Power In Excellence

Dr John
  • 5.0 (6)
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES

Unleash your brilliance with The Power In Excellence Podcast, hosted by Dr. John! Dive into a transformative journey exploring the dynamic intersections of self development, management psychology, leadership, and personal power. Each episode is packed with expert insights and practical strategies to thrive in the competitive business landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your career, Dr. John's engaging discussions will equip you with the tools you need to excel and navigate the complexities of the business world with confidence. Take full advantage of the opportunity to elevate your skills and achieve excellence—tune in and subscribe now!

  1. The Interview: Haleh Fardi CVO ProCFO Partners

    19H AGO

    The Interview: Haleh Fardi CVO ProCFO Partners

    The Interview: Haleh Fardi, Co-Founder & Chief Visionary Officer, ProCFO Partners What does a CFO actually do—and why do so many organisations wait too long to bring one into the business? In this episode of the Power in Excellence Podcast, Dr John sits down with Haleh Fardi, Co-Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of  ProCFO Partners, for a candid discussion about the evolving role of the CFO and the strategic value that financial leadership brings to organisations. Together, they explore the power dynamics between CEOs and CFOs, the psychology of leadership and identity, French and Raven’s Five Bases of Power, how context affects communication, and the growing importance of fractional CFOs in helping organisations scale effectively without the need for a full-time finance executive. Whether you’re a business owner, senior leader, finance professional, or simply interested in how influence, power, and decision-making shape organisational success, this conversation offers valuable insights into one of the most misunderstood roles in business. In this episode: • What fractional CFOs do and how they support organisations • Why many businesses underestimate the importance of financial leadership • The power dynamics between CEOs and CFOs • French and Raven’s Five Bases of Power in practice • Identity, influence, and executive decision-making • Common misconceptions about the CFO role A thoughtful and refreshingly honest conversation about leadership, finance, power, and organisational success. Subscribe now and make sure you never miss an episode. Support the show Dr John McMahon is a Leadership Psychologist and Executive Coach. He holds a PhD in Management Psychology, and MBA. He has worked with senior leaders, boards, founders, and executive teams across industries and continents. WhatsApp +44 7860 625551 for more information or to enquire about working with Dr John

    28 min
  2. The Interview: Shivana Laughlin, CEO International Shipping Limited

    MAY 5

    The Interview: Shivana Laughlin, CEO International Shipping Limited

    What does it really take to lead when the pressure isn’t just professional… but personal? In this episode of the Power in Excellence Podcast, Dr John sits down with Shivana Laughlin, CEO of International Shipping Limited in Trinidad and Tobago, for a candid conversation about leadership in one of the most demanding environments imaginable. This isn’t just a story about business. It’s a story about legacy. Shivana leads a company founded by her parents—stepping into a role shaped by history, expectation, and responsibility. But beyond that, she operates in a global industry where perception matters, and where assumptions about small Caribbean nations can quietly shape opportunity. And layered on top of it all… the often unspoken reality of being a young female CEO, navigating bias, credibility, and influence in rooms where judgement can form before a single word is spoken. In this conversation, we explore: What it really means to run a family business—and the pressures that come with itHow bias shows up in global business (and how to handle it without losing authority)The psychology of credibility, perception, and powerHow leaders maintain control when so much is outside of itAnd how to carry legacy… while still building something that is distinctly your ownThis is a conversation about leadership beyond the surface. About the unseen dynamics shaping every interaction. And about what it takes to lead with clarity, composure, and conviction—when the stakes are high. Listen now and discover what power really looks like in practice. Subscribe now and make sure you never miss an episode. Support the show Dr John McMahon is a Leadership Psychologist and Executive Coach. He holds a PhD in Management Psychology, and MBA. He has worked with senior leaders, boards, founders, and executive teams across industries and continents. WhatsApp +44 7860 625551 for more information or to enquire about working with Dr John

