Lead Well with Mark O'Reilly

On this week's Lead Well Podcast, I welcome Dave McHugh Founder of Line Up Sports. Dave's career has taken him on an incredible journey and he is now seen as one of the leaders in Ireland in professional athlete management. Dave has been surrounded by high performing athletes on a daily basis from Rob Kearney and Annalise Murphy to Gary and Paul O'Donovan and Kellie Harrington. Dave shares key insights into how we can take control of our situation regardless of the circumstances and perform at a high level in work while still prioritising the things that matter most to us. Dave and I also discuss how reflection and allowing yourself to disconnect from technology helps you reset, reassess and focus. From a leadership standpoint Dave speaks to how vital it is to understand the importance of developing your process, making sure that you are doing the simple things well on a consistent basis. Find out more about David and LineUp Sports at: Website: lineupsports.ie LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/lineup-sports/

This week on the podcast I sit down with Thorbjorg Helga (Tobba) Vigfusdottir, the founder and CEO of Kara Connect, an industry leading workplace mental health solution. Discover the story behind her journey from a cognitive psychologist and city councillor to becoming a tech entrepreneur who's making significant strides in connecting therapy specialists with those in need. Tobba shares her insights on overcoming geographical and logistical barriers in healthcare, the future of digital health, and how her innovations are empowering professionals and patients alike. Whether you're passionate about healthcare, technology, or entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with inspiration and forward-thinking ideas that are shaping the future of telepractice. Tune in to learn how Tobba is not just navigating but also creating pathways in the digital transformation of health and educational services.

In this week's episode I sit down with Seán Kinane, founder of Health Matters. Health Matters was set up 13 years ago by Seán following his time in Australia. They specialise in fitness and performance testing, primarily offering VO2 max testing and metabolic testing in both sport and business. Seán has conducted over 20,000 tests, the highest in Europe and Health Matters have close to 500 five star google reviews to date. This episode offers a real insight into Seán's journey from identifying a niche market, to building one of the leading performance companies in Ireland. Throughout, we gain strategic insights behind Health Matters success. Seán will share invaluable business lessons, including the importance of not letting early failures impact the confidence and belief you have in your product. Once again we get to delve into a founder's philosophy on work-life balance, offering listeners a perspective on how personal well-being fuels professional excellence. To find out more about Seán and Health Matters check out www.myhealthmatters.ie

On this weeks episode I sit down with Erica Hargaden, founder of Babogue Sleep Solutions. This episode offers a rare glimpse into Erica’s journey from grappling with her child’s sleep challenges to establishing a globally acclaimed consultancy. Erica shares strategic insights behind Babogue’s success, from leveraging digital platforms to scaling an online presence that has touched the lives of over 4,000 families worldwide. Erica’s expertise not only spans the intricacies of child sleep patterns but also the blueprint for cultivating a thriving online business in the wellness and parenting space. Erica will share invaluable business insights, including the importance of the strategic use of social media and video-based courses for global reach, and the impact of networking and support programs like the Women's Inspire Network on her company's growth. Throughout the episode we also delve into Erica’s philosophy on work-life balance, offering listeners a perspective on how personal well-being fuels professional excellence. Erica's holistic approach to entrepreneurship, emphasising continuous learning, community building, and the innovative delivery of services, serves as a beacon for aspiring entrepreneurs in the digital age. Tune in to uncover the secrets to turning personal passions into a successful enterprise that makes a real difference. To find out more about Erica and Babogue check out https://babogue.com/

In this weeks episode, we dive deep into the heart of creating equitable workplaces with Michelle O'Keeffe, the multi-award-winning entrepreneur, digital marketing expert, and co-founder of Platform55. Michelle's journey from becoming the Managing Director of the Irish Times Digital Media Agency (Electric Media) just 24 hours before her first child's birth, to pioneering a change in how workplaces support working parents, is nothing short of inspirational. Join us as Michelle shares her personal and professional evolution, highlighting her transformation into a champion for working parents. With a clear mission, Platform55 was conceived to challenge the status quo and foster an environment where parents can thrive both at home and in their careers. Michelle's story is a testament to the power of vision, determination, and the importance of supportive workplace cultures.Whether you're a working parent, a manager looking to create a positive experience for parents in your team, or an organisation aiming to be an employer of choice, this episode offers invaluable insights and inspiration. Tune in to learn how you can be part of building a more equitable future for organisations and working parents alike. For more information on Platform55 check out www.platform55.com

On this week's episode of the Lead Well Podcast is Gary Fox, founder, entrepreneur and podcaster. In our conversation, Gary shares key insights gained from interviewing over 200 founders on his podcast The Entrepreneur Experiment. Even more importantly, Gary unpacks some of the challenges he has overcome in business and life and offers tips on how we can all master, brain and body. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned business leader, or simply someone passionate about personal development, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you in all areas of life.

