Episode 132 – Emile Studham – Performance by Design

“It’s one thing to be high performing, but we need to do it in an inclusive and a healthy way. Too many high performing numbers-driven companies are doing it in spite of their health, their relationships, their mental health, the loneliness that comes with building an environment that’s not inclusive, that actually excludes people; it’s a slippery slope.” – Emile Studham  


 
  • [02:08] Patrick introduces his next TEDM guest, Emile Studham.
  • [03:12] Emile and Patrick kick it off with where Emile is from, what he does, and a little bit about why he does it.
  • [05:52] Emile talks about his team and their background. He identifies and discusses their empowerment model as a key tool for driving a high-performance culture both in sport and business.
  • [09:00] Building a great team, a great culture in sport whether we have played one, is equally relevant and transferable to business and there are so many dynamics they share that it’s important to look at that aspect when building a corporate team. Three points of sport context to make it more accessible: 1) sport really understands all about the team; 2) sport identifies and develops talent really well and it takes time and commitment; 3) review, make adjustments and do it again.
  • [13:48] Emile describes their approach when meeting with clients, to dive in and get to know where the environment of the business sits. It takes a bit of time with the individuals of the company to take a break from “doing”, unpack behaviours and identify both what works and what doesn’t, to understand how their system can be best integrated.
  • [17:32] Having an external set of eyes come in to support with a company’s culture isn’t always the easiest thing! It’s important to sit back and listen to all members of the team without judgment. It’s not always going to result in everyone embracing change, it can feel risky, and yet sometimes it’s necessary to lose a team member if it’s for the better good of all involved.
  • [23:27] Quality of life. Acknowledging and being mindful of the team’s enjoyment in their role is an essential part of creating a bountiful culture. Yes, high performing is the goal, but it must be done in a healthy way. Emile shares his journey to how this connects with the work he’s doing and his genuine desire to help people.
  • [32:00] Patrick observes the power of mentorship: Emile’s mentor helped him take his passion which is about him and connect to his purpose which is about others. If you can take your passion and make it about others, then monetize it, you’ve hit it out of the park. For Emile, his pain became his purpose.
  • [35:53] No matter the size of our business, even if we’re a one-person show, culture and environment starts with us as leaders.
  • [36:28] Dragons Den! Emile shares a great story leading up to being on the show in season 6, the experience itself and the powerful lessons they took away from it.
  • [43:57] Emile describes his experience as a young person, his influences, what he learned from each of his parents, compassion and high standards (world-champion lawn mower!), all of which drove his passion to show up in the world as he does.
  • [49:47] Emile uses an example from one of his clients/friends, to illustrate how impactful the systems are that his company uses, how impactfully he and his team show up as a unit and for one another, and their vision for moving forward.
  • [55:03] In order to go a little deeper into dynamics, Emile and his team use Insights Discovery as a tool to identify the personality, strengths, and work styles of the team they work with. Spending intentional time to build relationships with our teammates on a deeper level is as important as building that relationship with clients. It also brings to light whether your team is truly working to their strengths.
  • [61:10] Afraid of change, afraid of staying the same. Patrick and Emile unpack the reality that change and self-development are desired by many of us, while acknowledging the pain that can come with both sides – stagnation and change.
  • [66:18] Holding on to relationships, team members, workplace or business for safety or security that don’t allow us to thrive is not fair for anyone involved.
  • [70:27] Patrick imparts a quote that he feels well-represents this conversation around team, self-discovery, and change.
  • [71:39] Emile and Patrick rip into the rapid fire! Favourite book; iPhone or Android; favourite swear word Canadianized; impactful inspirational quote; room-desk-car; favourite band; favourite movie.
  • [74:37] Emile’s gratitude.

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