Sweet On Leadership

In this episode of the Sweet on Leadership podcast, Tim Sweet engages in a dynamic conversation with Richard Young, a seasoned expert in high-performance sports. The episode explores the transition from hope-to-knowing in achieving sustained success, emphasizing evidence, conviction, and a system-thinking approach.

Richard, drawing from his experience with Olympic athletes, highlights the importance of simplicity, alignment, and well-being in optimizing high-performance teams. The conversation extends into the business domain, illustrating the applicability of these principles for building and sustaining excellence in various leadership contexts. Throughout the discussion, personal experiences and insights are shared, providing an exploration of the key elements that contribute to lasting success in both sports and business leadership.

The episode unfolds as Tim and Richard discuss the nuances of confidence, conviction, and the mind-body connection. They delve into the impact of evidence-based decision-making, the role of a cohesive team in individual confidence, and the systemic factors that produce conviction. Richard introduces his upcoming book, "Performance Leadership," offering a preview of the systemic differences between repeat medalists and non-medalists. The episode concludes with a powerful message, emphasizing the accessibility of performance fulfillment and the importance of focusing on the journey.

About Richard Young

Richard’s deep knowledge of people and performance has made him a highly sought-after speaker, mentor and strategist. He has experience across 10 Olympic cycles across most roles (athlete, coach, leader, researcher). He has won international gold medals, coached world champions, and created medal-winning programmes for three countries across innovation, research, learning and leadership.

Richard has a PhD in medical science and later focussed on uncovering the key differences between medallists and non-medallists, their coaches, technical staff, leaders and the system they are in. Using his first-hand experience of leading people and programmes to create change for better performance he can make new high performance work for you. In your own arena, at work, and at home!



Richards's values are family, productivity, belonging, discovery and transformation. He has been described as a ‘world-class performance creator’. Born in the UK, raised in Canada, he lives in Dunedin, New Zealand with his four children (and dog Dougal).

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Ange Postecoglou
• Anders Ericsson
• Belonging by Owen Eastwood
• The Living Company by Arie De Geus

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Contact Tim Sweet | Team Work Excellence:

• Website
• LinkedIn: Tim Sweet
• Instagram
• Linkedin: Team Work Excellence

Contact Richard Young | Simplify2Perform:

• Website: simplify2perform.com
• Linkedin: Simplify2Perform

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Transcript:

Richard 00:01

Hoping is a flag for evidence that's missing and knowing means the gap has been filled. So, it's a good word generally, universally for human nature to have hope but in the performance game is another trigger. And there needs to be a leader who spots that and says, Well, I hope it all comes off. And then we're looking at opportunity. And the opportunity is typically inside the gap and that could flag a gap in evidence. So, what don't we know?

Tim 00:32

I'd like to ask you some questions. Do you consider yourself the kind of person that gets things done? Are you able to take a vision and transform that into action? Are you able to align others towards that vision and get them moving to create something truly remarkable? If any of these describe you, then you, my friend, are a leader, and this show is all about and all for you. Thanks for joining us for the 27th episode of the Sweet on Leadership podcast.

Tim 01:04

Well, hi, again, everybody. This is going to be one of my favourite episodes. I know that I'm confident, I don't have to wonder about that. I don't have to guess, I don't have to hope. I know it's going to be one of my favorite episodes. Why? Because I've got evidence. I've been with the wonderful person that's in front of me here today. Before I know what we're capable of. And I...

In this episode, Tim welcomes Amreesh Khanna, a visionary entrepreneur and the founder of OraQ, a company revolutionizing the dental industry through clinical AI solutions. Amreesh shares how OraQ is standardizing patient exams, empowering patients with transparency, and strengthening the patient-clinician relationship through informed decisions and trust. He explains how dentists play a crucial role in identifying and preventing systemic health issues such as cardiac and respiratory problems. Amreesh also highlights the potential of AI in healthcare, including its ability to predict patient outcomes and personalize treatment plans.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Amreesh discusses his passion for community service and his work with the nonprofit organization Cause to Smile, which aims to empower the dental community and support local initiatives. He reflects on the importance of balancing professional ambitions with giving back and shares insights on leadership, decision-making, and reframing failure as a learning opportunity. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about innovation in healthcare, leadership lessons, and the power of community impact.