    32 min
  3. The Unseen Advantage 7: Identity

    MAY 2

    The Unseen Advantage 7: Identity

    We like to think we know who we are. But what if that “identity” is less of a truth… and more of a story that our brain has rehearsed so often, it stopped asking whether it’s accurate? In this episode of The Unseen Advantage, Dr John explores one of the most powerful—and limiting—psychological forces shaping our behaviour: identity. Why do we stay stuck in patterns that no longer serve us? Why do capable people underperform in environments where they should thrive? And why does change feel so uncomfortable—even when we consciously want it? The answer sits deeper than habits, deeper than motivation. It sits in the way our brains construct and protect identity. Drawing on research from cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and behavioural science, we unpack how identity is formed, why it resists change, and how it quietly dictates performance, leadership, relationships—and even our perception of reality. This isn’t about “reinventing yourself” with surface-level affirmations. It’s about understanding the hidden architecture of who we believe we are… and how that belief shapes everything. Because once you see identity clearly, you realise something uncomfortable: You’re not just playing the game. You’ve been playing a role. References Daryl Bem (1972). Self-Perception Theory. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. Claude Steele (1988). The Psychology of Self-Affirmation: Sustaining the Integrity of the Self. In Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. Hazel Markus (1977). Self-Schemata and Processing Information About the Self. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Dan P McAdams (2001). The Psychology of Life Stories. Review of General Psychology. Leon Festinger (1957). A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Stanford University Press. Elliot Aronson (1999). Dissonance, Hypocrisy, and the Self-Concept. In Cognitive Dissonance: Progress on a Pivotal Theory in Social Psychology. Karl Friston (2010). The Free-Energy Principle: A Unified Brain Theory? Nature Reviews Neuroscience. Andy Clark (2013). Whatever Next? Predictive Brains, Situated Agents, and the Future of Cognitive Science. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Lisa Feldman Barrett (2017). How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. James Clear (2018). Atomic Habits. Avery. Charles Duhigg (2012). The Power of Habit. Random House. Wendy Wood (2019). Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Jerome Bruner (1991). The Narrative Construction of Reality. Critical Inquiry. Erving Goffman (1959). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Anchor Books. Paul Ricoeur (1992). Oneself as Another. University of Chicago Press. Albert Bandura (1997). Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. Freeman. Carol Dweck (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House. Roy Baumeister (1998). The Self. In The Handbook of Social Psychology. Subscribe now and make sure you never miss an episode. Support the show Dr John McMahon is a Leadership Psychologist and Executive Coach. He holds a PhD in Management Psychology, and MBA. He has worked with senior leaders, boards, founders, and executive teams across industries and continents. WhatsApp +44 7860 625551 for more information or to enquire about working with Dr John

    25 min
  4. The Unseen Advantage 6: The Illusion of Control

    APR 17

    The Unseen Advantage 6: The Illusion of Control

    Why do smart, capable people keep pushing harder… and still not get the result? In this episode of The Unseen Advantage, Dr John explores one of the most subtle and costly traps in leadership, performance, and decision-making: the illusion of control. Drawing on the groundbreaking research of Ellen Langer, alongside behavioural science from gambling psychology and organisational performance, this episode unpacks why effort often feels like progress—even when nothing is actually changing. Through the story of a CEO navigating a stalled deal, a disengaged team, and board-level pressure, you’ll see how control quietly replaces clarity… and why that’s where performance begins to break down. This episode introduces key Power in Excellence concepts including: The difference between control and influenceWhy perception—not reality—drives behaviourHow the “Loop of Excellence” replaces reaction with precisionThe hidden cost of over-ownership (the Victim Virus in disguise)If you’ve ever found yourself pushing harder on something that should be working—but isn’t—this episode will change how you see it. And once you see it… you can’t unsee it. References Ellen Langer (1975). The Illusion of Control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32(2), 311–328.Langer, E. J. (1983). The Psychology of Control. Sage Publications.Grupe, D. W., & Nitschke, J. B. (2013). Uncertainty and anticipation in anxiety: An integrated neurobiological and psychological perspective. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 14(7), 488–501.Friston, K. (2010). The free-energy principle: A unified brain theory? Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 11(2), 127–138.Clark, A. (2013). Whatever next? Predictive brains, situated agents, and the future of cognitive science. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 36(3), 181–204.Dixon, M. J., Harrigan, K. A., Sandhu, R., Collins, K., & Fugelsang, J. A. (2010/2013). Losses disguised as wins and near-misses in modern slot machines. Journal of Gambling Studies.Clark, L. (2010). Decision-making during gambling: An integration of cognitive and psychobiological approaches. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 365(1538), 319–330.Schüll, N. D. (2012). Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas. Princeton University Press.Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “What” and “Why” of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268.Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness. Guilford Press.Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. Springer Publishing.Gallup (2020). State of the Global Workplace Report.Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Hayes, T. L. (2002). Business-unit-level relationship between employee satisfaction, engagement, and business outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology.Subscribe now and make sure you never miss an episode. Support the show Dr John McMahon is a Leadership Psychologist and Executive Coach. He holds a PhD in Management Psychology, and MBA. He has worked with senior leaders, boards, founders, and executive teams across industries and continents. WhatsApp +44 7860 625551 for more information or to enquire about working with Dr John

