The 1 Superpower Every Leader Needs To Be Developing Right Now
A 6-minute investment to help make you a better leader - In role. In life.
Hi, I’m Jason. I believe executives and entrepreneurs are the athletes of the business world. I'm here to help you thrive mentally, physically, and emotionally, through optimising your performance and wellbeing. Because when you're at your best, you lift up everyone around you.
What’s coming up:
Prime Performance: This Week’s Best News, Views & Life-Hacks
The Prime Perspective: The 1 Superpower Every Leader Needs To Be Developing Right Now
Lessons from the Arena: 1 Powerful Technique to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Be a Prime Mover: 1 Quote to Spark Change
Prime Performance: this week’s news, views and life hacks
📖 READ 3 Mood-boosting Alternatives to Meditation
I had breakfast with the author David Robson recently and the latest edition of his ‘60-second Psychology’ newsletter is a great example of why I consider anything by him essential reading. Surprisingly, up to 25% of people experience increased anxiety from meditation, so David offers three evidence-backed alternatives. This is ‘gold dust’ for high-performing leaders who struggle to ‘switch off’.
📻 LISTEN How To Train According To World-class Experts
In this special FoundMyFitness episode, Dr. Rhonda Patrick distills insights from over 100 podcast interviews with world-class exercise scientists to explore key concepts about training for muscle strength, aerobic fitness, and heart health. An absolute treasure trove for leaders who want to be on their A-game.
🎞️ WATCH 53 Seconds On The Power Of Keeping A Failure List
This impactful clip features Harvard professor and behavioral scientist Arthur Brooks introducing a counterintuitive practice that's perfect for growth-minded leaders. Genuinely one of the best tools I’ve ever encountered for reframing failure - as the man himself says: “Don’t waste your suffering!”.
The Prime Perspective: Thoughts on Leadership and Growth
The 1 Superpower Every Leader Needs To Be Developing Right Now
There's a common misconception about Darwin's theory of evolution that has unfortunately shaped many popular leadership philosophies: the idea that success belongs to the strongest or most intelligent. But here's the reality that every leader needs to understand - Darwin's actual insight was far more nuanced and, frankly, more relevant to modern leadership than ever before.
When we examine Darwin's work closely, his core insight wasn't about strength or intelligence prevailing. Instead, he recognized that success comes to those who best adapt to their environment. In today's rapidly changing business landscape, this principle has never been more crucial for leaders.
Think about it: How many once-dominant companies have fallen because they couldn't adapt to technological shifts? How many talented leaders have stalled in their careers because they couldn't adjust to new ways of working?
In my conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, I've noticed a pattern: those who thrive aren't necessarily the ones with the most experience or the highest IQ. They're the ones who demonstrate what is termed ‘adaptive intelligence’. This involves the ability to:
Recognize changing conditions quickly
Respond with appropriate adjustments
Remain open to new information
Revise strategies based on feedback
I’m not just talking about business strategy here - it's about applying the same principles to your personal evolution as a leader. Just as organisms in nature must adapt across multiple dimensions to survive, leaders today need to evolve across various domains:
Cognitive Adaptation: Developing new mental models and ways of thinking
Physical Adaptation: Adjusting health and energy management strategies
Emotional Adaptation: Building new emotional intelligence capabilities
Strategic Adaptation: Evolving your approach to match current realities
Dr Brendon Stubbs and I have been exploring this connection in our work at TPM. The neuroscience is clear: your brain's plasticity - its ability to form new neural pathways - remains strong throughout life. But here's the key: this adaptability must be actively maintained through consistent challenge and learning.
The Bottom Line
The most dangerous phrase in leadership isn't "I don't know" - it's "I know enough." In today's world, your ability to adapt isn't just a competitive advantage - it's a survival skill. Your strength as a leader in today’s world isn't measured by how much you know, but by how quickly you can learn and adapt.
The question isn't whether you need to evolve - it's whether you're doing so purposefully or reactively. The choice, and the consequences, are yours.
Ready to explore this further? Message me at jason@theprimemovement.com
THE PRIME PERFORMANCE PROGRAM
Building Better Leaders. In Role. In Life.
Lessons from the Arena: Real Life Leadership Challenges
Every week, I'll share real challenges from coaching experiences, offering practical insights you can apply to your own leadership journey.
CHALLENGE:
"I was recently promoted to lead our regional operation. It's a massive step up - managing teams across 11 countries and an expectation to drive double-digit growth this year. While it’s the opportunity I’ve been pushing for, it now feels overwhelming and I'm afraid I'm going to fail spectacularly. What should I do?"
MY GUIDANCE:
Firstly, rest assured that what you're experiencing is completely normal for leaders taking significant steps up.
One of the keys to navigating this transition lies in adopting what American psychologist Carol Dweck has termed the ‘Yet Mindset’. This is a powerful cognitive reframing technique that transforms perceived limitations into growth opportunities.
The approach is elegantly simple: just add the word "yet" to your inner voice.
"I don't have what it takes" becomes "I don't have what it takes...yet."
"I can't handle this complexity" becomes "I can't handle this complexity...yet."
"I'm not the leader they need" becomes "I'm not the leader they need...yet."
This subtle linguistic shift accomplishes something profound - it acknowledges your current reality while simultaneously affirming your capacity for growth. It transforms fixed limitations into temporary challenges.
When faced with a particularly daunting challenge, ask yourself: "What specifically do I need to develop to handle this effectively?" This transforms vague anxiety into concrete action steps.
The question isn't whether you can lead this division successfully - it's what you need to develop to do so. The "yet" helps transform this from impossibility into inevitability - believe me, I’ve seen it work before.
Ready to take your leadership to the next level? Book a call by messaging me at jason@theprimemovement.com.
Be A Prime Mover: 1 Quote to Spark Change
“There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.”
— Aldous Huxley
If you enjoyed this, please consider sharing this with a friend. We are stronger together.
Your thoughts are the fuel that keeps us moving forward, so message me at jason@theprimemovement.com.
