From Distraction to Flow: Transforming Work Performance with Diane Allen
04/10/25 • 35 min
In episode 195, Coffey talks with Diane Allen about achieving flow state at work to maximize productivity, creativity, and fulfillment.
They discuss the definition of flow as an optimal state of mind where people perform and feel their best; the neurological and physiological aspects of flow including the release of performance-enhancing hormones; how the intersection of skill, challenge, and purpose creates entry points into flow; the impact of workplace interruptions on productivity; how individuals can identify their unique flow strategy; the mechanics of creating group flow in teams; practical workplace design elements that support flow states.
Diane will be a keynote speaker at the North Texas SHRM Annual Conference on April 28-29, 2025. You can register for that event at https://ntxshrm.org/event-5716977.
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.
About our Guest:
Violinist Diane Allen is an international speaker, thought leader, and best-selling author of Flow: Unlock Your Genius, Love What You Do. She helps leaders and teams activate their flow state, enabling them to navigate disruption, combat burnout, and create thriving cultures where purpose and passion drive peak performance.
Her journey into the transformative power of flow began as a young violinist. Feeling bullet-proof with her New York City violin training, she’d show up to auditions with visions of winning the job of her dreams, but fear would get the better part of her.
After ten years of experimentation, Diane made a breakthrough. By focusing deeply on her musical interpretation, she activated the flow state, an optimal state of mind where fear dissolves, and performance soars beyond one’s imagination.
It only took one fearless audition for Diane to become a 15-year Concertmaster (lead violinist) of the Central Oregon Symphony, a beloved violin teacher for 28 years, and author of the Fingerboard Workbook series for violin, viola, cello and bass.
It was her groundbreaking Flow StrategyTM system that earned her a spot on the TEDxNaperville stage with features on TED, ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX.
With the elegance of drawing the bow across her Copper Dragon violin, Diane’s experiential programs blend live musical performance, scientific principles, storytelling, positive psychology, inspiration, and actionable takeaways, empowering people to activate their flow state, be in their genius, and love what they do.
Diane Allen can be reached at:
TEDx/TED Talk
https://dianeallen.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianeallenspeaker/
https://www.instagram.com/dianeallenspeaker/
https://www.facebook.com/dianeallenspeaker/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZOk_r1n2X2FmbRcoiUhIHQ
About Mike Coffey:
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher.
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.
Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.
Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.
Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where...
In episode 195, Coffey talks with Diane Allen about achieving flow state at work to maximize productivity, creativity, and fulfillment.
They discuss the definition of flow as an optimal state of mind where people perform and feel their best; the neurological and physiological aspects of flow including the release of performance-enhancing hormones; how the intersection of skill, challenge, and purpose creates entry points into flow; the impact of workplace interruptions on productivity; how individuals can identify their unique flow strategy; the mechanics of creating group flow in teams; practical workplace design elements that support flow states.
Diane will be a keynote speaker at the North Texas SHRM Annual Conference on April 28-29, 2025. You can register for that event at https://ntxshrm.org/event-5716977.
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.
About our Guest:
Violinist Diane Allen is an international speaker, thought leader, and best-selling author of Flow: Unlock Your Genius, Love What You Do. She helps leaders and teams activate their flow state, enabling them to navigate disruption, combat burnout, and create thriving cultures where purpose and passion drive peak performance.
Her journey into the transformative power of flow began as a young violinist. Feeling bullet-proof with her New York City violin training, she’d show up to auditions with visions of winning the job of her dreams, but fear would get the better part of her.
After ten years of experimentation, Diane made a breakthrough. By focusing deeply on her musical interpretation, she activated the flow state, an optimal state of mind where fear dissolves, and performance soars beyond one’s imagination.
It only took one fearless audition for Diane to become a 15-year Concertmaster (lead violinist) of the Central Oregon Symphony, a beloved violin teacher for 28 years, and author of the Fingerboard Workbook series for violin, viola, cello and bass.
It was her groundbreaking Flow StrategyTM system that earned her a spot on the TEDxNaperville stage with features on TED, ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX.
With the elegance of drawing the bow across her Copper Dragon violin, Diane’s experiential programs blend live musical performance, scientific principles, storytelling, positive psychology, inspiration, and actionable takeaways, empowering people to activate their flow state, be in their genius, and love what they do.
Diane Allen can be reached at:
TEDx/TED Talk
https://dianeallen.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianeallenspeaker/
https://www.instagram.com/dianeallenspeaker/
https://www.facebook.com/dianeallenspeaker/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZOk_r1n2X2FmbRcoiUhIHQ
About Mike Coffey:
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher.
