I want for my kids
when something goes
wrong in their life
to have some resources
they can go back to
that might help them
we all go through
really tough stuff
and we're not all
happy all the time
but we can do things
and it doesn't always work
if we know the things
I'm seeing my psychologist
once every two weeks
with the challenges
we've got in our family
I've been finding
really difficult of late
and I've been saying to her
I'm doing this stuff
exercise is the big thing
with our live tour
even those things
weren't starting to
really have the effect
like they weren't
when every time I exercise
I just feel so happy
or performing so happy
empathy and mindfulness stuff
in the last few months
it hasn't quite been
it just hasn't been
working the way it usually does
and that's made me panic a bit
if these things aren't working
where am I at now
you've just got to drag yourself
towards these things right now
and the wheel will turn for you
but you've got to keep
dragging yourself
towards this stuff
I don't think I've really
answered the question
no matter where you are
we're all on the mental health
spectrum somewhere
some people are sitting
and some are down the bottom
if you come back to this stuff
the research says
if you practice gratitude
which is where you pay attention
to what you've got
you don't worry about
what you don't have
you can practice empathy
in someone else's shoes
compassionate action
practice mindfulness
just being wherever you are
the only thing that is really
happening in our world
is what's happening right now
those things will
have a positive impact
on your mental health
those things will help you
I used to say this
from a place of privilege
I was just so happy
no problems in my life
I'm now saying it
life's pretty tough
and I know this stuff
is going to get me through
even if it doesn't feel
like it is at the time
and the wheel will turn
like a lot of people
when it gets stressful
it's almost the hardest time
you say drag yourself
hard to write in your journal
when you're feeling shit
hard to be mindful
when there's chaos
on whatever front there is
sometimes we kid ourselves
but if we actually write down
I may have let that slip
more than I understood
when you're not feeling good
it's so much harder
than when you're feeling good
you have a good day
things are going pretty well
for me at the moment
I might write a gratitude journal
it's good for you
it's good to do it
but when you are really
and you've got some stuff
really going wrong
you may not be able
which makes it even
more challenging at times
that's when it's hard
fuck doing a gratitude journal
I don't have a beer
like who's controlling you
like who is in control
but it's like just
if you're looking
at a couple of options
which is staying up later
and going to bed early
or doing the stuff
that makes you feel good
you know in that moment
like I know this isn't
the right thing to do
but I'm going to do it anyway
you just ask yourself
who's got the control panel here
like I want to control
I do so many analogies
you'll have those days
I'm not feeling it today
but you do it anyway
it's not as quick
as you usually go
but you've got the miles
well I've done that
it wasn't my best
but I dragged myself there
I've sort of got that approach
to everything right now
literally if it's running
like I don't feel like it
but I know it's going to
make me feel good
I know it's not going to
I just from all the work
it does feel like
you're dragging yourself
to these things sometimes
but you've got to keep doing it
there's so many dimensions
I've got to come back to you
and the freak running thing
that you've attempted
but I think probably
this might be 148 people
I've sat in front of
the thing that's most
those that understand
of what you just said
of their exercise
of whatever meditation
they come to gratitude
or their consistency
of their daily habits
the ones that articulate that
the ones that are
the ones that have
the smoothest sailing
that would be the pattern
that has been most evident
of sitting across from people
and I'm not surprised
that's where you went
in your answer as well
I'm not always great at it
is the main thing
I'll schedule that out
I have a running coach
who's got me a month long program
you've got to tell us now
it was a national record
tell me who the team is
can you go through the
and our home ground
Melbourne University
was an athletics track
enjoyed athletics
more than cricket at school
athletics is just the best
the worse I'd play
and I'd be standing there going
I want to do that
I want to do athletics
but I'm getting older and older
so it's disappearing
when I was 36 or 37
I'd retire from cricket
no I am going to do that
I'm going to run 400 metres
that's going to be my event
was that your event as a kid?