In our latest episode, we delve into the crucial topic of Mental and Emotional Energy and Wellbeing with a very special guest - CEO and Entrepreneur Shane Tobin of Lowquotes.ie and TrueWealth.ie Listen as we explore: Shane's own incredible rise in business and the barriers he had to overcome. The unique challenges leaders face in managing their mental and emotional health. Practical strategies for maintaining wellbeing in high-pressure environments. Insightful personal stories from Shane, revealing how he navigates stress and maintains balance in order to perform. This episode is not just for CEOs and entrepreneurs, but for anyone looking to understand the complex dynamics of managing your energy in the professional world. Whether you're climbing the corporate ladder, running your own business, or just curious about wellbeing and performance, this episode has something for you. If you are interested in hearing more about Shane and the work he does check out: Lowquotes.ie and Truewealth.ie

How we Avoid the Identity Trap This week I explore the intriguing connection between identity and self-worth. In my latest podcast, we dive deep into this fascinating topic. Here's a quick snapshot of what you'll find: Understanding the Identity Trap: Explore how chasing success can sometimes lead to feelings of inadequacy when we anchor our self-worth in the wrong places. Unnoticed Success: Learn why acknowledging your achievements doesn't diminish your drive; it ignites higher fulfilment and confidence. A Multidimensional Identity: Reflect on how you describe yourself and why a multidimensional identity matters. Discover the values that truly represent who you are. I also share three key takeaways to boost overall well-being and performance.

In our latest podcast episode, I share practical tips to expand your window of tolerance and effectively manage stress in daily life. Stress tolerance is the capacity of an individual to endure stressful situations without being overwhelmed or incapacitated by the pressure. It's a vital aspect of mental resilience and adaptability. Dr. Dan Siegel describes the concept of the "window of tolerance" as the optimal zone where we can effectively cope with stress and process emotions without becoming excessively anxious or shutting down emotionally. The Window of Tolerance is like a band within which we function optimally, displaying adaptive responses to life's challenges. When we're within this window, we're better able to regulate our emotions, think clearly, and make informed decisions. It's a state of being emotionally responsive and mentally attuned.

Excited to Spotlight Mental Health in the Workplace with the incredible Barbara Louise Brennan. A highly esteemed trainer and facilitator, and an inspirational ‘thought leader’ in her field, Barbara has over 14 years’ experience in changing the culture of mental health at all levels of society. Her desire to bring a message of hope and share the knowledge that people who have struggled with their mental health can and DO recover, is at the heart of her work, and comes from her own lived experience of surviving suicide and overcoming severe and long-term mental illness. Barbara uses her passion and experience to give voice to people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, inspire a message of hope and recovery and ultimately spark an international conversation on reducing stigma and raising awareness about mental illness and recovery. Barbara led ‘See Change’, the national stigma reduction programme which is famed for the iconic Green Ribbon campaign for the last 5years as part of her work. She has also been part of the Global Anti Stigma Alliance inspiring change internationally. A regular contributor to national mainstream media and social media, Barbara is at home speaking to local community groups, CEO’s or senior leaders in the public and corporate world. She has lectured at Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, and University College Cork inspiring people to think differently about mental health and wellbeing. In the national discourse on mental health, Barbara has been a driving force for change, providing guidance to influential policy bodies like the National Office for Suicide Prevention, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, Mental Health Commission, and numerous major corporations. Barbara and I discuss; reducing the stigma of mental health, Identifying stigma as silence and practices to improve mental wellbeing. This episode will help us recognise and hopefully reduce stigmas, provides actionable insights, and promotes understanding around mental health challenges that impact us all. To find out more about Barbara and to get in touch go to - www.elephantintheroom.ie www.barbarabrennan.ie

Each week on the podcast we dive into a topic, which is critical to individual, team and organisational performance and well-being. The teams at Fitvision and Leaders Connect build strategies, systems, and processes to help you create a healthier, happier and more productive workforce.

Kadam Adam Starr is the Resident Teacher of Tara Kadampa Meditation Centre, Dublin. He has studied, practised and taught Kadampa Buddhism and meditation for many years under the guidance of the fully accomplished meditation master and internationally renowned teacher of Buddhism, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche. Originally from Dublin, Kadam Adam has been teaching meditation and Kadampa Buddhism extensively in the UK and in Europe since 2004. He returned home to Ireland in 2017, where he has continued to teach throughout the country, as well as internationally. In this episode we discuss strategies to enhance our mental & emotional wellbeing. Many of us in todays society can feel overly burdened with increasing levels of unhealthy stress, anxiety and unhappiness. The result of this, is that it can all too easily land us in a place where we don’t feel consistently good within ourselves, or good about ourselves and life. This is where meditation and taking a more mindful approach to everyday life can act as practical tools, anyone can learn to change this, to learn what it means to take really good care of, and discover our potential to continually improve. Throughout this episode, Adam mentions that as a result of this, we discover what it means to feel increasingly - and more consistently - good within ourselves, good about ourselves (and our potential to live with increasing inner calm, happiness and wellbeing) and good about life. To find out more about Kadam Adam Starr: https://meditateinireland.com/

Peter founded Lifestyle Awareness after working as a Senior Occupational Therapist for 18 years in all areas of Mental Health. Over the years he began to question and wonder if it was possible to work with people much earlier than in crisis and what early intervention and prevention may actually look like. As part of his own wellness path, he realised that one of the things that impact all areas of life, performance and mental well-being, is our mind, yet most of us are never taught how to use our minds properly in a practical and evidenced based way. This development of key mental skills for mental fitness is a topic we unpack in today’s episode. Clinically Peter has worked at South London & Maudsley (SLAM), Saint John of God Hospital, Saint Patrick’s Hospital and The Dean Clinic and continues to be a trainer with Mental Health First Aid Ireland. Peter’s mission is to empower ten million people to learn the mental skills to stay well, navigate change and uncertainty, so they can then support and teach others to do the same. We hope you enjoy our episode. Find Peter at https://lifestyleawareness.ie/ To find out more or to sign up for the FITMINDS Programme follow this link https://lifestyleawareness.thinkific.com/courses/fitminds

On the Fitvision podcast this week I am joined by David Liddle. David is a thought leader in the areas of organisational dynamics, conflict resolution, and transformational culture. He is CEO of The TCM Group, founding president of the Institute of Organizational Dynamics and author of two books: Managing Conflict and the recently published Transformational Culture which I highly recommend. David has spent the last 30 years reframing HR systems, management processes, and leadership behaviours and we explore this journey in some detail throughout the episode. His vision for TCM was, and still is, to reduce the negative impact of conflicts and complaints by creating the conditions for employees and managers to have quality conversations. He is the creator of the FAIR Model™ which is the benchmark mediation and investigations model in use in workplaces across the UK, and of the Resolution Framework™, which has been adopted by numerous organisations to replace their discipline and grievance procedures. He was also named one of Human Resources Most Influential Thinkers in 2021. To find out more about David and the TCM Group go to: Website: https://thetcmgroup.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liddledavid/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/david_liddle To find out more about Fitvision find us at: Website - www.fitvision.ie Instagram - @fitvision Email - Info@fitvision.ie

In our latest episode, we are joined by Sophie Moran, Programme Manager at IBEC. Sophie is responsible for managing the initiatives and programmes run with IBEC's KeepWell Mark (Ireland's Corporate Wellbeing Benchmark). The KeepWell Mark is a badge of honour for many of Ireland's largest companies, it stands as a clear commitment to improving and developing employee wellbeing within the organisation. In our conversation, we discuss the importance of organisations looking at excelling in employee wellbeing as a strategic objective not just as a tick-the-box exercise. And, although, in some cases, initiatives cannot be measured in a binary fashion they have long-lasting effects on the overall performance of the employee. Mark and Sophie also have a closer look at some of the very intriguing research completed by IBEC recently which looks at how wellbeing is viewed in the workplace and what key insights have been highlighted throughout. If you would like to find out more about the Sophie Moran and the KeepWell Mark follow the links below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiemoran/ KeepWell Mark: https://www.ibec.ie/employer-hub/corporate-wellness/the-keepwell-mark-public-page KeepWell Summit: https://www.ibec.ie/connect-and-learn/events/upcoming-events/2022/keepwell-summit-2022/general-details To find out more about Fitvision find us at: Website - www.fitvision.ie Instagram - @fitvision Email - Info@fitvision.ie

