Pearls of Performance

About this podcast

Welcome to the Pearls of Performance podcast. Where we get inspired by leaders in the field of sports, health, and performance. What is their journey? What is their drive? What can their stories teach us?

Pearls of Performance

Episodes

2021
Maria Constantinou
Get ready for my interview with Maria Constantinou. Maria is a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Australian Catholic University. She is a past Executive Board Member of the International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy. Maria is an academic and a researcher with extensive teaching and clinical experience, having worked at several major games, including Summer and Winter Olympics. She has a passion for the international advancement of sports physiotherapy and has supported its growth in several developing countries. In our talk, we go into grasping opportunities, the value of persons you meet along the way, and the strength of having an internal drive. Before we knew, we talked about her passion for bringing evidence-based physiotherapy and clinical care to developing countries. We almost forgot about her defining quote, “You get more from giving than receiving”.
March 2, 2021
28 min
Rita Tomás
In this episode, my guest is Rita Tomás. She is a Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation physician based in Lisbon, Portugal, currently working at the Portuguese Football Federation as their Women’s National Team and Elite Referees doctor. Rita has an interest in female athletes in general and women’s football injuries in particular. You get a sense of her being a hard worker just by glancing at her incredible CV, and it is not for nothing that she believes any skill can be learned. As a team doctor, she has been challenged by COVID-19 and dealt with its challenges successfully by being a team doctor. Her leadership skills helped her manoeuvre, as well. She is a leader by example, and she explains how this works for her and. She has some good career advice to top it up, which leads me to the traditional ice breakers, an inspiring quote. “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” by Tim Notke, a High School basketball coach.
February 19, 2021
36 min
Grant Downey (part 2)
I am glad to note you returned for this second part of my talk with Grant Downey. If you missed the first episode, I suggest you also listen that one back later. There we discussed the significance of having (and living) your dreams, how pushing boundaries will make you and others grow, and the value and pitfalls of empathy for strong leadership. In this follow-up episode we continue where we left with the value and pitfalls of communication, on having overall objectives, and how to empower individuals.
February 9, 2021
24 min
Grant Downey (part 1)
We are back with a fresh episode Pearls of Performance. A double episode that is as my guest, Grant Downey, has so many interesting stories to share. Grant has been a performance leader in elite sports for over 20 years particularly in football. He is a problem solver, critical friend & mentor to many sporting organisations, practitioners & leaders. He consults for the City Football Group, The Premier League, The Scottish Football Association and has held leadership positions for Manchester City FC, Middlesbrough FC & Rangers FC in both men & women’s football. A recognised national and international speaker on setting up high performance teams, and getting them to thrive .. not just survive the vicious world of elite sport! In this first episode with Grant we go into this significance of having (and living) your dreams, how pushing boundaries will make you and others grow, and the value and pitfalls of empathy for strong leadership. To break the ice, I asked Grant a defining quote, and he came with Martin Luther King “I have a dream” .
January 22, 2021
27 min
Phathokuhle Zondi
Starting the new year with Phathokuhle Zondi and her leadership experiences. Pathokuhle is a Sports and Exercise Medicine Physician experienced in clinical sports medicine and executive management. Her life mission is to use sport and physical activity as a tool for socio-economic development and as a platform to drive transformation. She holds numerous leadership, advisory, and governance positions. In 2017 she was awarded a ministerial recognition award from the South African government in acknowledgement of her meaningful contribution to sport in South Africa. In this episode she explains her drive through a higher purpose, goes into the power of one small question (why?), and explains how she includes her caring nature in her leadership. To break the ice, I asked Phathokuhle a defining quote. She provided a Latin quote .. Incepto ne desistam (May I not shrink from my purpose).
January 5, 2021
21 min
2020
Kristian Thorborg