About Amreesh Khanna

Dr. Amreesh Khanna refers to himself as a professional tooth enthusiast, more commonly known as a Dentist. He has a deep passion for the integration of AI/ML in clinical applications and is at the forefront of advancing precision dental care through his start-up, OraQ AI. This company is dedicated to redefining ethical dental practice growth by prioritizing optimal patient care.

With over 17 years of clinical dental experience, Dr. Khanna has encountered numerous challenges and successes on his entrepreneurial journey as a dental practice owner. In terms of patient care, he has been involved in complex treatments, including dental implants, bone and gum grafting, IV conscious sedation, dental sleep medicine for patients with obstructive sleep apnea, and oral rehabilitation for individuals with complex TMD, tooth wear, and bite concerns.

Dr. Khanna remains actively engaged in his field as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. Additionally, he has established his own dental education platform called ADEPT Dental Education, which aims to drive accelerated growth on the clinical and business sides of Dentistry.

Community involvement has always held great importance in Dr. Khanna’s life. As a dental student, he founded the SHINE Dental Clinic in Edmonton to provide dental care to those in need. He also leads a non-profit organization called Cause to Smile, which strives to "do good beyond the walls of our clinics."

Away from his professional endeavors, Dr. Khanna enjoys traveling with his wife and two young daughters, creating cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Startup TNT
• Shine Dental Clinic
• Tec Canada
• Cause to Smile
• Giannis Antetokounmpo

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Contact Tim Sweet | Team Work Excellence:

• Website
• LinkedIn: Tim Sweet
• Instagram
• Linkedin: Team Work Excellence

Contact Amreesh Khanna | OraQ AI:

• Website: oraq.ai
• Instagram: @dramreeshkhanna
• Linkedin: Amreesh Khanna

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Transcript

Amreesh 00:01

There's no failure in leadership if we are reflecting on it appropriately. There's good leaders and bad leaders. But if we're those honest leaders that are constantly reflecting about what we're doing, why we're doing, you know, like all these things, that we're thoughtfully and genuinely trying to do what's best, well, if that's the case, then there shouldn't be any failure in leadership too. Because without having the ups and downs and things working and not working, how would we even be where we are today, or able to do it right?

Tim 00:33

I'd like to ask you some questions. Do you consider yourself the kind of person that gets things done? Are you able to take a vision and transform that into action. Are you able to align others towards that vision and get them moving to create something truly remarkable? If any of these describe you, then you, my friend, are a leader, and this show is all ...

In this episode of Sweet on Leadership, Tim Sweet guides us through his four-part framework of leadership transformation amidst today’s instability. In The Drift, Tim helps leaders recognize the subtle signs of misalignment—control, confusion, and collapse—as natural but unsustainable coping mechanisms. He unpacks how these reactions stem not from personal failure but from the emotional weight of leading in a constantly shifting world. The key, he says, is not pushing harder, but stepping back to reconnect with the foundation of leadership itself.

From there, we move into The Reset, a call to return to purpose and audit the energy we give to people and projects. Tim encourages listeners to make just one aligned decision and let small, intentional actions build toward bigger change. In The Reach, he explores how leaders can guide their teams with clarity and truth—not by solving every problem, but by anchoring to what matters most and adapting as needed. Finally, in The Practice, Tim reframes transformation as a modular, ongoing discipline. It’s not about heroic reinvention, but honest, daily choices that reshape how we lead from the inside out.

The episode closes with a powerful reminder: this isn’t about fixing others or waiting for normal to return—it’s about returning to our bedrock, reshaping ourselves, and choosing to lead what’s next with resilience and purpose. If you’re feeling the pull to lead differently, this conversation offers the clarity and calm you didn’t know you needed.

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Contact Tim Sweet | Team Work Excellence:

• Website
• LinkedIn: Tim Sweet
• Instagram
• Linkedin: Team Work Excellence

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Transcript

Tim 00:01

When outside forces are bucketing us around, politically, socially, economically, and our people are bringing in more fear into the workplace, and our clients are more hesitant than ever, and the whole world seems like it is on tilt. We're still supposed to be leaders, and that can feel sometimes like a fantasy. By the end of this episode, you're going to have a clear sense of what might be holding you back. And I'll give you some practical ways that we can go forward, not through more effort, because we know today, capacity is an issue, energy is an issue. Not through more effort, but through better alignment, alignment with your purpose and alignment with who you are. You're going to walk away with some new language, some new structure and hopefully a new mindset, so that you can go through these resets and lead with clarity again. So if you're a leader and you felt more tired, more scattered and more unsure lately, this episode is the one you need.

