Have you ever asked a question in a team meeting only to be met with pure, unadulterated silence? Or perhaps the opposite is true: one person dominates the airtime while everyone else tunes out.

In this episode, we dive deep into the mechanics of team communication and the invisible forces that drive—or stifle—participation. We explore why "open floor" discussions often fail and how leaders can architect environments that encourage equitable talk time, psychological safety, and higher collective intelligence.

We break down the data behind effective meetings, including the surprising "averaging" effect listeners use when processing your points, and why asking the right questions is 60% of the battle.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The "Crickets" Cure: Why standard facilitation pauses (7-10 seconds) aren't enough, and why pros wait up to 30 seconds.

• The "Think, Pair, Share" Method: A simple framework to move from awkward silence to active debate.

• The "First Follower" Strategy: How to prime your team to speak up without putting them on the spot.

• The "Lego" vs. "Horse Race" Mindset: Shifting your team from competing for status to building on ideas.

• Reverse Seniority: A tactical approach to neutralizing power dynamics in team communication.

Key Quote: "Questions occupy around 6% of what's said during a meeting, and yet those questions dictate over 60% of the conversation content."

Mentioned in this episode:

• Google’s Project Aristotle (The study on effective teams).

• Ray Dalio’s Reverse Seniority principle.

• The "Average vs. Sum" persuasion paradox.

Are you still using the "Good, Bad, Good" method to deliver criticism?

It turns out, the "Feedback Sandwich" is giving your team feedback-indigestion. Research suggests that when you use this outdated tactic, high performers walk away thinking they failed, while low performers walk away thinking they’re doing great.

In this episode, we dismantle the sandwich and replace it with "Build-Break-Build"—a framework that protects the relationship while being clear about performance status. We also dive into the difference between a "bad feeling" (like exercise) and a "bad thing" (like standing in a hill of fire ants), and why leaders need to know the difference.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Sandwich Paradox: Why wrapping criticism in compliments confuses your best people and comforts your worst ones.

• The 4 Stepping Stones: Key pillars of a critical feedback conversation (Situation & Expectation > Observation & Impact > Their Perspective > Plan & Accountability).

• Utilization vs. Value: The "Surfboard Story"—why offering a perk (or asking a question in a meeting) creates value even if no one uses it.

• Reverse Hierarchy: Why the intern should speak first during a debrief.

• The 5 Whys: How to turn yourself into a "curious toddler" to find the root cause of a team failure.

In Part 2 of our deep dive into communication, we flip the script on traditional feedback. We explore why "feedback" might be the wrong word entirely if you want honesty, and how to cultivate a culture where bad ideas are celebrated as the currency for gold.

We also tackle the hardest balancing act in leadership: Vulnerability vs. Ability. How do you show you are human without making your team worry you aren't up for the job? We break down the "Parallel Parking Test" and how to signal competence while still building trust.

In this episode, we cover:

• The "Advice" Hack: Research shows that asking for "advice" is more effective than asking for "feedback"

• The Golden Response: The two words you must say after receiving tough feedback - "Thank You" (and why you shouldn't say anything else)

• Vulnerability Loops: How trust is actually built—and how one bad reaction from a boss can destroy years of psychological safety.

• The Ability/Vulnerability Matrix: A guide on how to be vulnerable about peripheral issues (like parking a car) while maintaining authority on core responsibilities.

• The "L&D" Mindset: One CEO’s brilliant framework for viewing expensive failures as prepaid tuition for team development.

Does the phrase "Can I give you some feedback?" send a shiver down your spine? You aren't alone. For many leaders, giving feedback feels like walking a tightrope, and for teams, receiving it can feel like a personal attack.

But what if the silence is actually more dangerous than the critique?

In this episode, we break down why feedback is the ultimate driver of team performance—and why the lack of it is a flashing warning signal for your company culture. We move beyond the dreaded annual performance review and dive into the "3 P's" framework, a step-by-step guide to navigating difficult conversations without burning bridges.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Receiver-Giver Gap: We fear that we're perceived as mean when we give feedback, but the receiver actually interprets it as care.

• Situation vs. Expectation: How to stop using "always/never" statements and start having actionable conversations.

• The 3 Ps: The stepping stones (Personal, Permission, Purpose) to open a feedback conversation effectively.

• The 5:1 Ratio: The balance of positive-to-critical interactions needed to maintain a healthy relationship.

• The ROI of Debriefs: Data shows that structured retrospectives can boost team performance by 30-40%.

Whether you are a manager afraid of micromanaging, or a team member craving clarity, this conversation will give you the tools to turn conflict into high-performance communication.

Confidence is the most attractive trait in a leader—but cross the line by an inch, and it becomes conceit. So, how do you find the balance?

