Blog & News

What is a Performance Psychometric? | The Mindflick Podcast

Mindflick — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:14:15 GMT

In this episode, Dr Mark Bawden, Dr Pete Lindsay and Sir Andrew Strauss explore the evolution of psychometrics, from traditional personality profiling to a new approach: performance psychometrics.

They unpack why most psychometric tools stop at self-awareness, and why that falls short in today’s fast-moving, AI-driven world.

Instead, they introduce a more practical approach focused on turning insight into action by embedding better teamwork, communication and decision-making into everyday work.

Listen to the latest episode of the Mindflick podcast now.

If you found this episode useful, hit subscribe, leave a review, and pay it forward to someone who leads, coaches, or performs under pressure.

Manoj Badale: Why You are the Company You Keep | The Mindflick Podcast

Mindflick — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:50:19 GMT

In this episode, we’re joined by Manoj Badale, co-founder of Blenheim Chalcot, one of Europe’s most successful venture builders, and lead owner of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals.

From building and scaling high-growth technology businesses to disrupting cricket with a data-driven approach in the IPL, Manoj has worked at the intersection of business, sport and high performance for over two decades.

This deeply personal conversation explores the turning points that shaped his life, from growing up between cultures after moving to the UK as a child, to realising decades later how those early experiences forged his drive to adapt, fit in and continuously evolve.

If you found this episode useful, hit subscribe, leave a review, and pay it forward to someone who leads, coaches, or performs under pressure.

What The Best Do Differently: 6 Lessons from Series 1 of The Mindflick Podcast

Mindflick — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:13:57 GMT

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In this bonus episode of The Mindflick Podcast, we bring together six powerful lessons from our first six guests — spanning elite sport, global business, engineering, and ballet.

You’ll hear insights from:

Dr Mark Bawden on why focusing on strengths — not obsessing over weaknesses — creates the biggest performance gains, and how leaders often overlook what’s already working.
Joe Root on learning to live with failure, separating confidence from results, and why team success matters more than individual scores.
Penny Hughes on shifting between attack and defence, valuing different ways of thinking, and leading with courage in high-stakes environments.
Gilad Tiefenbrun on market leadership, humility, and how complacency at the top can quietly derail even the most dominant organisations.
Phil Jansen on managing ambition, building healthy internal competition, and why perspective — including knowing when to “smell the flowers” — is a performance advantage.
Iain Mackay on super strengths, standing out within a team, and how elite performers build careers by knowing what makes them different.

If you found this episode useful, hit subscribe, leave a review, and pay it forward to someone who leads, coaches, or performs under pressure.

Iain Mackay on Leading the Royal Ballet School | Mindflick

Mindflick — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT

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Iain Mackay — former Principal Dancer of the Birmingham Royal Ballet and now Artistic Director of the Royal Ballet School — joins Sir Andrew Strauss and Dr Pete Lindsay to explore what performance, pressure, and purpose look like in one of the world’s most demanding art forms.

From growing up in Glasgow and hiding his ballet lessons to leading one of the most prestigious schools in the world, Iain’s story is one of courage, authenticity, and constant reinvention.

In this conversation, Iain shares the turning points that shaped his career — the lessons from a life on stage, the psychology behind elite performance, and what it takes to build the next generation of artists and leaders.

You’ll learn:

How an unlikely start in Glasgow led him to the world stage
Why mindset and resilience matter as much in the arts as in sport
What his grandfather taught him about confidence and perspective
How elite ballet mirrors elite sport in discipline, feedback, and teamwork
Why self-belief and authenticity are key to long-term success
How he managed imposter syndrome after becoming a Principal Dancer
What stepping off stage taught him about identity, purpose, and leadership
Why he believes the next generation of dancers must balance tradition with innovation

Iain’s journey is a rare glimpse behind the curtain of world-class performance — where art meets athleticism, and mindset defines mastery.

About Iain Mackay. Iain is Artistic Director of the Royal Ballet School and a former Principal Dancer with the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Over a 20-year international career, he performed leading roles in some of ballet’s most iconic productions, before dedicating his focus to developing the next generation of performers.

If you found this episode useful, hit subscribe, leave a review, and pay it forward to someone who leads, coaches, or performs under pressure.