    24 min
  5. The Unseen Advantage 5: Conflict

    MAR 23

    The Unseen Advantage 5: Conflict

    Conflict isn’t the problem. Avoided conflict is. In this episode of The Unseen Advantage, Dr John explores why the most effective teams don’t avoid disagreement — they use it to think better, decide faster, and perform at a higher level. Because behind every tense meeting, awkward silence, or “let’s take this offline” moment… there’s usually something more important going unsaid. You’ll discover: The critical difference between task conflict and relationship conflict — and why one improves performance while the other destroys itWhy smart people still argue poorly (hint: it’s not about intelligence)How ego, identity, and status threat quietly derail conversationsThe hidden cost of “alignment” — and how teams drift into polite dysfunctionWhy conflict often disappears in meetings… but reappears in corridorsHow leaders unintentionally shut down disagreement in the first three seconds of reactionPractical ways to keep conflict focused, productive, and psychologically safeDrawing on organisational psychology, neuroscience, and real-world leadership experience, this episode shows how to transform conflict from something teams avoid… into something they rely on. Because high-performing teams don’t eliminate friction. They make it useful. References Jehn, K. A. (1995). A multimethod examination of the benefits and detriments of intragroup conflict. Administrative Science Quarterly. Jehn, K. A. (1997). A qualitative analysis of conflict types and dimensions in organizational groups. Administrative Science Quarterly. Rock, D. (2008). SCARF: A brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others. NeuroLeadership Journal. Kunda, Z. (1990). The case for motivated reasoning. Psychological Bulletin. Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly. Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Detert, J. R., & Burris, E. R. (2007). Leadership behavior and employee voice: Is the door really open? Academy of Management Journal. Janis, I. L. (1972). Victims of Groupthink. Houghton Mifflin. Subscribe now and make sure you never miss an episode. Support the show Dr John McMahon is a Leadership Psychologist and Executive Coach. He holds a PhD in Management Psychology, and MBA. He has worked with senior leaders, boards, founders, and executive teams across industries and continents. WhatsApp +44 7860 625551 for more information or to enquire about working with Dr John

    24 min
  6. The Unseen Advantage 4: Trust

    MAR 4

    The Unseen Advantage 4: Trust

    In this episode of The Unseen Advantage, we explore why trust is not a soft leadership virtue but the invisible infrastructure of every organisation. When trust is strong, teams speak openly, surface problems early, and collaborate freely. When it weakens, conversations become cautious, ideas arrive pre-packaged, and silence quietly replaces candour. Dr John explores the three levels of organisational trust: • Interpersonal trust – the trust between individuals and managers • Team trust – the shared confidence that makes collaboration possible • Systemic trust – trust in the organisation’s processes, fairness, and leadership At the centre of the discussion is the R.I.C.E. model of trust: Reliability – Integrity – Competence – Empathy & Vulnerability You’ll learn why trust builds slowly but collapses quickly, how leaders unknowingly erode it under pressure, and why the earliest warning sign of declining trust is often silence in the room. This episode blends organisational psychology, neuroscience, and practical leadership insight to show why trust isn’t built in speeches or policies — it’s built in patterns of behaviour. Because leadership isn’t sustained by authority. It’s sustained by trust. References Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology. Colquitt, J. A., Conlon, D. E., Wesson, M. J., Porter, C., & Ng, K. (2001). Justice at the millennium: A meta-analytic review of organisational justice research. Journal of Applied Psychology. Dirks, K. T., Lewicki, R. J., & Zaheer, A. (2009). Repairing relationships within and between organizations. Academy of Management Review. Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly. Eisenberger, N., Lieberman, M., & Williams, K. (2003). Does rejection hurt? An fMRI study of social exclusion. Science. Fiske, S., Cuddy, A., & Glick, P. (2007). Universal dimensions of social cognition: Warmth and competence. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. Mayer, R., Davis, J., & Schoorman, F. (1995). An integrative model of organisational trust. Academy of Management Review. Subscribe now and make sure you never miss an episode. Support the show Dr John McMahon is a Leadership Psychologist and Executive Coach. He holds a PhD in Management Psychology, and MBA. He has worked with senior leaders, boards, founders, and executive teams across industries and continents. WhatsApp +44 7860 625551 for more information or to enquire about working with Dr John