no ones and twos were
my hamstrings don't stand a chance
and I don't want to do
kind of the event
it's full of pain in itself
that destroys you the most
I chose that event
and trained for three years
and compared for three years
didn't tell a soul
didn't put it on social media
and started sharing
little bits of it
because it was making me feel really good
the fact that I was getting better
at something in my 40s
it made me feel good
a lot of what you do physically
and that can be quite
and 400's all power
you're not supposed to get better at that
because I come from such a low base
I started sharing a little bit of it
pole vault gold medalist
had the great pleasure
to record a podcast with Steve
he's just a beauty
we went to primary school together
I was a couple years above him
at primary school
and so we knew each other
but hadn't chatted since primary school
and he got in touch
and we bumped into each other
which is a huge meet in Melbourne
the Moray Plant Classic
that's what it was
I've just been watching you running
I found it quite inspiring
and I thought he was taking the piss out of me
because he's like
you would never describe it as inspiring
if you saw it happening in the flesh
I have for a while
been thinking about something
I'll introduce you to someone first
he gets this guy out of the stands
this is Brendan Cole
Brendan's a gold medalist
at the Commonwealth Games
and there's a really good mate
who's a dad from school
who's a beautiful runner
what do you reckon
trying to break the national
hadn't even finished explaining it
that sounds unbelievable
opportunity to run with you guys
this friendship group started out
and no one really knew each other
Commonwealth Games
Olympic Games teams together before
and there's four blokes in their 40s
we picked an event
that was a year out
we're going to try and break
the national record
all four of us have to run
what sort of times
we all worked out
we'd all have to do
which is a serious 400
well it was going to be
Brendan had run much quicker
than that in their heyday
but hadn't run in a long time
and we had a year
of training together
the biggest learning
I had for that year
from choosing an event
that is going to be
really challenging
with a group of people
like minded people
and training together
when I say training together
at 5.30 in the morning
in the middle of July
to the other boys
who were also doing
physically together
you'd get out of bed
they were going to do it
and we had this goal together
it doesn't have to be
breaking the national
it could be a long walk
and the day came along
it was really cold
which for people who know
truck it's disastrous
it was really cold
coldest day of summer
and we missed out
by 0.8 of a second
he tested positive
for COVID that night
and we had all the stuff
I didn't really even care
crossing the line
there's 5,000 people
and I hear Bruce McEvaney
I made my run last
and I heard Bruce McEvaney
in the home truck
going someone stop the clocks
they've just missed out
and I heard this audible
like groan from the crowd
because they were so invested
they were so into it
these four old blokes
trying to run really fast
I instantly didn't care
it wasn't about that
the connection I got
the healthy habits
that came from it
like I just had to eat
to prioritise sleep
instead of eating
Marvelous Creations
chocolate on the couch
just drinking whatever
watching television
and I'd be stretching
and I'd feel good
when I went to bed
it was the highlight
did I have a child last year
no it was the highlight
it was the highlight
I mean and you don't
want to let your mates down
that's the beauty isn't it
when you're running
in something like that
the will to want to
you know make sure
you hold up your end
must have been overwhelming
no matter what level
if you have played sport
which a lot of your guests have
the transition out of that
I played club cricket
I didn't miss a game
I was always there
the club was everything
and then to walk away
it's I mean you would
know that better than anyone
but like it's a serious
adjustment for anyone
to make no matter
what level you play at
but I found that again
like I found this like
like I'm in a team
and it was amazing
that little bit of competitive
that you've created
younger brother Josh
remarkable producer
what's the takeaway
is there a common thread
that has been something
I reckon the genesis
has been my biggest learning
like a lot of people
growing up in Australia
of the Hamish and Andy
or just them as people
and everything they've ever done
as someone who has worked
very hard to teach people
or to make them smile
I don't think anyone
has brought more joy
to people in this country
over the last 20 years
than Hamish and Andy
and great friends of yours
and they've never done
with the tall poppy syndrome
and they do everything
and if you bump into them
as good a people as they are on air
they're as good a people off the air
I should speak to them individually
and they were the motivation
for you doing that
no well I was going to say
I mean Andy by the way
Andy's the reason I was in Alida
Andy I remember Andy
at Hamish's party
saying I've got this
it was the first time we met
and two minutes in he said
I've got this course
that's a bold suggestion
and he was so right
and I used to think
quite deeply about
how is it that they do
this thing that like
how can you be that famous
no one speaks ill of them
you never have a feeling
there's no tall poppy syndrome
