Optimising Human Performance

EPISODE 6:  Resilience and Mental ToughnessMartin Jones and Jonpaul are joined by human performance expert Professor Daniel Gucciardi to explore resilience as an emergent outcome in high-performance settings. Guest, Cast & CrewDaniel Gucciardi is a professor at Curtin University. He is a distinguished expert on stress, resilience and mental toughness and has published more than 150 peer-reviewed articles.  His research focuses on personal and contextual factors related to high performance, health behaviours and wellbeing in contexts such as sport, education and the workplace. Hosted by Martin Jones & Jonpaul Nevin https://www.ophp.co.uk Edited by Bess ManleyProduced by Wavell Room https://wavellroom.comResourceshttp://www.danielgucciardi.com.au/ https://staffportal.curtin.edu.au/staff/profile/view/daniel-gucciardi-678a620f/If you're enjoying this content, please like and subscribe so we can keep improving. And remember to visit WavellRoom.com for their latest articles, podcasts and newsletters. Chapters00:42 Guest Introduction: Professor Daniel Gucciardi03:42 Defining Resilience07:54 Exploring Mental Toughness13:45 Measuring Resilience24:35 Reflection Techniques30:50 Team Resilience33:12 Future Research and Final ThoughtsUp NextNext week…Dr. Preston Cline, co-founder of the Mission Critical Institute, joins us to discuss the characteristics of effective mission-critical teams, and how to improve cohesion & facilitate career transitions in high-stress roles. 

EPISODE 5: Optimising Tactical Physical Training for Peak PerformanceIn this episode, Martin & Jonpaul are joined by Professor Rob Orr, director of the Tactical Research Unit at Bond University. They discuss optimising training for physically demanding tasks as well as sedentary working, the relationship between physical fitness and cognitive performance, and the value of an individualised approach to training. Guest, Cast & CrewProfessor Rob Orr served in the Australian Army for over 20 years as an infantry soldier, physical training instructor, uniformed physiotherapist and human performance officer. In his role at the Tactical Research Unit at Bond University, Rob provides research, consultancy and educational services for law enforcement, military and firefighters across five continents. With more than 300 published research papers and technical reports on tactical populations, Rob focuses on providing pragmatic research evidence to the tactical community.Hosted by Martin Jones & Jonpaul Nevin https://www.ophp.co.uk Edited by Bess ManleyProduced by Wavell Room https://wavellroom.com/ Resourceshttps://tru.bond.edu.au tru@bond.edu.au (email)facebook.com/TacticalResearchUnitlinkedin.com/in/rob-orr-41075870If you enjoy this content, please like and subscribe so we can keep improving. Remember to visit Wavell Room for their latest articles, podcasts, and newsletters. Chapters00:42 Rob’s Background05:11 Defining the Tactical Athlete07:44 Optimising Load Carriage Performance09:54 Training Strategies for Tactical Personnel13:00 Challenges in Tactical Training Programs18:28 Physical and Cognitive Demands of Tactical Roles24:00 Principles of Effective Training25:34 Specificity and Home Field Advantage26:50 Aging and Fitness Decline29:26 Challenges of Modern Recruits35:33 Biological Differences in Fitness39:44 Body Armor and Equipment Design44:33 Final Thoughts and AdviceUp NextNext week, we welcome eminent scientist Professor Daniel Guicciardi. Dan is a distinguished expert on stress, resilience and mental toughness. In our discussion, we scrutinise resilience - the personal factors that aid it, how it applies to teams and the practical strategies that can help people improve it.

EPISODE 4:  The Perfection TrapThis week, Martin & Jonpaul are joined by Dr Thomas Curran, a world-leading expert on perfectionism. They break down perfectionism to understand what it really is and  challenge some of the myths that link perfectionism with high performance.  How we can prevent perfectionism from hindering our health, wellbeing, productivity and performance?Guest, Cast & CrewDr Thomas Curran is an Associate Professor at the London School of Economics. He's a world-leading expert on perfectionism whose work has been featured in Time magazine, the Harvard Business Review, New Scientist, and the Times of London, to mention just a few. In 2018, he gave a Tedmed talk that’s well worth a watch, entitled ‘Our Dangerous Obsession With Perfectionism is Getting Worse’, and just last year, he published his debut book, ‘The Perfection Trap’.  Hosted by Martin Jones & Jonpaul Nevin https://www.ophp.co.uk Edited by Bess ManleyProduced by Wavell Room https://wavellroom.com ResourcesFind Tom on Linkedin https://uk.linkedin.com/in/thom-curran ‘The Perfection Trap’ by Thomas Curran  https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1847943861/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr= Tom’s TED talkhttps://www.ted.com/talks/thomas_curran_our_dangerous_obsession_with_perfectionism_is_getting_worse?language=en ‘Connected’ by John Spencer.If you're enjoying this content, please like and subscribe so we can keep improving. And remember to visit Wavell Room for their latest articles, podcasts and newsletters. Chapters 01:25 Introducing Tom04:07 Perfectionism and its Impact08:04 The Influence of Social Media and Secularization11:25 The Experience of Perfectionism12:48 Perfectionism and Mood Disorders20:48 Debunking the Notion of Healthy Perfectionism24:09 Perfectionism in Covert Environments26:00 Different Types of Perfectionism26:42 Other-Oriented Perfectionism33:25 Creating a Culture of Psychological Safety37:41 The STOP 5 Model for Reflection and Learning40:01 Perfectionists and Withholding Effort52:25 Reframing Perfectionism as a HindranceUp NextJoin us for an eye-opening discussion with Professor Rob Orr, director of the Tactical Research Unit at Bond University. We discuss the relationship between physical fitness and cognitive performance and uncover the value of an individualized approach to training.