    27 min
  7. The Interview: Stefan Farrugia, CEO Eunoia

    FEB 23

    The Interview: Stefan Farrugia, CEO Eunoia

    Power is shifting. Quietly. Rapidly. Subtly. In this episode of Power in Excellence, I’m joined by Stefan Farrugia, CEO of Eunoia, for a conversation that moves far beyond the predictable “AI is coming” narrative. Yes, we explore artificial intelligence — but not through fear or hype. What should we really be concerned about? Is it job displacement — or something more subtle? Is the true risk technological… or deeply human? Stefan brings a calm, strategic lens to the conversation, cutting through hysteria to examine power, capability, responsibility, and adaptability in an age of acceleration. We explore how power manifests in the workplace — how it shifts, how it concentrates, and how it can quietly erode trust. We discuss the psychology of influence, the emotional intelligence required to work with family, and the tension between loyalty and performance when business and bloodlines intersect. But this episode also goes somewhere deeper. We talk about branding. How much power sits inside a single word? A brand is never just aesthetics — it is positioning, psychology, identity. And in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, language matters more than ever. Eunoia means beautiful thinking — goodwill to all — the integration of heart and mind. So I began by asking Stefan a simple question: How important is the brand? This is a conversation about influence in an age of automation. About identity in a time of machine intelligence. About staying human while building the future. If you care about power, perception, leadership, AI, or the psychology of positioning — this one is for you. Subscribe now and make sure you never miss an episode. Support the show Dr John McMahon is a Leadership Psychologist and Executive Coach. He holds a PhD in Management Psychology, and MBA. He has worked with senior leaders, boards, founders, and executive teams across industries and continents. WhatsApp +44 7860 625551 for more information or to enquire about working with Dr John

    25 min
  8. The Interview: Hon. David Agius MP

    FEB 19

    The Interview: Hon. David Agius MP

    What does power look like when it isn’t loud? In this episode of Power in Excellence, I sit down with the Hon. David Agius, MP and Deputy Speaker of Parliament in Malta, to explore the psychology of authority at the very centre of democratic life. From maintaining strict neutrality in a politically charged chamber to presiding over heated debate with composure and control, we unpack what it truly means to hold institutional power — and not be consumed by it. We discuss: The real role of a Deputy Speaker (beyond the title)How neutrality is protected in high-stakes political environmentsHow power manifests in Parliament — procedure, presence, perceptionThe discipline required to exercise authority without egoThe unseen psychological pressures of presiding over democracyThis is a conversation about restraint, responsibility, and the invisible architecture of leadership. If you’ve ever wondered how power works behind the scenes — not in headlines, but in governance — this episode offers rare insight from inside the chamber. Subscribe now and make sure you never miss an episode. Support the show Dr John McMahon is a Leadership Psychologist and Executive Coach. He holds a PhD in Management Psychology, and MBA. He has worked with senior leaders, boards, founders, and executive teams across industries and continents. WhatsApp +44 7860 625551 for more information or to enquire about working with Dr John

    28 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Unleash your brilliance with The Power In Excellence Podcast, hosted by Dr. John! Dive into a transformative journey exploring the dynamic intersections of self development, management psychology, leadership, and personal power. Each episode is packed with expert insights and practical strategies to thrive in the competitive business landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your career, Dr. John's engaging discussions will equip you with the tools you need to excel and navigate the complexities of the business world with confidence. Take full advantage of the opportunity to elevate your skills and achieve excellence—tune in and subscribe now!

Information

  • Creator
    Dr John
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Power In Excellence
  • Show Website
    Power In Excellence