it's just they deal with it
so I've always been in awe
of what they've created
one of my favourite
people in all that
has always been Ryan Shelton
I love the roles that Ryan
plays throughout their journey
Hamish's best friend from school
I saw him sitting
and I got so nervous
I was going to tell him something
and what I wanted to tell him was
and you hadn't met him
never met him before
no never met Hamish
I had seen him around
was never brave enough
to go and speak to him
I didn't want to annoy him
and one of the things
that used to happen to me
was back in the early
four or five schools a day
invariably I should say
by the fourth or fifth
I didn't want to do it
and one of the things
sitting in the car park
I'd get my phone out
I'd go on Instagram
Ryan Shelton's name
and I'd watch his videos
and they would make me
and they would change my mood
and then I'd go in
and do these talks
and I just wanted to
a massive impact on me
and I just want to say
I went to the cafe
uncool thing I've ever done
but I sat down next to him
and pretended I hadn't seen him
and went oh Ryan Shelton
and I told him that
I just want you to know
beautiful with that
Brené Brown talks about
she says vulnerability
is taking an emotional risk
when the outcome is uncertain
you know they say
never meet your heroes
is so uncertain for me
because he was writing
so I had to stop him
with doing what he said
and he turned around
and he was chatting
tell me what you do
that's not why I came here
I just wanted to say
no I'm interested
if I take a photo
just a photo for the missus
you can say it's for you
and we got this photo together
and I put it on Instagram
hoping we'd become friends
but we were sort of
in touch a little bit
and didn't hear a thing
I get a message from
I don't know three years
not sure if you remember me
but I was just wondering
if you wanted to catch up
and he'd had this
existential crisis
if I got the TV show
I just want to have
and have it be voted
even if I got that
I wouldn't be happy
that wouldn't make me happy
and I'm feeling very lost
a couple times a week
and he just shared
his story with me
I didn't say much
I'm not a counsellor
I'm not a therapist
I just listened to him
about the relationship
and how it's become
it was him and Hamish
and that was difficult
and I was listening
one of the stories
but he was so emotional
and there was a couple
we were new friends
and I was thinking
eavesdropping that conversation
that would have been
the best conversation
because I've always
if you were Ryan Shelton
you're best mates
with Hamish and Andy
you're creating TV shows
and you travel the world
and he was basically
like my life is not amazing
and I remember thinking
everyone needs to hear this
because I'm feeling
just knowing that
his life isn't perfect
and I can't think of anyone
than Ryan Shelton
that night I messaged him
would you be interested
happy to help produce it
but I don't need to be on it
I'm not going to be on that
and I said how come
he said I'm not qualified
I think it would be
really great to have you there
because the humour
really makes it so accessible
I wouldn't be comfortable
a year to convince him
it was a year of him saying
no I'm not doing that
he said I'll help
because I'd love the idea of it
but I'm not going to be
and I think his partner
Jam convinced him as well
the podcast started
almost my biggest learning
we all look at people
I mean people look at you
imagine you look dusty
that's life sorted
see me getting yelled at
from time to time
we're all peddling
super hard aren't we
sort of touched on this already
I realise after doing
a year and a half
I had never really been
overly vulnerable
conversations with other people
and Ryan had done
a beautiful episode
on his friendship
and then I did an episode
which looking back
isn't overly revolutionary
but I was quite early
I'm really struggling
in fact I remember
doing an interview
and Ed about this
I'm really struggling
and ran down the window
that so desperately
but I like you now
and whilst it was
what she was saying
you've been very honest
and that makes you
my biggest learning
yeah and you mentioned
asking this question
around vulnerability
becoming this buzzword
and you referenced
who's been the person
who's put that on the map
is first and foremost
perhaps getting it wrong
in this sort of stretch
to try and be something
is that something
to understand as well
is so beautifully
background training
how you facilitate
with a professional
it's become trendy
especially in sporting clubs
tell us everything
and then we're closer
but there's no such thing
as forced vulnerability
and I actually look back
I probably made that mistake
with Port Adelaide
where I'd been with the club
for a year and a half
relationship with them
on a pre-season camp
and probably the most
powerful two hours
of my professional career
who love each other dearly
and it was away on camp
these beautiful stories
that felt really right
nothing was forced
it was really beautiful
and having spoken
to a lot of the players
since they still talk
you know Charlie Dixon
said it was the moment
to actually recover
and work with his depression
that was the moment
hadn't had the chance
give them the chance
but sitting in the club
rooms with a few staff
get through these stories
no one wanted to do it
come on someone do it
but it was just like
it was just silence
and I said we can wait
a couple of players
I think just did it
because they didn't want
but it wasn't the right reason