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.
Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.
Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.
Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where...
Previous Episode
Does HR Need an Overhaul? with Lucy Adams
In episode 194, Coffey talks with Lucy Adams about transforming people practices to meet modern business needs.
They discuss how traditional HR processes focus on conformity rather than flexibility; the tendency to design policies around the lowest common denominator rather than individual needs; regulation burdens in the UK versus the US; opportunities to reframe DEI initiatives to be more effective and inclusive; the challenges of the hybrid workplace model; the importance of carefully selecting managers who actually want to lead people; the impact of AI on HR functions and employee roles.
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.
About our Guest:
Lucy Adams was the BBC’s HR Director during one of its most turbulent periods. Responsible for all aspects of employee relations, reward, training and development, she reduced the BBC management by over 30%, saving the organisation £25m a year. In her five year tenure Lucy saw four Directors General come and go, oversaw the move to Manchester site and coped with numerous, very public crises including executive pay-offs and the Savile scandal. This alongside the everyday work of talent retention, development and remuneration, HR policy, and the challenges of delivering multiple changes in a publicly-funded organisation working in a highly commercial, fast-moving sector with over 20,000 employees.
Prior to working at the BBC, Lucy was Group HR Director at Serco, the government services business, and at the law firm Eversheds.
For the last 10 years Lucy has been the CEO of Disruptive HR with the mission of 'changing people practices for good'. Lucy challenges business leaders and HR professionals to reappraise their approaches and to consider how relevant and productive they are in a disrupted world. She offers new ideas and practical innovative approaches that the more progressive companies are already adopting. Combining her strategic HR expertise with practical implementation, she advocates for an innovative yet grounded approach which aims to put the “human” back into Human Resources.
Lucy is not just a business leader and hugely popular keynote speaker, but also a well-known author of the bestseller “HR Disrupted” a book packed with practical ways to innovate your approach to leading people in a disrupted world. Her latest book bestseller “The HR ChangeToolkit” provides the complete guide to making it happen.
Lucy Adams can be reached at
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucykadams
https://www.facebook.com/hrdisruptive
https://www.instagram.com/disruptive_hr
About Mike Coffey:
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher.
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.
Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.
Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.
Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community.
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.
Mike serves as a board member of a nu...
Next Episode
Moving Beyond a Work-Life Balance Culture with Sam Kabert
In episode 196, Coffey talks with Sam Kabert about achieving "soul-life balance" as an alternative approach to traditional work-life balance.
They discuss the concept of soul-life balance focusing on inner well-being rather than compartmentalizing work and personal life; the 90-second rule for processing emotions based on neuroscience research; the importance that people leaders model soul-life balance; the BREATH framework (Breathe, Relax, Energy to reveal, Accept, Transform, Habits) for emotional regulation; the "ninja breath" technique for managing stress in real-time; practical applications for incorporating these practices in workplace settings; and the importance of processing emotions rather than compartmentalizing them.
Sam will be a keynote speaker at the North Texas SHRM Annual Conference on April 298-29, 2025. You can learn more at https://ntxshrm.org/page-1824327
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.
About our Guest:
Sam Kabert is an expert in subconscious reprogramming, nervous system regulation, and breathwork integration. As a successful entrepreneur turned mental wellness coach, he’s helped high-performing leaders break free from burnout, stress, and emotional roadblocks—using the same techniques he’ll be teaching in this challenge.
Sam Kabert can be reached at
instagram.com/samkabert
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kabert/
https://www.facebook.com/soulseekrz
https://samkabert.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHi-hxuxUe2ZlPJCMkZ7fFQ
Sam Kabert’s BREATH Club: samkabert.com/club
Sam Kabert’s books on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B09T262PKP
Soul Seekr podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/soul-seekr/id1474728691
About Mike Coffey:
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher.
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.
Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.
Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.
Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community.
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.
Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas’ 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee.
Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certi...
Good Morning, HR - From Distraction to Flow: Transforming Work Performance with Diane Allen
Transcript
At the intersection of skill, challenge, purpose is the universal entry point into flow. But first, think about it. A skill without a challenge, not going to ignite anything. A challenge without a skill, not going to ignite anything. It's the two together that activates flow and brings out the best in us. And when you add purpose to that, it takes it to a whole new level.
Mike CoffeyGood morning, HR.
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/good-morning-hr-276025/from-distraction-to-flow-transforming-work-performance-with-diane-alle-89223429"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to from distraction to flow: transforming work performance with diane allen on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy