Welcome to the ChairLife podcast with Tom Cuthbert. As a CEO, coach, and Vistage Master Chair, Tom shares insights, strategies, and tools to help you build a successful Chair practice where mission and purpose intersect with a balanced work life. This is your guide to leading with impact while living with intention. In this episode, Tom discusses high-performing behavior number four on being present, focused, and intentional, and explores Vistage Chair's AI edge for prospecting. Let’s dive in.
High-Performing Behavior Number 4
Tom discusses high-performing behavior number four: High-performing members are present, focused, and intentional.

Stephen Covey says most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.
Being present is hard due to distractions, but Vistage meetings and one-to-ones are the place to practice focus and presence.
This behavior is the most observed in group meetings; it's easy to spot who's engaged and who's not.

Why Presence Matters

Presence fuels trust, the cornerstone of Vistage.
It increases engagement in the moment and ongoing.
It creates meaningful connections; Tom spends 90 minutes monthly with each of 40 CEOs, plus group time—they need undivided attention.
Everyone craves attention, including family; presence stands out in today's society.

Book Recommendation
"The Notice" by Andy Andrews, a gift from his EA Savannah.

The character Jones stands out for helping people see perspectives, being a great listener, and caring deeply.
In every interaction, Jones is fully present, making a big impact.
Link in show notes for the book.

The Cost of Distraction
Tom contrasts presence with distraction, using a squirrel analogy.

Phone buzzes, dings, or vibrations act like squirrels—breaking focus, eroding trust, making others feel undervalued.
Be intentional about removing distractions, especially in Vistage.
Practice phone-free zones to build relationships.

Stats on Multitasking and Context Switching

Multitasking reduces productivity by 40% (American Psychological Association).
Context switching takes 23 minutes to refocus (University of California study).
With 40 CEOs, distraction costs hours weekly; multiply by group size for total impact.

Personal Story on Distraction
Tom shares a story about a distracted one-to-one.

A CEO checked his phone mid-conversation, breaking trust and presence.
Tom addressed it directly, reinforcing the need for focus.
Lesson: Distraction signals lack of value; be intentional to avoid it.

Tips for Avoiding Distractions in Groups

Keep phones out of sight during meetings and one-to-ones.
Use Do Not Disturb mode
Practice presence to model for family and teams.

Tom’s Tips & Tricks: Vistage Chair's AI Edge: Prospect to Peer Power
Tom introduces using Grok AI for prospecting in Vistage Chair practice.

Setup: Access Grok via xAI, integrated with X (formerly Twitter).
Features: Analyzes X profiles, posts, links; useful for vetting prospects.
Use Cases: Search X for CEO prospects, analyze bios, posts for fit; generate outreach messages.
Benefits: Saves time, personalizes pitches; e.g., reference shared interests from profiles.
Action: Try Grok for one prospect search; integrate into recruitment process.

Conclusion
Thank you for tuning into ChairLife. Practice presence to build trust and reject distractions in your groups, and leverage AI like Grok for efficient prospecting. Implement phone-free zones in your next meeting and analyze one prospect profile with AI. See you next time.

Resources
Explore these resources to support your Vistage Chair practice:
www.tomcuthbert.com
www.chairlifepodcast.com
https://www.amazon.com/Indistractable-Nir-Eyal-Julie-Li-audiobook/dp/B07SV4V6ZK
https://www.amazon.com/The-Noticer-Andy-Andrews-audiobook/dp/B0024L18RC/
https://grok.com/
https://claude.ai/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13iLV46Adox1-MxUD3TURt5GgQnbMBQe9xYhise99VSU/edit?usp=sharing