In this episode of the People Performance Podcast, Martin Johnson, is joined by former Navy SEAL commander and author Rich Diviney. The discussion centres on human performance, focusing primarily on Rich's second book, Masters of Uncertainty, and related concepts.

The main topics covered include:

Uncertainty, Anxiety, and Fear: Martin and Rich discuss how humans deal with uncertain situations and pressure. Fear is hypothesised to be the combination of external uncertainty and internal anxiety. Anxiety is described as "fiction" because it is always focused on the future. They explore the neurological and evolutionary reasons for the fear response (the "lizard" or "chimp" brain taking over) and the goal of mastering oneself to "degrade fear" and perform effectively.

Moving Horizons (Duration, Pathway, Outcome): This technique is presented as a way to "buy down uncertainty". It involves taking a large, overwhelming situation and chunking it down into an immediate goal, creating a new, controllable Duration, Pathway, and Outcome (DPO). This process helps prevent feeling overwhelmed by the entire situation and gives the brain a reward (dopamine hit) for reaching the shortened horizon.

Optimal Performance: Martin and Rich argue against the societal pressure (often driven by social media) to be at "peak" performance all the time. Optimal performance is instead defined as doing the best you can with the time and resources available, which includes moments of high flow, "gutting it out," and even recovery.

Trust and The Attributes: The conversation briefly touches on Rich Diviney's first book, The Attributes, which profiles 41 human attributes. They discuss trust as being built on four factors: Competence, Consistency, Character, and Compassion. They also emphasise a leader's responsibility to model the desired behaviours first and reward them.

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In this episode of the People Performance Podcast, T2 consultants James Cooper and Spencer Locker, deep-dive into leadership styles based on the situational leadership model used by T2.

The key takeaway is that effective leaders must be able to adapt and deploy the most appropriate leadership style for a given situation and the mindset of the person they are leading, rather than relying on a single, default style.

The six leadership styles discussed are:

• Visionary : Getting people behind the long-term dream or "flag on the hill". It sells the why without giving day-to-day steps. Deploying it inappropriately can be ineffective if people are missing strategy or need immediate answers.

  
  

• Amiable : Focuses on peace, harmony, and promoting trust within the team and environment (psychological safety).

  
  

• Coaching : Utilising coach-like skills for development and improvement. It involves helping people find their own ways to address strengths and weaknesses. It is deployed when people are open to development but may not be performing as desired.

  
  

• Collaborative : Proactively bringing people together to be inclusive and involve them in decision-making, especially in newly established but knowledgeable teams. This style can establish a collaborative culture where the leader may eventually step back to be just the decision-maker.

  
  

• Pace Setting : Setting high standards and moving at pace, but only when appropriate and with competent people. It should not be mistaken for micromanaging; it is about providing high-quality intelligence and giving people the freedom to apply themselves. It is used to challenge and push people beyond competency to avoid complacency.

  
  

• Directive : Characterised by a lack of ambiguity and absolute clarity, not aggression or confrontation. It's a "call to action" and is appropriate in critical situations, like emergency services, where clear instructions are paramount. In a performance context, it gives a clear choice with consequences for growth or further conversation.

  
  

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In this Leader Lounge episode Martin discusses the linked concepts of cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias.

Cognitive Dissonance

• Definition: The mental discomfort experienced when a person holds two or more conflicting beliefs or when their actions contradict their beliefs/values. It's the psychological tension of knowing something isn't right or won't serve you well, but doing it anyway.

  
  

• Example: Knowing smoking is bad for you but doing it regardless.

  
  

• Result: It can feel uncomfortable and create a strong desire for avoidance.

  
  

  Confirmation Bias

  
  

• Definition: The tendency to search for, interpret, and recall information in a way that confirms your pre-existing beliefs, while ignoring or downplaying contradictory evidence.

  
  

• Process: When you predetermine an outcome, you reframe evidence that suggests you are wrong or search for opposing evidence to back up your own narrative. This is done to avoid challenging your own beliefs.

  
  

• Link to Dissonance: Confirmation bias is presented as the strategy for dealing with cognitive dissonance. Because admitting you are wrong is difficult and uncomfortable, confirmation bias provides an easier way to justify your actions and avoid confronting reality.

• Closed Loop Thinking (Confirmation Bias): Pre-determining the outcome, closing off the loop, and only seeking information that confirms your initial position.

  
  

• Open Loop Thinking (The Strategy): Not pre-determining the outcome or fixing views too early, and instantly asking, "Am I right?".

  
  

  • This is a positive approach because it pauses natural confirmation bias.

    
    

  • It involves seeking facts, evidence, reflection, and other people's points of view (especially those with polar opposite views).

    
    

  • This vulnerability and effort can lead to a more balanced position and help seek the truth.

    
    

Martin also talks about external influences, such as friends who only validate your narrative or social media, can supercharge confirmation bias. Ultimately, the choice is between fighting to reinforce your narrative (confirmation bias/stubbornness) or choosing the harder path of open-loop thinking, admission, accountability, and vulnerability

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In this Leader Lounge episode, Martin discusses the Attributes psychometric profile, a tool that stack-ranks 41 human attributes. Martin focuses on attributes that often divide opinion or cause discomfort:

• Narcissism: Defined as the desire to stand out, be noticed, recognised, or adored. It is not the same as narcissistic personality disorder. A normal level of narcissism is in everyone and can fuel high-achieving behavior.