In this deep dive, we break down the mechanics of Authentic Confidence. We move past the "fake it ‘til you make it" advice and look at the neuroscience and psychology behind showing up with true executive presence.

We cover:

• The Confidence Checklist: A 4-step framework to use when you feel out of your depth (Situation, Skills, Self-Efficacy, Values).

• The "Con Man" Trap: Why we associate confidence with deception and how to rewire that thinking.

• The SCARF Model: Using neuroscience to build a confident culture in your team.

• "Do It Scared": Why the final step of confidence is often taking the leap before you feel ready.

Plus, we discuss the "The Swing"—that elusive, magical moment in rowing (and business) where a team moves in perfect, frictionless unison.

What do a rock climber dangling 1,000 feet in the air and a CEO running a Monday morning meeting have in common? If they don't close the loop on communication, things go south fast.

In this episode, we swap the boardroom for the basecamp to explore what high-stakes rock climbing can teach us about leadership, communication, and trust.

We dive deep into the concept of "Closed Loop Communication" and why the habits of High Reliability Organizations (like aviation and military units) are crucial for your team—even if no one is hanging off a cliff.

Tune in to learn:

• The Intelligence Paradox: Why your high IQ might be blinding you to your own mistakes.

• Communication - Mountain Mode vs. Camp Mode: Knowing when to focus on action and when it’s okay to debrief.

• The Power of Small Talk: Why spending 5 minutes "shooting the breeze" is efficient, not wasteful.

• The Contrast Principle: How doing hard things in the wild builds resilience for office stress.

• Power of Checklist: Why surgeons and pilots use checklists, and why you aren't above them.

Timestamps:

• (01:14) What is Closed Loop Communication? (The Belayer Example).

• (04:50) "Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast."

• (12:41) Why intelligent people struggle with confirmation bias.

• (14:24) Mountain Talk vs. Camp Talk: When to focus on action vs debrief.

• (17:20) Why small talk is actually "motivational fuel."

• (21:35) The Contrast Principle: Using adventure to reframe stress.

• (23:13) Question-Substitution: Are you subconsciously answering the wrong question?

"I met him for the first time a month ago... and I would now trust him with my life. The trust is unparalleled compared to other people I've spent three days with."

For Matt and Brian, the mountains aren't just a playground—they are the ultimate classroom for leadership. In this episode, we bridge the gap between the backcountry and the boardroom to explore why the most resilient teams are forged in uncomfortable environments.

We move beyond the typical "leadership metaphors" and dive into real, high-stakes stories—including a harrowing climbing accident that taught us more about trust and calmness than any office ever could.

In this episode, we cover:

• The "Puddle of Light" Concept: How to make confident strategic decisions when you can only see ten feet in front of you (and why "getting it wrong" isn't the problem - not having feedback to realize you're mistake is the deeper issue.)

• The Yerkes-Dodson Law: Why your goal as a leader shouldn't be "zero stress," and how to find the optimal zone of arousal for high performance.

• The "Chapstick Moment": A masterclass in regulating your team’s emotions during a crisis, even when you are the one carrying the most risk.

• Rupture and Repair: Why friction in the office lingers for months, but friction in the wild is resolved in minutes—and how to bring that efficiency back to your workplace.

• Building Trust on the Ledge: Moving beyond "hiring for culture fit" to building "trust of capability."

Whether you are scaling a literal mountain or launching a new product, this conversation will change how you view risk, stress, and the people standing next to you.

With Thanksgiving around the corner, everyone is talking about being thankful—but does gratitude actually have a place in a high-performance business environment?

In this episode, Brian and Matt go beyond the cliché of the "glass half full." They dig into a recent Substack article by Brian to explore how gratitude acts as more than just a warm sentiment; it is a tangible strategic resource for resilience and leadership.

We discuss the downsides of "forced gratitude" in difficult work cultures, the crucial difference between praising outcomes vs. praising effort, and how to overcome the brain's natural negativity bias.

In this episode, we cover:

• • The "Papering Over" Trap: Why you should never use gratitude to mask poor working conditions or lack of resources.

  • Gratitude vs. Pride: A deep dive into how we distinguish between valuing the outcome (pride) and valuing the source (gratitude).

  • Leading vs. Lagging Indicators: Why leaders should stop praising the sale (the result) and start praising the preparation (the input).

  • Scalable Skills: How to give feedback that reinforces core values rather than just specific tasks

  • The Negativity Bias: Explore why your brain defaults to seeing problems and why gratitude requires active practice.

Key Quote: "Gratitude isn't just the mindset to see the positive side of things. It's leveraging those positives in order to fuel change."