Tim 1:06

I'd like to ask you some questions. Do you consider yourself the kind of person that gets things done? Are you able to take a vision and transform that into action? Are you able to align others towards that vision and get them moving to create something truly remarkable. If any of these describe you, then you, my friend, are a leader, and this show is all about and all for you. I'm Tim Sweet. I'd like to welcome you to the 54th episode of the sweet on leadership podcast.

Tim 1:38

Welcome. Perhaps you feel like you're the only one that is struggling today, I want you to know you're not alone. A lot of the smartest, most capable leaders that I work with, the ones that are at the very top of organizations, are saying the same thing. I don't know if what I'm doing is the right thing, and I have days where I'm not sure I'm enough. It's not just the pressure that is coming down to deliver our strategies and our mandates. There is a new fear, a new anxiety and a new emotional weight that's on everyone you your team, your customers, the people you serve. It's the fact that the ground keeps shifting today, not just that things are tumultuous, but everything is changing week on week. Yet you're supposed to stay steady yet you have long range commitments that you need to make.

Speaker 1 2:31

A lot more time spent on investments or politics. Those are the things where people are having conversations.

Speaker 2 2:38

We've all got budget pressures. The political noise. Staff complaining. Faculty complaining. Students are complaining. It's all piling up, and people seem hesitant and guarded, and we used to be more collegial. Now it just feels, just feels like everybody's getting by, just trying not to drop the ball.

Speaker 3 3:00

I don't think I've seen work like this. I haven't seen teams, still smiling, but just tightly wound.

Speaker 4 3:09

I've been spending more ti...

What does it take to create an impactful leader? Find out in this episode of the Sweet on Leadership podcast. Tim interviews the insightful Brent Yonk—Leadership Coach, Culture Change Agent, and Senior Leader at the FBI—about his extensive experience coaching diverse leaders from around the world. Their conversation will provide you with a wealth of wisdom, including why leadership titles don’t matter as much as we think they do, how to develop yourself as a leader first before seeking followers, plus the impact of technology on organizational leadership structures. You don't want to miss this episode if you want to grow your leadership skills and inspire others around you!

Brent also shares stories from his experience working as a leader within the FBI and coaching leaders in law enforcement around the world. You’ll hear about the many misconceptions people have about leadership, the mistakes organizations make when searching for leaders, and how to cultivate those skills in yourself. For the aspiring leaders out there, you’ll learn why it’s so powerful to unlock your potential by believing in yourself and cultivating a culture of leadership in your environment. By the end, you’ll be inspired to make changes to the way you lead and the way you view leadership.

About Brent Yonk

Brent Yonk is an Assistant Section Chief for the FBI Counterterrorism Division’s Technology and Data Innovation Section. In this role, he oversees the development of novel technology solutions supporting international and domestic terrorism investigations and other critical incidents around the world. Prior to his current role, Brent served as the FBI’s In-Q-Tel Interface Center Director leading the Bureau’s commercial scouting, testing, and evaluation of emerging technologies. Brent is also an Adjunct Faculty for the FBI Academy, instructing and facilitating courses in leadership, organizational change, and project management for law enforcement partners around the world. Prior to joining the FBI, he spent over 10 years working in the private sector with several Fortune 500 companies in the areas of organizational change management and workforce development.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Disney Institute
• Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek

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Contact Tim Sweet | Team Work Excellence:

• Website
• LinkedIn: Tim Sweet
• Instagram
• Linkedin: Team Work Excellence

Contact Brent Yonk:

• Linkedin: Brent Yonk

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Transcript

Brent 00:01

And the beauty is usually when you're exercising leadership without titles, the competitive nature of it doesn't really ever come into play. Because there's really not an opportunity for you to one up anybody else, right? It's really about looking at each other, evaluating each other's strengths, understanding what each person on that team brings to the table, and then really just giving each other and empowering each other to bring their best selves, to support whatever the shared objective or goal is.

Tim 00:33

I'd like to ask you some questions. Do you consider yourself the kind of person that gets things done? Are you able to take a vision and transform that into action? Are you able to align others towards that vision and get them moving to create something truly remarkable? If any of these describe you, then you, my friend, are a leader, and this show is all about and all for you. I’m Tim Sweet. Welcome to the Sweet on Leadership Podcast. This is episode 33. Thanks for joining us.