Patterns of Play: A View From the Premier League

Mindflick — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 14:47:48 GMT

After James Kerr helped us unpack the deep cultural foundations behind high performance in Part 1 — identity, belonging, behavioural clarity, and peer-driven standards — Part 2 moves from who we are to how we perform when the environment shifts.

The Patterns Great Teams Repeat: Lessons from the All Blacks and Beyond

Mindflick — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 16:04:07 GMT

In September we released our latest Patterns of Play report — a look at how high-performing teams really operate in fast, fluid environments where pressure and change are constants, not exceptions.

One theme cut through the data and the stories: High performance isn’t built in the big moments — it’s built long before them.

Joe Root: The Mindset Behind One of England Cricket’s All-Time Greats

Mindflick — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:17:35 GMT

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Joe Root — one of England’s greatest ever cricketers and former Test captain — joins Sir Andrew Strauss and Dr Pete Lindsay to reflect on the mindset, lessons, and leadership behind a remarkable sporting journey.

From early setbacks in the Yorkshire academy to becoming England’s all-time leading run-scorer in Tests, Joe’s story is one of adaptability, calm under pressure, and staying true to yourself through change.

In this conversation, Joe opens up about the moments that shaped him — the failures that built resilience, the mentors who guided him, and the mindset that’s kept him grounded through the highs and lows of elite sport.

You’ll learn:

How a teenage growth spurt forced him to rebuild his technique — and taught him to become his own coach
Why failure early in his career became a gift for perspective and patience
How to stay composed under scrutiny — and separate confidence from results
The leadership lessons from captaining England through transformation and pressure
Why authenticity, empathy, and connection matter more than authority in team culture
How family and fatherhood reshaped his sense of success and what truly matters
Why stepping down from captaincy reignited his love for the game — and his hunger to evolve

Joe’s reflections are a masterclass in mindset — a reminder that growth comes not from perfection, but from curiosity, humility, and the courage to keep adapting.

About Joe Root. Joe is one of England’s most accomplished cricketers, with over 11,000 Test runs and a legacy as one of the most consistent and respected leaders in the modern game. Known for his calm composure and commitment to team culture, Root continues to inspire through both his performances and his perspective on leadership and life.

If you found this episode useful, hit subscribe, leave a review, and pay it forward to someone who leads, coaches, or performs under pressure.

Phil Jansen: “What Leading BT & WPP Taught Me About Pressure, People, and Perspective”

Mindflick — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:53:16 GMT

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Phil Jansen — former CEO of BT and current Chair of WPP — joins Sir Andrew Strauss and Dr Pete Lindsay to explore the mindset, moments, and lessons that shaped one of Britain’s most respected business leaders.

From his early days at Procter & Gamble to leading global companies through transformation and pressure, Phil’s story reveals how leadership evolves — and how perspective keeps it grounded.

In this conversation, Phil shares the turning points that defined his career — the mentors who shaped him, the challenges that tested him, and the mindset that’s guided every big call.

You’ll learn:

Why Procter & Gamble taught him to lead with focus and integrity — and how those lessons stayed for life
How competition inside teams can be healthy — if led with purpose
Why ambition must be collective, not individual — and how to build belief around big goals
How personal loss and family grounding reshaped his approach to leadership and success
Why his mentor’s advice to “smell the flowers” became a mantra for balance and perspective
How leading BT through transformation required calm under pressure, courage in decision-making, and belief in long-term purpose

Phil’s story is one of energy, ambition, and reflection — reminding us that leadership isn’t just about driving performance. It’s about clarity, courage, and connection — in work and in life.

About Phil Jansen. Phil Jansen is one of the UK’s most experienced business leaders, with senior leadership roles across BT, Worldpay, and WPP. Known for his clarity under pressure and commitment to people, Phil has led companies through transformation, crisis, and growth — building cultures that balance ambition with humanity.

If you found this episode useful, hit subscribe, leave a review, and pay it forward to someone who leads, coaches, or performs under pressure.

Linn Products CEO: Gilad Tiefenbrun on Innovation, Culture, and Building World-Class Audio

Mindflick — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 14:37:12 GMT

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Welcome to The Mindflick Podcast - where we explore the psychology of high performance and the turning points that shape how people think, lead, and grow.