and it felt a bit
I remember that moment
I remember the psychologist
God why wasn't she
at the first session
I told her what I was
but she came to the
second one unfortunately
and the person needs
to feel really safe
I think it's a really
vulnerable thing to do
to just write down
the stuff that you're
write down something
that's in your head
with the distinct possibility
that you might share
you don't have to
and see how it feels
how does that feel
might be an issue
from your childhood
with someone else
and you write a letter
you don't have to
necessarily give it to them
but you might feel
like it eventually
that kind of stuff
a lot of it I think
like just getting
this shit out of your head
and putting it somewhere
a bit of space from it
otherwise it just
it can eat you up
the things that you're
the things you're
get it out of your head
and I think it's gone
I absolutely think
it's gone too far
I hear some things
that I sometimes hear
podcasts that are
and I love that people
are trying to do it
because it is a great
but I think I hear
sometimes I feel like
it's a bit forced
I'm reluctant to give
too much behind the scenes
stuff with a podcast
but we will spend
I will spend a fair bit
of time with them
before the interview
and Bridget spends
a fair bit of time
where their boundaries
are where they feel safe
and building a fair bit
of rapport before it
they're not walking
you know it's like
understanding that
hey we don't want you
we're not looking
we're not looking
have a really special
where you talk about
something that you
would like to talk
about but there is
no pressure on you
in an uncomfortable
and I think that's
looked like someone
looking for an outcome
that maybe creates
something that is
authenticity of yours
you're kind enough
to mention a leader
does self-reflection
for a long period
I'm always curious
five or six people
that you wouldn't
have been in touch
with you mentioned
from the Walkie Bucks
you know from her
as someone that's
space all the time
encouraged us all
cared and there's
interested in the
someone like Amit
giant organization
and from what I've
learned about CEOs
a lot of their job
dealing with this
and send a message
very long answers
really care about
it reminded me of
overseas and I've
just traveling by
the superhero and
superpower science
contribution level
that you know the
next week went and
obesity epidemic in
the Milwaukee area
connection a random
think that's what
connection happen
the connection did
privilege of being
conversations as a
enamored with the
idea of inspiring
collaboration and
that success leaves
clues is a term I
use every week on
traits of different
fascinated with you
because you're such
a deep thinker and
and so articulate
the idea that it's
of self-leadership
oh self-leadership
about this because
throughout a leader
I think self-leadership
is giving yourself
it's like protecting
understanding that
tendency for a lot
a spare afternoon
resilience project
think about what's
what I need to do
give yourself the
oxygen mask first
like protect your
energy has been a
love most in your
protecting but my
protect your energy
protect this time
so I've got in my
calendar I've got
people have access
lazy it's like I'm
Billy Slater said
save origin series
that the time you
you spend reading
I want this to be
as much energy as
possible he didn't
want it to be about
understanding you
it's not like you
energy left for the
game tomorrow night
so you've got one
energy and I want
focused on keeping
possible and that
really spoke to me
not about state of
origin that was not
for me it was just
energy and I think
to myself I can do
during the day and
only have this one
analogy of running
sprinter and with
sprinters it's like
it's preparation for
races is trying to
have as much energy
as possible so you
don't smash yourself
in the wake letting
up to the training
you you're really
clever about it and
you taper and it's
almost like I'm sort
of tapering for life
now I'm like if I
want to have energy
at the end of the
which is the hardest
part of the day I
can't do four talks
I can't run I need
to have time where
that to me is like I
know it it doesn't
leadership but my
version of that is
it's like look after
yourself leave a lot
tank for the people
around you it sounds
exactly like self
love it you're not
available is just
brilliant you know
we grew up in an era
where if you're out
having a walk with
phone you'd say oh
I'm in a meeting I'm
busy yeah because you
didn't want people to
think oh how lazy is
he yes you know he's
he gets time to walk
it's like we should
flip that shouldn't
we I'm actually going
unavailable this is
the most important
you've yeah brought
that to the table
learned that from
Ryan Shelton because
he has these holidays
throughout the year
where he'll go away
to he's in the US at
the moment he goes to
Europe as well and
when we're planning the
year out and we're
looking at the podcast
I'm like gosh he's
away a bit but he
always has his best
he's the most creative
person I've never seen
him come up with ideas
like his ideas are
our live show he did
was pretty much his
brain like it was
just his the ideas
he'd come up with
and he always comes
up with them when
he's come back from
overseas like he has
that time where he
just stops and he
lets his brain wonder
and we don't let our
brains wander they
never wonder they're
always on whether
we're walking listening
we're listening to
sending emails as
wonder and he does
that and that's he