Ruth McCarthy is a Thought Leader in the space of the Thinking Environment. She is a facilitator, coach, teacher, and speaker on all things involved in fostering and introducing a thinking environment into any situation. In this week's podcast, Mark and Ruth discuss how to create the thinking environment within our teams and the impact that this can have, not only, on the projection of the team but, also on each team member's career. Ruth breaks down the ten components that lead to such a beneficial environment tying in neuroscience and psychology while also dispelling the old saying to "Pay Attention" and turning it into "Giving Attention". Don't miss out on this episode you are sure to learn something new that could have an impact on you in the future. Find out more about Ruth and her work through the below links: Website: https://www.thinkitthrough.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ruthmccarthy100 To find out more about Fitvision find us at: Website - www.fitvision.ie Instagram - @fitvision Email - Info@fitvision.ie

The Fitvision Podcast is back! We are delighted to have Fiona Descoteaux, Founder & CEO Innovate Communities as our first guest joining us as we get kick started into our new season. Fiona has a wealth of experience working across non profit organisations and the local development and social enterprise sectors. Innovate Communities works within communities to create solutions that lead to sustainable and long term improvements within the locality. On this episode of the Fitvision Podcast Mark and Fiona discuss the all too common cognitive barrier of imposter syndrome. In many cases this can be debilitating when you are trying to progress in your career but there are ways to overcome it which we identify today. Also we look at where our passion comes from and how we can use that passion to push ourselves onto greater heights. If you would like to find out more about Fiona or Innovate Communities see below: LinkedIn: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/fionadescoteaux Website: www.innovatecommunities.ie To find out more about Fitvision find us at: Website - www.fitvision.ie Instagram - @fitvision Email - Info@fitvision.ie

On this week's episode we are very excited to be joined by Mark Watson, CEO of ABI Wellness and host of the Brain Mastery podcast. Mark has dedicated his life to helping those with traumatic brain injuries recover and rehabilitate while looking to pass this knowledge on through teaching and education. In our conversation today we speak about how vital it is to surround yourself with people who can challenge you and who you can learn from as mentors and contemporaries. Mark explores how we can make long term changes within our cognitive functions and how we can embrace a more beneficial inner dialogue to help reinforce a positive mindset. Throughout the podcast Mark passes on some fantastic reading and listening recommendations for anyone looking to boost their performance, make sure you all listen out for them. To find out more about Mark Watson find him at: Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/brain-mastery/id1551522379 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-watson-ma-a310b626/?originalSubdomain=ca Website: https://www.abiwellness.com/ To find out more about FitVision find us at: Website - www.fitvision.ie Instagram - @fitvision Email - Info@fitvision.ie

On episode 4 of Lessons Learnt From Lockdown we are delighted to be joined by Pamela Laird, Founder and CEO of Moxi Loves an Irish based cosmetics company making waves at home and abroad. Pamela is coming off the back of successful appearances on not only the Irish Dragons' Den but also on the UK Apprentice making the final 3 contestants. Mark and Pamela speak to the experiences of an entrepreneur, from managing the highs and lows of business, to dealing with imposter syndrome and trusting your gut when making big decisions. They also discuss Pamela's journey building a business concept into an organisation selling products around the world and how to navigate some of the common traps along the way. This episode is not to be missed. If you would like to find out more about Pamela and Moxi Loves find her at: Website: www.moxiloves.com Instagram: @moxiloves LinkedIn: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/pamela-laird-471852150 To find out more about FitVision find us at: Website - www.fitvision.ie Instagram - @fitvision Email - Info@fitvision.ie

On this week's episode of Lessons Learnt From Lockdown, Mark was joined by Tony McDonnell who was recently named Global Head of Alternative Investments for HSBC Securities Services. A former highly competitive football player for UCD AFC with over 300 appearances for the club, Tony has now become one of Ireland's leading names in hedge fund and private assets strategy. In their conversation Mark asks Tony to reflect on his journey as an executive and athlete and to pinpoint some of the key building blocks to his success. Tony speaks to the importance of developing resilience in order to lead and they also delve into effective management and leadership practices. They also discuss the process of building mental skills that assist us in all aspects of life. We hope you enjoy this episode as for us, it is a must listen packed with some fantastic insights into leadership, resilience and decision making. To find out more about FitVision find us at: Website - www.fitvision.ie Instagram - @fitvision Email - Info@fitvision.ie