Our guest for Episode 3 is Gilad Tiefenbrun - CEO of Linn Products, the Scottish audio company founded in 1973 by Ivor Tiefenbrun, creators of the iconic Sondek LP12 turntable and industry-leading network music streamers.

Although Andrew and Pete have known the brand for years, this conversation goes deeper - unpacking culture, process, and the choices that kept Linn focused on craft and customers.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why “integration early and often” beats siloed delivery - and how Gilad applied lessons from Symbian to cross-functional hardware, electronics, and software teams.
How to steady a team in crisis - moving from blame to ownership, and rebuilding trust through clear roles and cadenced integration.
Culture you can feel - why process must live within teams (not a separate “quality” function), and how “playing captains” out-perform top-down managers.
Long-term thinking, customer-first - from the LP12’s modular, upgradable design to software-updatable streamers launched in 2007.
On market leadership and humility - how Nokia’s slow embrace of full-touch smartphones became a cautionary tale about complacency at the top.

About Linn Products.Founded in 1973, Linn is known for engineering that lasts - most famously the Sondek LP12, which can be upgraded from any era to current specification. Today Linn builds reference-level audio systems and network music players trusted by enthusiasts worldwide.

About the Guest. Gilad Tiefenbrun is CEO of Linn Products. He spent his early career in UK tech at Symbian before joining Linn in 2003, where he has led the evolution from legendary turntables to software-driven, upgradeable streaming systems — while rebuilding culture around ownership, process, and long-term craft.

About Mindflick. At Mindflick, we help leaders, teams, and athletes unlock performance through mindset. Our performance psychometric and platform have supported Olympic champions, world-class teams, and Fortune 500 companies to think differently, adapt faster, and perform when it matters most.

If you found this episode useful, hit subscribe, leave a review, and pay it forward to someone who leads, coaches, or performs under pressure.

Penny Hughes CBE on Scaling Global Brands, Balancing Risk & Leading Through Change

Mindflick — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 14:04:29 GMT

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Welcome to Episode 2 of The Mindflick Podcast, where we explore the psychology of high performance and the turning points that shape how people think, lead, and grow.

Our guest is Penny Hughes CBE — one of Britain’s most accomplished business leaders, with a career spanning consumer brands, technology, financial services, and real estate.

Penny became the first woman — and youngest ever — to be appointed President of Coca-Cola Great Britain & Ireland at the age of 33, leading the company through one of its most admired periods. Since then, she has helped scale Vodafone to over 100 million customers, chaired Aston Martin Lagonda, guided RBS through the aftermath of the global financial crisis, and led multi-billion-pound transactions including the sale of iQ Student Accommodation to Blackstone for £4.66 billion — the largest ever private real estate deal in the UK. She is currently Chair of Riverstone, Director & Chair of Remuneration & Talent at OFI, and leads the Strategic Advisory Board of fintech Form3.

Although Andrew and Pete have admired Penny’s career for years, this conversation goes deeper — unpacking the mindset shifts, leadership decisions, and moments of courage that shaped her journey.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How Penny led through pivotal moments — from building brands at Coca-Cola to scaling Vodafone worldwide
Why leaders must balance attack and defence — and find the courage to act under pressure
Lessons in clarity and purpose that helped steer RBS through the global financial crisis
The importance of valuing different perspectives and building teams that challenge and support you
Why purpose and profit can (and must) coexist — and how to keep them aligned

About Penny Hughes CBE. Penny Hughes is one of the UK’s most respected business leaders. She has served on the boards of Vodafone, The Body Shop, Reuters, Morrisons, Superdry, Next, Gap, The Gym Group, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, and RBS/NatWest. She is currently Chair of Riverstone, Director & Chair of Remuneration & Talent at OFI, and Chair of the Strategic Advisory Board of fintech Form3. Penny is known for guiding businesses through growth, transformation, and moments of crisis, with a focus on clarity, purpose, and sustainable success.

If you found this episode useful, hit subscribe, leave a review, and pay it forward to someone who leads, coaches, or performs under pressure.