comes up with the
best he's an ideas
Ryan not available
because he actually
creates the time to
brilliant to share
positively impacting
environment you're
around I've heard you
the resilience project
team I care for the
imperfects team and
it sounds like you
impact a lot can you
share with us how
you've gone about
that well I've said
I've said it five
genuinely love the
people that I work
with and and feel
very much it's like a
think I think about
them in that way as
in like I just love
listening to them
talk I love knowing
what's happening in
their lives and I
love I think a lot
about what is best
for them because I
think what is best
for them is what's
imperfects or the
resilience project
probably a lot of
leaders probably think
like that these days
but not sure about
that yeah I don't
know all I know is
resilience project and
the imperfects but I
do know that we we
think about what I
I'm going to go back
to state of origin
again I can't speak
to New South Wales
but I can't speak to
philosophy and having
spoken a lot to the
head of strength and
mid-season for them
so they're halfway
through their season
and when they come
healthy and happy
healthy and happy
so you do what you
healthy and to be
happy because that
best result I don't
know I've heard that
New South Wales work
a lot harder on camp
there's a lot more
physical demands I
don't know if that's
it has been the case
I'm not in a position
to tell so though we
feel this in this
that's not the case
and I apologize but
that's sort of what
I've heard at stages
difference and that's
kind of what I think
about for my team
what healthy happy
people like I really
I really hope that
for the resilience
project feel there's a
genuine sense of care
from and that's not
driven by me that is
driven by our CEO
Ben Waterman who is
group he drives out
so one of it we've
performance areas and
one of them is staff
single month and we
present it to the
staff I need to stop
presents that to the
staff and we look at
areas of well-being
and how it's trending
and how everyone's
going we talk about
every single one with
everyone's buy in
on it buy in's not
the right word we get
them just to talk
they feel about you
know a question like
I'm able to switch
off when I get home
at the end of the
day that might have
gone down point to
mark and so we'll
just chat and say
how's everyone going
there what's what's
what's happening here
much I don't take
any credit for that
but I'm so supportive
of Ben doing that
because yes I just
feel like it's it's
just so common sense
healthier and happier
they are the more
they will just and
it's not about making
them better at their
but it is one of the
yeah I love if you're
in the business of
teaching people those
things if you're not
running that that way
with your own team
it's never going to
the fact that you
clearly and you've
enormous amount of
sense to me you've
had some big visions
haven't you to take
on what you've done
and you've wandered
into over a thousand
able to bring you
resilience and and
all those other key
attributes to the
world have you gone
about the imperfect
is another big vision
creating and sharing
that vision with the
team to bring it to
life there's a lot of
we do a lot of stuff
on especially the
resilience project on
vision and mission and
all that kind of stuff
but I think in a very
basic level so for the
imperfects we are
trying very hard to
create a show that we
love that's it we just
what what do we love
doing and what do we
love hearing and that's
because that's the
easiest I mean that's
the I think that's the
best way to do it like
what do we love the
second you go and
what do people want to
hear right now what's
popular what what's
everyone talking about
I feel like that's
exhausting I reckon if
you're constantly chasing
what everyone if you
just go here's what we
love this makes us
laugh this makes us
cry this moves us this
teaches us something
let's just explore this
and it's kind of the
same the resilience
project I just loved
in the first instance
getting to know the
staff getting to know
together a program that
would benefit that
community and that
school community that
was it for me and I've
tried it's hard to
scale now there's like
nearly 40 staff now but
we're still essentially
trying to create that
experience for any
school that joins us
it's just what is best
for this school how do
we improve the school
community how do we
improve the well-being
the school community and
it's it sounds very
cliche it's one one
school just one week
at a time one school
everyone's got the
schools I look after
and that's kind of what
they do and I don't
think it's ever been
about let's be the
biggest well-being
program let's be the
it's just let's be
really let's be really
great in this school
that school let's be
really great in that
school and let's have
impact here and I
think with a podcast
it's just hey what
show do we want to
make let's make that
and if people listen
to it that's great
which they are it's
great and that way
you just enjoy it so
much more doing what
clear it's easy to
understand too isn't
it it narrows your
focus I feel like
you've done that for
many years with like
with your shows on
footy I feel like you
guys are so good at
mean you hear you
guys laugh like you're
not putting it on like
it's very genuine you
are having so much
fun doing it it's
lightweight too it's
but I think you're
right I think that's
the key if you're
sitting there and
going what makes you
