In this episode, Richard Tubb speaks to Polly Brennan, a renowned mental fitness coach. She supports organisations to bring themselves back to a healthier mindset, boosting resilience and wellbeing no matter what comes along.

Polly explains what mental fitness is, her approach to it and her journey from the NHS to running her business. She and Richard discuss why we should all talk about mental health and normalise the challenges people have.

Polly shares her thoughts on how MSP owners can bring the spirit of adventure into their workplace culture, why they need to give their team permission to make mistakes and how to build a connected team.

Richard asks Polly for some practical advice on how to manage wellbeing, how to create a workplace culture where mental health is openly talked about and how leaders can not only support their employees but manage their own mental health.

Polly explains why multitasking doesn’t work and why everyone needs a coach, even coaches. She also explains why simplicity and consistency are key for mental fitness and how we can all learn to be more resilient, as well as one daily habit to strengthen yours.

Richard and Polly discuss why you should start and end your day with intention and some quick tricks to get out of work mode at the end of the day, as well as why breathwork and meditation are beneficial.

Richard asks Polly about the biggest adventure of her career so far, her new membership and why she’s a Brené Brown coach. Polly talks about firewalking and glass walking and shares the books and people who’ve inspired her.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Polly’s website: Adventurous Coaching
• Koast Radio
• Richard’s interview on Koast Radio
• Richard's book: The IT Business Owner's Survival Guide
• Academic: Brené Brown
• Personality profiling: i3 profiling
• Team communication tool: Slack
• Slack polling tool: Geekbot
• Podcast interview with Kevin O' Laughlin of Nostra IT
• Podcast interview with Dray Aga of Huntress
• Free download: five first steps for MSP owners noticing mental strain
• Speaker and author: Karl Palachuk
• Podcast interview with Nigel Moore of The Tech Tribe
• Podcast interview with Dan Scott of Evolve/IT Nation
• Polly’s online on demand mental fitness programme: Adventure Map
• Polly's membership: The Adventure Club
• Logi Firewalking
• Performing circus: Let’s Circus
• Comedian: Cal Halbert
• Book: Bob Burg: The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea
• Book: Bill Perkins: Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life
• Book: Hugh van Cuylenburg: The Resilience Project: Finding Happiness Through Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness
• Book: Belinda Kirk: Adventure Revolution: The life-changing power of choosing challenge
• Book: Brené Brown: Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
• Brené Brown leadership programme: Dare to Lead
• Connected Coaching Northeast