In this episode Kristian Thorborg is my guest. Kristian is a Professor at Copenhagen University in Denmark, and a Visiting Professor at Lund University in Sweden. He is currently the Research Lead at the Sports Orthopedic Research Center in Copenhagen, which is part of the Copenhagen IOC Research Centre in Injury and Illness Prevention. Besides all that he is also an amazing physiotherapist, but he is too modest to say that. We talk about the differences between leading and being a leader, that you should not only focus on your strengths, the value of values, and the power of self-education. To break the ice, I asked Kristian a defining quote. He provided a quote from Albert Einstein which - I think - tells us exactly who Kristian is.. “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value”.
December 13, 2020
29 min
Phil Glasgow (part 2)
In the last episode Phil left us with a statement on leadership requiring you to grow as individual. This is the perfect hook for the second half of my talk with Phil where we - near the end - will still discuss his quote “Between my finger and thumb the squat pen rests. I'll dig with it.” By Saemus Heaney. But first I ask Phil whether he sees a difference - when you are in a leadership position - to grow as an individual or as a professional, or whether he considers these to be intertwined.
December 8, 2020
22 min
Phil Glasgow (part 1)
A fresh episode of the Pearls of Performance podcast. In the next two episodes I talk with Phil Glasgow. Phil has worked with some of the best athletes, coaches, teams and performers in the world. He is recognised as a leader in the field of sports medicine and performance and has extensive experience as an expert practitioner, coach and mentor. Phil has held a number of leadership positions; he is currently Head of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation for the Irish Rugby Football Union and was the Chief Physiotherapy Officer for Team GB at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games where he led the physiotherapy team of the most successful British Olympic Team in history. With such a background Phil is a goldmine of leadership pearls. In this first episode we discuss what leadership actually is about, that leadership has changed over time, and that leadership requires intuition and feeling. Normally I break the ice with a quote, but Phil digged right into it when I told him our chat is about his story and how it may inspire others.
December 8, 2020
26 min
Liliana Araújo
A brand new Pearls of Performance Podcast in which I talk with Liliana Araújo. Liliana is an academic researcher and consultant specialised in performance psychology and performance science applied to dance and music. Liliana’s work focuses on supporting individuals and organisations in developing healthier and more sustainable careers in the performing arts. Together with Liliana I explore the importance of being part of a team and she has her own reasons of why being a team player works for her. She explains how important for her is communication, which of course is a two way process .. and in that communication it is important to listen without judgment. To break the ice, I asked Liliana a defining quote .. “Be yourself and not your mirror” by Leonardo Silva.
November 17, 2020
33 min
Jeff Konin (part 2)
This is the second episode of my interview with Jeff Konin, a highly experienced Athletic Trainer and Director of the Doctor of Athletic Training degree program at Florida International University. In the previous episode we touched upon relationships, how you build relationships out of respect and trust, and that relationships at many levels are needed for your own personal growth and development. In this second part we discuss leadership education and how this is not only for the junior leaders, how we in this digital environment not necessarily good communicators, and the challenges in mentoring others.
October 30, 2020
21 min
Jeff Konin (part 1)
In the next two episodes we get to know Jeff Konin, Jeff is currently a clinical professor at Florida International University in Miami, where he also serves as the Director of the Doctor of Athletic Training degree program. He has served in numerous leadership roles during his 30 year career in sports medicine in multiple settings and with global impact. He is a certified athletic trainer and physical therapist who has authored 25 textbooks and has provided services athletes of all levels. I am honoured to have worked with professionally and have gotten to call him personal friend over the years as well. The two though are closely related, such relationships are developed out of respect and are a two way proces. To break the ice, I asked Jeff a defining quote: “Don't change your dreams, live them”
October 20, 2020
30 min
Carolyn Emery
In this episode I had the pleasure to talk with Carolyn Emery. A colleague I had the opportunity to work with since the early hours of both our academic careers. Carolyn is a Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Cumming School of Medicine, Chair of the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre and holds a Canada Research Chair in Concussion at the University of Calgary. She advocates strongly for a multidisciplinary approach to research and integrated knowledge translation. She discussed with me how a strong multidisciplinary team helps her to stay on top of her game, and she drops a strong quote along the way.