laugh what makes not
what you think could
possibly be for us
it's like the locker
room was a funny most
enjoyable funny yes
you just knew you
know if you had your
you've been inside
those locker rooms
now someone's going to
call you out on that
ridiculous sledging but
good-natured sledging
it was saying stuff
you'd say to your
probably inappropriate
in other places but it
was done with love
probably I reckon
when we've done that
at our best you feel
like you're sitting
back in the locker
room yeah and even
though at times it
sounds pretty full-on
but that's what the
audience I feel like
listen to you guys I
feel like I'm in the
locker room and I'm
not able to participate
which is probably the
way I like it I can
just sit back and
listen and laugh and
it's great I think it's
at its best when you're
aiming at each other
and I think when we
get it wrong is we
probably aim at people
outside and maybe
miss the context of it
right okay and then
occasionally is my
nasty but it's like I
Nathan Brown or do
tripling 40 with that
inappropriate he moved
into my house when he
bogan from Bendigo
yeah we had to teach
him to just be normal
you know when he was
17 but we love him
he's yeah the success
he's had in life and
he's now a born-again
Christian or whatever
he is and you know
he's married this
beautiful partner so
hanging shit part is a
fun part yes but done
with love yeah totally
he's probably you know
I don't think we say
that on triple M40
done with love but
but yeah again you
pull that out of me
man I sit across from
you and and and the
which comes out so I
think it's it's probably
yeah absolutely but
you know as a listener
like I'll say this on
the way up into this
studio but I listen to
triple M40 since I
remember I would go to
Richmond I would I
was like single living
apartment in Richmond
and I would always
take my headphones down
midday on Saturdays
and I would just I
would listen to every
single show when I was
in India in 2008 I
would listen to the
online I listened to
it and it was always
I think that's if it
wasn't done with love
wouldn't have liked
it if it was like
these guys are just
they're really at
each other it was
the good-natured part
of it I reckon even
delivered over the
been a lot of fun to
do it curiosities
are where we use a
lot here and we see
that turn up a lot
inherently curious
and they're constantly
wanting to get better
and everything they
do through curiosity
yeah we one of our
values at Resonance
Project is curiosity
suggest that that was
manager Kim Smiley
but yeah curiosity
is it's a big part
first put my hand
really struggling
curious around okay
well what do I do
strong feeling of
reason it happened
Dave Hughes radio
interview because
when you use that
and it's a problem
when you're trying
I thought no I'll
fine it's gonna be
more trouble it's
totally and utterly
broken and I said
it and just cover
my mouth and went
oh shit what have
shouldn't have said
that and he they're
we'll have a good
the resilience guy
but then instantly I
remember just feeling
so much better and
what do I do what
yourself what do I
do for myself to be
people around you I
think you get to a
point I feel like
upbringing and this
generalization but
going to a private
school and I know
it's not like this
anymore but certainly
back in the 90s it
kind of felt like you
get the best mark you
possibly can then you
go to university you
get the best job you
can you get paid as
much as you possibly
promotions as you can
and then that's it
that's the that's
you're happy that's
lot of people when
they get in their
realize I've done all
that like I feel like
40s or 50s go like
I've done everything
I was promised I was
told if I did this but
I'm like I'm missing
something here I feel
like I'm the minute
you sort of admit that
you then become curious
to okay what what else
could I be doing here
enormous success in my
career but what am I
missing what have I
missed out on and that
curiosity can lead you
to I think there's a
lot of curious people
in their 40s and 50s
going ah no no I'm
not pretending that I
know everything so I
could get the best so
corporate ladders
you know at times in
people would ask me a
and I would say with
authority I had no
talking about but I'd
answer with authority
like oh yeah so what
you'll find actually is
the reason and I'm
like I look back and
go you didn't know
like you're just making
it up because you
wanted to sound like
answers as soon as you
don't have all the
answers and the amount
of times I have a
staff meeting I'm
asked a question as
the founder of the
organization I just
go I've got no idea
who does anyone know
are you asking me and
it's just it's a much
more relaxing position
to come from but it
leads to curiosity
amongst the whole
group as well yeah
brilliant answer and I
think you allow people
that don't you by not
as you said I'm the
founder I've got to
say something here
now and it's disarming
to say I don't know
isn't it and then
empowering people to
ask that question
communicating with
clarity you get your
message out in such a
resilience project as
actually hate that
term but it's in the
language now you've
become part of the
yourself have become
part of the language
how did you go about
We love stories human
beings love stories and
I you know I have
memories really strong
memories of growing up
we had this couch and
as a kid that literally
I don't know why we
didn't get a big one
but the family would
squeeze onto it like we
were just like the
