Finding Small Wins Dr. Adam Loiacono

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Alex Auerbach, a counseling and performance psychologist, shares his experience as the former performance psychologist for the Toronto Raptors and discusses the importance of mental wellness and health in high-performance sports. He highlights the significance of talent identification and character assessment in hiring personnel and acquiring players. Auerbach emphasizes the role of the 11th to 15th players on a team in building culture and supporting leadership. He also discusses the difference between toxic positivity and bringing good vibes to a team, emphasizing the importance of honest feedback and a balance between positive and constructive criticism. In this conversation, Adam and Alex discuss the importance of focusing on both positive and constructive feedback in order to improve performance. They also explore the process of analyzing interviews and conversations to gather objective information about a person's character traits.

Alex explains that words are data and can provide insights into a person's thoughts and feelings. He suggests looking for patterns and using follow-up questions to gather more information. They also discuss the potential use of artificial intelligence and natural language processing to analyze interviews more efficiently. The conversation concludes with a discussion on balancing intuition and expertise in decision-making and the importance of embracing ambiguity.

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Rick Cost, High Performance Director at US Soccer, discusses the role of high performance in elite sports and how it is being redefined. He emphasizes the importance of creating a high performance environment that is focused on clearly defined priorities, measured success, cooperation, and shared leadership responsibility. He also highlights the key qualities and skills required for high performance personnel, including expert knowledge, communication skills, empathy, collaboration, attention to detail, motivation, and a cultural fit. Rick also discusses the challenges that can lead to unsuccessful environments, such as internal communication issues and unclear expectations.

Rick discusses the importance of communication and relationships in high-performance environments. He emphasizes the need for a common language and the ability to translate rationality into emotion. Rick also highlights the significance of trust, clear communication, and direct communication in resolving issues and achieving success. He shares his vision for the future of high performance, which involves simplifying the environment and focusing on high-impact innovations. Lastly, he talks about the importance of celebrating small wins and creating a sense of belonging within the team.

Sports & Performance Psychiatrist Dr. Brook Choulet discusses mental health, performance, and skills that are necessary to optimize high performance.

Dr. Trevor Rappa takes a deep dive into what successful sports rehab requires and discusses how the industry can progress forward with higher quality care.

Learn from Director of Sport Performance in MLS Jarryd Phillips on his experiences creating high performance with multiple expansion teams.

Former MLS performance and rehab coach Chad Kolarick discusses the management of return to play and realities of working in sports.