  
  

• Cunning: The ability to consider problems from unusual or unorthodox perspectives to achieve a goal. It is a strength for problem-solving, as the "cunning mind" questions rules and boundaries.

  
  

• Task Switching: The ability to shift among tasks and contexts effectively without delay (not the debunked myth of multitasking).

  
  

• Empathy vs. Compassion:

  • Empathy: The ability to feel what someone else feels.

    
    

  • Compassion: The ability to show sympathy and concern (appreciating how someone feels without feeling it yourself). Low empathy can be an asset when making difficult decisions.

    
    

• Humility vs. Vulnerability:

  • Humility: Self-awareness of one's own strengths and weaknesses.

    
    

  • Vulnerability: The willingness to share those strengths and weaknesses with others.

    
    

• Generosity vs. Selflessness:

  • Generosity: Giving more than necessary; often involves mutual benefit/reciprocation.

    
    

  • Selflessness: Placing others' needs above one's own, despite personal risk or detriment. Selflessness is unsustainable long-term and can lead to resentment.

    
    

Martin concludes that high is not good and low is not bad; understanding your unique attribute stack is key to becoming more self-aware.

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WARNING! This episode contains topics of suicide and Mental Health, which viewers may find distressing.

This episode of the People Performance podcast features an interview with special guest Mark Peart, a former RAF member, current Firefighter, Mental Health Advocate and winner of SAS Who Dares Wins series four.

A central, and challenging, theme of the discussion is mental health and overcoming adversity. Mark speaks candidly about the tragedy of his wife, Chelsey, taking her own life in 2018 , sharing the intensity of his grief and the importance of finding purpose and speaking to people when struggling.

The conversation focuses on Mark's life, his background, and his journey as an endurance athlete who takes on "ridiculous challenges" like ultramarathons and multi-day events, to help him have a purpose in life.

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Do you ever feel a little "funky" in your role? That subtle feeling of misalignment can be a major barrier to both your personal fulfillment and high performance.

In this episode, James and Tracy dive deep into the crucial concept of Role Alignment and show you how to find your professional "sweet spot" the perfect intersection where your strengths, passions, and the needs of your role are in complete sync.

We explore how to decode the signs of misalignment and introduce the simple yet powerful Wheel of Role Alignment self-check. Learn how using this tool to assess your current situation can open up great conversations, boost your sense of fulfillment, and lead to better transparency and communication with your team and line manager.

If you want to stop performance problems before they start and master your professional narrative, it's time to check yourself and ensure your ride to success is as smooth as possible.

In this Leader Lounge episode Martin Johnson, focuses on the concept of worldview. Worldview is defined as having two parts: your current mental model of how the world is structured and works, and how much you agree with that framework. It informs everything you do, including your thoughts, behaviours, and decisions.

Martin encourages listeners to explore their worldview by answering five key, deep-seated questions:

1. 
   

   How do I believe the world was created? (Religious/Pantheism vs. Scientific/Humanism)

   
   

2. 
   

   How do I believe the world operates? (Political, societal, and environmental position; e.g., Capitalism vs. Socialism)

   
   

3. 
   

   Do I agree with or accept the way the world operates?

   
   

4. 
   

   What are my motivations and values? (Moral position)

   
   

5. 
   

   What happens to us when we die? (Often informed by the first question)

   
   

The episode also discusses several paired elements of a worldview:

• 
  

  Humanism (World is natural, based on science/reason) vs. Pantheism (World created by God/supreme entity).

  
  

• 
  

  Optimism (Hope is key, anything is possible) vs. Pessimism (World is corrupt, skepticism, mistrust).

  
  

• 
  

  Moralism (Belief the world should be fair and just with shared morals) vs. Moral Subjectivism (Morals and values are subjective due to different cultures/circumstances).

  
  

• 
  

  Individualism (Self-reliant, control your own destiny) vs. Collectivism (Things should be done together for the greater good of all).

  
  

• 
  

  Stoicism (Must be strong and endure pain/challenge) vs. Entitlement (Deserve pleasure, comfort, reward, and happiness).

  
  

The discussion concludes by explaining that your worldview determines your locus of control. An internal locus of control means you believe you control your life and attribute success/failure to your efforts. An external locus of control means you believe life is governed by environment/circumstance and attribute success/failure to external factors like luck. Martin stresses that a healthy internal locus of control is essential for overcoming life's complexities.

If listeners want to find out what world view they have pease visit - trans2performance.com/worldview.

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Is your organisational change initiative wobbling? Are your teams confused, anxious, or actively pushing back?

In this episode, Tracy and Scott break down the powerful Lippitt-Knoster Model for Managing Complex Change.

This six-element framework is a simple, durable diagnostic tool for sustaining any transformation, from company-wide shifts to individual projects.

You Will Learn:

• The Six Elements: Understand the critical roles of Vision, Consensus, Skills, Incentives, Resources, and an Action Plan.

• The Change Equation: Discover why a missing element doesn't just slow progress, it causes predictable, destructive negative behaviours (confusion, anxiety, rebellion, etc.).

• Diagnose & Fix: Use the model to immediately diagnose why past changes have failed and how to proactively design your next initiative for success.

• Why Vision Fails: Get clear on how to translate your 'flag on the hill' into specific, relevant roles for every team member to eliminate Confusion.

• Beyond Agreement: Learn the difference between simple compliance and genuine Consensus to prevent Rebellion and active sabotage.

Stop fighting symptoms and start building lasting change using this proven framework.