person in the middle
would have to sit
forward so that we
would squeeze onto
this couch and we
would watch Billy
Connolly the comedian
mum and dad just love
Billy Connolly so we
all did and in our
darkest times of my
sister's mental illness
we'd put Billy Connolly
on and I would be
watching Billy Connolly
watching mum and dad
and just seeing just
how happy he made
them and how engaged
they were with him
and when I started
unashamedly copied
his style of like he
was just story after
story after story and
them funny stories but
emotionally engaging
stories not all funny
some were like my
sister's story whatever
emotional but I'd be
emotional but I tried
to tell stories and
what I noticed from
doing you know four
or five talks a day
for over 10 years
people would go to
my talks with a pen
and paper because I
want to write stuff
down and the only
time they'll write
stuff down was when
I was saying here are
the statistics of
mental health or here
are the strategies but
when I was telling a
story they'd put the
pen and paper down
because we remember
stories they're not
sister was this age
and then this happened
to her because they
remember stories we
we love stories you
know the only way I
can get my daughter
to say I'm going to
tell you a story and
stories for her that's
and she just listens
to they're the worst
stories they're so
boring because I've
run out of ideas but
she will listen to
them and she loves
always I've always
said to anyone who
works with us we've
people who go out
schools or workplaces
the majority of what
you say needs to be
a story like it has
to be a story that
that that threads
them the whole way
through your hour in
front of people because
that's what people
respond to so I know
mean when you say
the marketing the
marketing strategy or
icky to me but if
I was to say that
the resilience project
experience it's I
hope people well I'll
speak for me I hope
when people hear me
speak they feel like
they've been at the
pub holding a pint
listening to me talk
or at a cafe with a
coffee whatever their
reference point is
that when you catch
up with someone I
don't really drink
anymore but I have
the best memories of
have the beer in my
hand listening to
stories the most it's
the it's the best
feeling and it's like
people take it in
terms to tell stories
and I don't know if
you've noticed this but
I reckon you know back
in the day playing
sport you could tell
a story you go for
20 minutes and people
stand over the pint
listen these days I
feel like when I go
back to my career
club now I feel like
maximum of 30 seconds
before it will lose
interest but it's
stories nonetheless and
so I hope that a bit
sidetracked here but
the people who hear
me or the resilience
project speak I hope
they don't feel like
they've been lectured
to I hope they don't
feel like they're
someone's trying to
impart knowledge on
them I hope someone's
not trying to they
don't feel like they're
watching a TED talk I
hope they feel like
they're at the pub or
at a cafe just having a
coffee with someone
a relatable story it's
a it's a great message
the art of storytelling
and for you to pick
that up and you must
have got pretty much
fit for four talks a
day I had the stuff
talking fit it was
just I could I could
do a talk on anything
at any point but now
I've sort of stopped
and pulled back and
it's I noticed that
they're like I'm unfit
I'm untalking fit it
also takes me a while
to get going but you
understand it might be
better than you than
you ever have done
before how important
collaboration been for
you and what you've
really interesting one
yeah really important
but I think it's a
funny word for me
because I never dared
resilience project
collaborate because I
partnership has to
benefit both people
both parties have to
benefit from it and I
think a lot of people
will forget that and
it's funny a lot of
people who I love
helping people out I
absolutely love it but
I'll often get people
saying how to start
this business it's a
mental health we should
we should collaborate
with resilience project
I'm like wow okay so I
totally get why that's
really good for you but
if we're going to spend
all this time together
like it needs to for a
partnership it's just if
collaboration partnership
both parties have to
feel like they're getting
something from it
otherwise I can help
here because I want to
help you and that's
really good but I think
after a while there
might be a bit of
resentment build and
awful feeling to have
towards anyone especially
someone who's trying to
do something really
good like they're
trying to do something
in mental health so I
think partnerships work
really well when you
have organizations who
are a similar level of
establishment yeah and
I don't want to I
think I'm sounding a
bit of an asshole
saying this but I
collaboration is when
parties are benefiting
resentment at any
point and you're very
clear along the way
so collaboration we
partners at resilience
collaboration with
resilient youth who
have surveyed now I
think they survey about
with us I think that's
I think every student
who does our program
has comprehensive
rigorous well-being
throughout the year
most incredible data
on the schools and
the kids we work with
collaboration when
they first I don't
know who approached
many years ago but
we'd both been in
industry for about
runs on the board
and it's just been
this really great
school diary company
in Australia so they
provide school diaries
this lovely girl who
conference I was at
