In this episode, Simon and Rusty welcome their special guest Suzanne Brown to share her insights and experiences around emotional fitness within the workplace. Suzanne emphasizes the importance of creating a culture of psychological safety, both within oneself and in relationships with others.
Together they discuss the impact of providing emotional fitness classes to employees and the lasting effects they have on individuals, resulting in increased productivity and lower rates of sick leave across organisations. The conversation also delves into topics such as resilience, coping strategies, and the importance of personal growth.
Suzanne explores the concept of institutional transference and challenges conventional practices of employee retention, suggesting a shift towards alignment with values and individual needs of both the employer and employee.

Suzanne is a Clinical Psychologist, Emotional Fitness Consultant, and the brilliant mind behind Emotionally Connected, a specialized psychology consultancy merging clinical psychology with elite performance. Her innovative approach empowers us to actively address our mental health through immersive and captivating methods.
In this episode:

[04:35] Screening Organizations and Individuals: aligning motivation and agenda.

[09:12] Addressing Resistance: the different approaches, including confrontation and alternatives to help individuals make their own choices.

[15:20] The Concept of Resilience: The nuanced concept of resilience and how it often involves facing hardship.

[22:05] Emotional Fitness and the Ripple Effect: the emotional fitness sessions and their profound impact on individuals and relationships.

[30:40] Psychological Safety in Organizations: the importance of psychological safety in organizations, enabling individuals to be themselves, offer ideas, and learn from failure.

You can connect with Suzanne here:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drsuzebrown

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emotionallyconnected/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsuzannebrown/

Website: https://www.emotionallyconnected.co.uk/

Please like, subscribe or follow so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Rusty or Simon with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-bouncebackability-podcast/

On today’s episode, we have the pleasure of exploring resilience and mindfulness with our special guest, Karim Rushdy. Our conversation centres around his inspiring journey of transformation through challenges, including years of chronic back pain and a significant financial loss. We talk about the profound impact of cultivating a beginner’s mindset, re-framing life’s obstacles and achieving excellence through the practice of mindfulness has had on his life.

Karim is a mindfulness teacher, facilitator, and strategy advisor with extensive experience in Asia and the UK. After leaving university in England, he studied Mandarin in Shanghai and joined a restaurant start-up, which grew significantly before succumbing to the impacts of COVID-19 - a humbling lesson in resilience. He later earned an MBA from a leading Chinese business school and became Managing Director at a pan-Asian think tank, overseeing projects on business, policy and sustainability whilst leading leadership programs across 15 countries.

In 2013, meditation helped Karim overcome his chronic back pain, inspiring a shift in his perspective. Now, he teaches mindfulness to elite athletes, corporate leaders, and teams with Mindful Peak Performance (MPP), and serves as a Trustee at Breathworks, a mindfulness charity focused on managing pain and illness.

Karim’s insights on harmonising personal and professional growth, emphasising gratitude, service and authentic connections as cornerstones of a fulfilling life are powerful lessons. Tune in to uncover how mindfulness and a growth mindset can empower you to turn adversity into opportunities for growth and success.

In this episode:

00:15:48 - 'No Mud, No Lotus' & ‘The Beginner's Mindset’ – theories behind the Buddhist metaphors, linking personal growth to overcoming adversities, and the significance of maintaining a beginner's mindset for continued success.

00:27:33 - Coaching & the growth mindset - the benefits of working with coaches to access growth zones and how mindfulness contributes to personal development and 'getting out of your own way.'

00:39:05 - Overcoming back pain - Karim recounts his struggle with debilitating back pain and depression, leading to a transformative journey involving mindfulness and meditation practices.

00:53:21 - The Four Buckets approach - Karim's framework for a balanced life.

01:09:42 - Resilience, financial loss & reflective gratitude - emphasising the role of gratitude and mindfulness in maintaining resilience and a positive outlook despite significant setbacks.

Connect with Karim here:

www.karim-rushdy.com

www.mindfulpeakperformance.com

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Rusty or Simon with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-bouncebackability-podcast/

In this episode of the Bouncebackability Podcast with Simon and Rusty, we welcome an incredible guest – a senior defense consultant and Tornado F3 fighter pilot, Justin Reuter. Drawing on his own personal journey as a military weapons instructor (think the UK’s equivalent of ‘Top Gun’) and Commander of the UK Air Forces in the Middle East, Justin shares his insights on how civilians can adopt military techniques to aid bounce back from setbacks and develop resilience within their organisations and teams.