Tim 01:08

Welcome back to the Sweet on Leadership podcast. Thank you very much for joining me today. This is a podcast that has been months in the making. I am absolutely electric with excitement for talking to my guest today. I'd like to introduce Brent Yonk. And Brent, I'm gonna let you tell people all about why I'm so jazzed today. Tell them about what you do. And what you find yourself doing day in day out. It's not my normal cup of tea.

Brent 01:39

Absolutely. Well. Hopefully, I don't underwhelm everybody. But, so my name is Brent Yonk. I'm an assistant section chief with the Federal Bureau of Investigation or FBI. Specifically, I'm in the FBI’s counterterrorism division. And so my role, I focus on leading a group of folks who develop kind of the next generation technology that supports our agents and our analysts who are both at our headquarters divisions, as well ...

Rita Ernst, Positivity Influencer and Consultant, joins Tim Sweet on the show to talk about big changes in business. When exactly does a business go from thriving to struggling, and why? Rita’s hint is that it happens far before the impact is seen in the financial bottom line. She and Tim unpack the signs.

Rita identifies how a change in work habits is the first sign of a business in the midst of change. She illustrates this with examples from COVID, where organizations all buckled down and gave their all during the first years but now are experiencing a push back, a difference in how people are interacting with customers, work that was always on time before now being unfinished. This is where righting the business should start, but businesses wait until they see it in the bottom line to call in a consultant like Rita or Tim.

Tim Sweet and guest Rita Ernst dissect how an individual can right the course of a business going through big change. If everyone is afraid to say the hard truths to the boss, how will change begin? It’s not about being toxic, it’s about showing up with an honest desire to help. Positivity is the key ingredient in Rita’s book Show Up Positive and she discusses specific lessons from her book with Tim. It’s a conversation every level of employee in a business needs to hear.

About Rita Ernst

In 2005 Rita Ernst left corporate life and established her independent consulting and coaching practice. She has an extensive catalogue of satisfied clients in organizations that range from construction to pharmaceuticals to non-profits.

Rita leverages her expertise in organizational psychology to craft solutions for business owners and staff members that break through the hostility while restoring pride, teamwork, and profits. Through her ground-breaking training and lessons, she reveals how to intentionally cultivate positive thoughts and behaviors instead of automatically reacting from the trappings of a depleting cycle of frustration and discontent.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Peter Block

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Contact Tim Sweet | Team Work Excellence:

• Website
• LinkedIn: Tim Sweet
• Instagram
• Linkedin: Team Work Excellence

Contact Rita Ernst | Positivity Influencer, Authour, Consultant:

• Website
• Linkedin
• Instagram
• Book: Show Up Positive by Rita Ernst

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Transcript

Rita Ernst: [00:00:00] You need to stand up and challenge that behavior and stand for your values in that moment. And that is showing up positive. So it's not about just smoothing everything out. And like we were talking about earlier, it's not about avoiding conflict at all, but it is about being true to who you need to be to have the workplace around you that you desire.

Tim Sweet: [00:00:28] I'd like to ask you some questions. Do you consider yourself the kind of person that gets things done? Are you able to take a vision and transform that into action? Are you able to align others towards that vision and get them moving to create something truly remarkable? If any of these describe you, then you, my friend, are a leader. And this show is all about and all for you. Welcome to the Sweet On Leadership Podcast Episode 6.

Welcome to the Sweet On Leadership Podcast, where we unlock the secrets of the most influential, trusted and impactful leaders in business today so you can become your best version of a leader. And now your host. He once saved a company $2.5 million with a $15 rubber stamp, and he won't shut up about it. Tim Sweet.

Tim Sweet: [00:01:23] Hey, everybody, welcome again to the Sweet On Leadership podcast. I'm joined today by my friend Rita. We're having a great conversation already and we want to pull you into it. Today we're going to be talking about really what is it like to be part of an organization that is going through big changes. And many organizations all around the world right now are facing this. I mean, we're coming out of perhaps the most tumultuous time that many of us have been through. And so in talking to Rita, I'm learning all sorts of new things, although we share that, you know, as you said, we share this collegial passion for improvement and everything else, Rita. But I'm just learning all sorts of things, and I...