EPISODE 3Leadership and Wellbeing: Lessons and Insights from a Policing CareerIn this episode, Martin & Jonpaul are joined by Tim Jacques - former Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the UK’s Counterterrorism Policing HQ. They discuss health and wellbeing in high-stress positions and the role of senior leaders in optimising wellbeing and performance.Guest, Cast & CrewTim Jacques retired in February 2024 after 37 years in policing. He completed his service as a Deputy Assistant Commissioner in UK Counter Terrorism's Policing Headquarters based in New Scotland Yard.  Counter Terrorism Policing is an 8,000 people strong collaboration of UK Police Forces who work with the United Kingdom's Intelligence Agencies, His Majesty's Government, the Ministry of Defence and other partners to counter the threat to UK interests from all forms of terrorism. Tim had strategic responsibility for all counterterrorism policing Prevent and Pursue activities.  Hosted by Martin Jones & Jonpaul Nevin https://www.ophp.co.uk Edited by Bess ManleyProduced by Wavell Room https://wavellroom.com/ResourcesTim on Linkedin https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tim-jacques-50104423 The National Police Wellbeing Service https://www.oscarkilo.org.ukViktor Frankl ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’Martin Seligman ‘Flourish’Alan Cohen ‘Radical Contentment: The Power of Enough’If you enjoy this content, please like and subscribe so we can keep improving. Remember to visit wavell room for the latest articles, podcasts & newsletters. Chapters00:42 Introducing Tim Jacques: A Policing Career in Review01:09 The Importance of Well-being in High-Stress Roles05:09 Understanding Human Performance in Policing08:02 The Evolution of the Oscar Kilo Program18:35 Strategies for Personal Well-being and Performance29:58 Advice for Leaders on Fostering Wellbeing32:25 Final Thoughts and How to Connect with TimUp NextLook out for our next episode with Dr Thomas Curran, a world-leading expert on perfectionism. We challenge some of the myths that link perfectionism with high performance and discuss how we can prevent perfectionism from hindering our health, wellbeing, productivity and performance. 

EPISODE 2: Next Generation Mindfulness: the New Frontier for Peak PerformanceIn this episode, Martin & Jonpaul are joined by social psychologist Dr Jutta Tobias-Mortlock to discuss the role that mindfulness training can play in high-performance settings. Guest, Cast & CrewJutta Tobias-Mortlock is a reader in organisational psychology at City University and is the co-director of its Centre for Excellence in Mindfulness Research. Hosted by Martin Jones & Jonpaul Nevin https://www.ophp.co.uk Edited by Bess ManleyProduced by Wavell Room https://wavellroom.com/ResourcesJutta’s contact https://www.city.ac.uk/about/people/academics/jutta-tobias-mortlock# Centre for Excellence in Mindfulness Research www.mindfulness-science.com Ellen Langer https://psychology.fas.harvard.edu/people/ellen-langer Viktor Frankl ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’If you're enjoying this content, please like and subscribe so we can keep improving. And remember to visit Wavell Room for their latest articles, podcasts and newsletters. Chapters00:41 Mindfulness in High Performance02:29 The Essence and Evolution of Mindfulness05:44 Mindfulness as a Tool for Engagement and Decision-Making06:32 Challenging Traditional Mindfulness Programs in High-Performance Settings10:24 Practical Applications of Mindfulness in High-Stress Environments17:34 The Limitations of Commercial Mindfulness Programs23:04 The Story of the Honey Badgers26:02 Exploring Team Mindfulness Training28:37 NextGen Mindfulness35:51 Challenges and Strategies in Mindful Organizing39:54 The Journey Towards Mindful Organizations48:58 Closing Thoughts and Future DirectionsUp NextKeep an eye out for our upcoming episode featuring Tim Jacques, former Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the UK’s Counterterrorism Policing HQ. We'll have a fascinating discussion about health and well-being in high-stress positions, and the role of senior leaders in optimising well-being and performance.

EPISODE 1: The Role of Psychology in Human Performance OptimizationThis week, Martin & Jonpaul talk to eminent psychologist Professor Michael Matthews. Mike shares insights from his extensive career across a wide-range of topics including the importance of non-cognitive factors such as grit, developing character traits and the role of organisational culture. Guest, Cast & CrewMichael Matthews is professor of engineering psychology in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He has authored over 250 scientific papers and is the co-editor of several leading texts. Hosted by Martin Jones & Jonpaul Nevin https://www.ophp.co.ukEdited by Bess ManleyProduced by Wavell Room https://wavellroom.com/Resources·      Mike’s email Mike.matthews@westpoint.edu·      Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb·      Human Performance Optimization: The Science and Ethics of Enhancing Human Capabilitieshttps://academic.oup.com/book/1587·      Headstrong: How Psychology is Revolutionizing War https://academic.oup.com/book/36963If you're enjoying this content, please like and subscribe so we can keep improving. And remember to visit WavellRoom.com for their latest articles, podcasts and newsletters. Chapters00:42 Introducing Professor Michael Matthews03:29 Prof Matthews' Journey: From Police Officer to leading Psychologist07:33 Exploring Non-Cognitive Factors 10:32 The Grit Factor17:45 Character Development and Organizational Culture22:38 The Crucial Role of Character in Leadership25:24 The Pitfalls of Short-Term Wins Over Long-Term Success27:20 The Multidisciplinary Nature of Human Performance Optimization28:09 The 'Shiny Object Syndrome'31:38 The Psychological Warfare of Modern Conflicts35:43 The Weaponization of Social Media in Warfare39:33 Improving Situational Awareness and Counteracting Misinformation43:23 Closing ThoughtsUp NextOur next episode will be released on 20th May, when our guest is social psychologist Dr Jutta Tobias Mortlock. We discuss the role that mindfulness training can play in high-performance settings.