provide diaries to
similar amount of
go and do talks at
could do something
diaries you could
reach more people
every school does
our curriculum if
it's you know it's
like I don't know
how many kids but
probably close to
three or four hundred
thousand kids doing
it every single day
and they've got the
great collaboration
and partnership with
discourage people
from reaching out
doing I just think
the best partnerships
are the ones where
think it everything
great to try and be
collaborations do
work whenever and
almost benefit equally
yes the more equal
it is the better the
collaboration most
it's a bit like you
and Ryan Sheldon on
collaboration probably
because at the right
Hamish and said I
podcast that maybe
that's great for me
great for everyone
who wants to do a
actually the perfect
example I feel like
runs on the board
podcast I feel like
on the board with
mental health space
and storytelling and
my brother Josh who
was in it from day
support person he
organizations and
then Bridget comes
experience we all
brought different
stuff to the table
I mean I feel like
our podcast works
because I can talk
about heavy stuff
and Ryan can take
the piss out of me
straight away and
it's accessible to
anyone because of
that so that is a
really nice example
of a collaboration
wouldn't go to the
best podcaster in
collaborate because
it's like well mate
it's a great example
greatest leader in
oh my gosh it's a
very cliche answer
mum and dad would
leadership on the
Imperfects that came
ago he's the best
seen and I've never
seen anything like
do a whole series
but leadership in
I've seen friends
as well like mates
young age I'm not
really that close
together this guy
with called Paddo
what I believe in
that from a young
like that's really
great I love that
mates still this guy
great listener and
he would ask when
he's 20 he taught
conversations with
questions he still
does the weirdest
questions but he's
loyal friend Luke
really good mates
like believing in
yourself it helped
he's still the most
beautiful man I've
ever seen but like
you know just mates
mine great leaders
I'm fascinated by
that answer I love
it it's like you're
have got from your
great people in the
world and it's nice
isn't it that I'm
the most time with
and I believe that
I think you've just
do I haven't done
I've never actually
told that to them
to them that's my
next I have to do
quickly I just have
to I've started with
elaborate on that I
humble person that
to me is that's one
of the values the
resilience project
first did that was
discussing it that's
it's we're a humble
group and mom mom
is just so mom's a
great storyteller
herself I love the
stories and she's
loyal and loves you
know her version of
how to love someone
is like I hope my
what I really hope
important relationships
in my life and my
which is the most
important stage of
have to say they're
the most important
leaders in my life
and I love asking
that question because
that goes out into
and hopefully they
because it's something
don't spend enough
clip it up for them
we'll send it out
we're a bit obsessed
with collaboration as
you know from the
leader program we've
you've got access to
be able to do that
in so many different
you know you turn
up you know trying
to break a national
running record you
start a podcast and
you've got friendships
interesting life but
if you thought god
for this passion in
to collaborate with
someone is there a
name that springs to
mind in any of the
areas that you're
what a great question
collaboration before
I feel like I went
straight away as in
doesn't work yeah
I mean collaboration
has led to all the
best things in my
life really like it
really has so it's
collaborations are
who do I collaborate
I don't really know
who I am right now
I don't really know
what I like I know
I do this podcast
which reaches a few
people but then the
resilience project it
does something very
different sort of so
it's like I don't
really know I don't
know how to answer
that question I'm
still trying to work
out what exactly it
who else is doing
Billy Connolly he is
my absolute hero so
answering a question
person I'd like to
interview most on our
podcast and I don't
think we'll ever get
the chance I know
yeah but I mean he
really he really did
and I don't know if
doing an interview
collaborating I don't
collaboration I think
it probably is when
you reach a lot of
I was waiting for
honored that you've
enormous amounts of
things going on in
such a positive way
it's an incredible
story always love
spending any time
with you appreciate
you jumping into the
elitist space open
heartily like you did
things that you're
joining me mate I
really appreciate it
no it's a pleasure I
love when Andy first
told me about it I
remember he explained
me I was like what
did I think of that
what an incredible
zoom from anywhere
around the world who
who can help each
other like and be
there for each other
wonderful thing to be
part of and I love I
love the people in my
group and I love what
they do and I love
their unique perspective
and I love that they're
willing to share that
undoubtedly a better
person because of that
and yeah to you and
Matty I just thank you
so much for having a
part of it and thanks
for this conversation
yeah it's always it's
always nice when you
listen to it feels
like a bit exciting
thanks for listening to
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empowering leaders
podcast huge thanks as
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