October 13, 2020
25 min
Reggie Scott
A brand new episode of the Pearls of Performance Podcast. This episode I had the pleasure to interview Reggie Scott. Reggie is an athletic trainer, who is now the Director of sports medicine and performance at the American Football club Los Angeles Rams. Reggie states the necessity to take of yourself and understands that taking care of yourself may sound selfish. He shares that being in a leadership position is not necessarily a choice. Finally he explains that a key leadership skill is being an influencer.
September 27, 2020
29 min
Caroline Bolling
Another fresh episode of the Pearls of Performance Podcast. In this half hour I talk with Caroline Bolling. Caroline is a Brazilian physiotherapist who has worked within elite gymnastics and now is a head therapist in Cirque du Soleil. She is a leader on another level, leading athletes and artists back to safe performance. She talks about her journey that she makes together with ‘her’ athletes. We go into necessity and difference of perseverance and stubbornness, how you can be close to athletes on a personal level but still be a professional, and finally she shares her thoughts on building leadership.
September 5, 2020
31 min
Paul McGinley (part 2)
This is is the second episode of my interview with Paul McGinley, a UK-qualified Physiotherapist who has worked with professional soccer and rugby and now is the Director of Performance Medicine at Cirque du Soleil. In the previous episode we dove into - in Paul’s own words - refining the professional fundamentals you have instead of seeking what’s new. We follow-up on that this week where we discuss how progressive we should be with our teams, how we have too autocratic at times to move ahead, and how we grow into our professional skillsets.
August 21, 2020
25 min
Paul McGinley (part 1)
In this episode I had an inspiring conversation with Paul McGinley. As an UK-qualified Physiotherapist, Paul spent his career predominantly in professional soccer and rugby before running away to the circus. At Cirque du Soleil he is now the Director of Performance Medicine. We touched on so many points that I provide his full story in two episodes. We start with Paul sharing that hard work is not enough to grow in to leadership. He educates us on his philosophy on leadership and, finally, we touch upon how he makes his team feel supported. All in all an information dense episode.
August 15, 2020
28 min
Lars Engebretsen
In this episode I had the privilege to interview Lars Engebretsen. Lars is the head of Orthopedic Surgery at Oslo University Clinic and - most of you will know him from this role - head of medical sciences in the International Olympic Committee. He shares what he believes to be one of his successful characteristics, he explains why the skill of picking talent is beneficial for you and your team, and he argues that just having leadership skills is insufficient to be a leader in our field.
August 9, 2020
29 min
Emma Stokes
This week I talk with Emma Stokes. Emma is an associate professor of physiotherapy at Trinity College Dublin, and the president of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy. She explains the relationship between physiotherapy and a famous children’s book character. Further, she describes that leadership is a calling and she shares one secret of her successful leadership.
July 24, 2020
30 min
Boris Gojanovic
Boris Gojanovic is the Health & Performance Medical Director at the Swiss Olympic Medical Centre in Geneva. He is also collaborating with a unique sports medicine unit for adolescents at the Lausanne University Hospital, is the editor of The Sports and Exercise Medicine Switzerland journal (www.sems-journal.ch) and a board member for the Swiss Sports Medicine Society. Together with Boris I explore the importance of knowledge translation, innovation and interdisciplinarity in healthcare and prevention.
July 17, 2020
35 min
Jay Mellette (part 2)
This is the second part of my interview with Jay Mellette, in which he guides us through his thoughts on how to be a successful leader. In the first episode we talked about the importance of the team around the leader and we kick this episode right off with an example of how his leadership style works in practice …
July 9, 2020
22 min

Pearls of Performance

About this podcast

Categories

About this podcast

Categories

Pearls of Performance

Episodes

Maria Constantinou

Rita Tomás

Grant Downey (part 2)

Grant Downey (part 1)

Phathokuhle Zondi

Kristian Thorborg

Phil Glasgow (part 2)

Phil Glasgow (part 1)

Liliana Araújo

Jeff Konin (part 2)

Jeff Konin (part 1)

Carolyn Emery

Reggie Scott

Caroline Bolling

Paul McGinley (part 2)

Paul McGinley (part 1)

Lars Engebretsen

Emma Stokes

Boris Gojanovic

Jay Mellette (part 2)