He talks to us about the importance of mentors and how brutal honesty from all ranks in his team have benefited his own growth; how he has applied the concept of funnels and delegation to optimise leadership roles of corporates across the UK, and the effect environment can have on the outlook of your team.

We also dive into the military's approach to planning, debriefing, and reassessment, and how businesses can incorporate these strategies to become more productive and resilient. Justin's wealth of knowledge and practical examples provide invaluable lessons for leaders in any field. Get ready to gain valuable insights on building resilience and creating a culture of challenge within your teams. Let's dive in!

In this episode:

[00:03:18] Resilience - Overcoming setbacks to achieve dreams.

[00:08:14] Military training methods – building strong teams and the importance of trust between team members.

[00:18:25] Maintaining composure in face of challenges – the complexities of managing the Afghanistan base.

[00:38:09] Justin's lessons on delegation, broadening horizons and the impact of good leaders.

You can connect with Justin here:

LinkedIn:

Justin Reuter | LinkedIn

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Rusty or Simon with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-bouncebackability-podcast/

Today on the Bouncebackability Podcast,

Simon and Rusty reflect on the first series, sharing insights from their conversations with some amazing and truly insightful guests. Learn about defining resilience, the impact of toxic environments, the significance of language in shaping our attitudes towards challenges or setbacks and loads more. Join us as we explore these key themes and how they’ve influenced their own thinking as leaders.

On our guest list:

Becoming Britain’s first female NFL coach with Phoebe Schecter | Episode 2

Thriving as a 4-day week business with Myke Parrott | Episode 3Embracing Emotional Fitness in the workplace with Dr Suzanne Brown | Episode 4Innovation and creative problem-solving with Google’s Kirk Vallis | Episode 5Overcoming setbacks to achieve dreams with Military Commander Justin Reuter | Episode 6Shaping an Environment of Resilience with Prof. Mustafa Sarkar | Episode 7The Power of Storytelling: connecting, healing, and transforming lives with Clare Murphy | Episode 8Building resilience and cultivating effective coaching environments with John Fletcher | Episode 9

In this episode:
03:43 Having clarity in language and understanding how resilience can be different for people at different times.

07:06 Supportive environment and individual preferences in workplace - why it's so important.

11:12 Why we need to focus on environmental resilience for organizational benefits.

15:46 Sharing stories about challenges and failures can make people feel less alone and empower them to learn and grow.

16:30 Humans fear failure, unlike animals.

22:09 Themes: storytelling, connection, culture, belonging, knowledge-sharing.

25:28 How Justin overcomes adversity with help from mentors.

29:14 Balancing challenge and support for leaders' development.

31:52 Sharing insights on stress management.

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Rusty or Simon with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-bouncebackability-podcast/

Today on the Bouncebackability Podcast, we speak to the international speaker and storyteller, Clare Murphy. Clare has an impressive CV. Not only is she the Director of Story at the Mission Critical Institute in the USA, she’s also a consultant and trainer for worldwide organisation, such as the National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company, BLESMA Limbless Veterans, and University of Bristol. Clare has performed in over 20 countries with the former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory among the notable guests in her audience.

In this episode, she shares her experience of storytelling as a medium that extends beyond the personal experience. Clare explains the crucial role it plays in creating connection and fostering a sense of belonging in teams and organisations. From the legacy built by coaches like Alex Ferguson to the profound physiological and neurological impacts on doctors and nurses, storytelling reinforces culture, builds connections, and provides the much-needed space for reflection and processing.

Join us for this thought-provoking episode, sharing unique perspectives on the power of stories to bring positive change.

In this episode:

09:57 Storytelling and culture in organisations – how we can share the legacy in a meaningful way through storytelling.

18:50 The Rishi Network – established by Dr. Rachel Reman to combat isolation and depression in medical professionals and the importance of addressing the emotional impact of extreme situations.

20:17 The DRIVE project - storytelling to train veterans with various injuries, including limb loss to share their life before and after the incident.

23:28 The impact and importance of personal experiences over measuring output efficiency - has social media created a disconnect?

28:57 Storytelling as transformation - helping people overcome trauma, heal from past experiences and even alleviate pain through sharing their story.

45:09 Digital excess - how information overload is affecting our emotional processing response and how stories are the antidote.

57:55 Storytelling as an emotional gym – the impact of telling stories as a collaborative experience can build resilience.

You can connect with Clare here:

www.claremurphy.org

Instagram: Clare Murphy (@storyclare)

LinkedIn: Clare Murphy | LinkedIn

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Rusty or Simon with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-bouncebackability-podcast/