As we kick off the new year, we naturally fall into planning mode and setting our work objectives and yet we often overlook a crucial aspect: ourselves. Self-awareness and personal growth is the foundation of effective leadership.
This newsletter draws insights from two episodes of the Get Amplified podcast, delving into the importance of taking time to reflect on ourselves to enable growth and become a better leader.
Foundations of Leadership with Mark Templeton
It was an absolute joy to invite Mark Templeton, former CEO of Citrix, back on to Get Amplified where we discuss Mark’s leadership journey and the lessons he’s learned along the way.
A key takeaway is the importance of self-awareness. Mark emphasises that understanding our strengths and weaknesses is the first step to becoming a better leader. He encourages us to invest time in self-reflection and continuous learning.
Listen to the Episode: Foundations of Leadership with Mark Templeton
Mark tells us,
I never wanted to be a bottleneck to growth. In thinking about how to avoid that, I have to own my own personal development so that I’m not an obstacle to growth.”
At the start of each year, Mark sits down and sketches out where he’s doing okay and where his ‘flat spots’ are. He then considers what could help him address the flat spots, such as reading a book, attending a seminar, participating in an online training course, or going to a conference etc. Each of these activities help to stretch him.
If you’re interested in stretching yourself with some new books, Mark gave us his top five book recommendations which he references throughout the conversation.
Hearing Mark share how reading ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team’ by Patrick Lencioni changed the course of his career, more than anything else, was incredibly powerful.
The Five Behaviors of a Team® methodology is the cornerstone of the Amplified Group approach. We recommend this book to everyone that we work with. It’s written as a fable and is addictive to read. It really does provide a game-changing view on how we interact as a team of people to achieve a shared outcome.
You can read more about our conversation with Mark in this blog
A Holistic Approach to Life and Leadership with Trevor Dias
We kicked off our first 2025 episode with a burst of inspiration from Trevor Dias, a life coach who brings together his unique experiences from sports coaching at Manchester United to corporate leadership roles within the tech industry.
We may think that spending time on our well-being and checking in on how we feel is a luxury of time that we don’t have. What Trevor tells us is that, no, we absolutely cannot afford to ignore our holistic health.
With a collective sigh of relief, we feel as if we’ve been given permission to focus on ourselves. Vic shared an example of feeling guilty for doing a jigsaw over the weekend. Why are these small moments so hard to acknowledge as a good thing?
This conversation serves as a reality check to prioritise our health so that we can perform better in our personal and work lives.
Six Foundational Pillars
Trevor introduces us to his holistic approach combining health philosophies and modern-day coaching as we discuss the importance of merging lifestyle, diet, and career for a well-rounded life.
It was fascinating to chat around how we’ve traditionally turned to physical fitness to define our health. We need to incorporate so much more. Through his own journey experience, Trevor has devised a holistic wellness pyramid that consists of six foundational pillars.
You can find the pyramid that Trevor shares with us via this link: Philosophy, Theory, Methodology
Key takeaways from our conversation with Trevor:
- Well-being is non-negotiable: Prioritising holistic health isn’t a luxury—it’s essential.
- Self-care permission: We often overlook small joys like weekend puzzles, but Trevor gives us the green light to cherish these moments for better personal and professional lives.
- Holistic approach: Trevor’s method merges lifestyle, diet, and career. His wellness pyramid comprises six pillars: purpose, mindset, sleep, nutrition, activity, and training.
- Purpose first: Purpose is crucial as it influences all other wellness aspects, forming the foundation for a balanced, fulfilling life.
- Practical advice: Set boundaries, take breaks, and seek support to maintain energy and focus.
To wrap up
We’ll keep the insights from our conversations with Mark Templeton and Trevor Dias top of mind to keep us in peak performance:
- Practice self-awareness and acceptance
- Make sure you’re not a bottle neck for growth by embracing continuous learning
- Give yourself permission to prioritise self-care
That’s it for this month. Wishing you a successful year ahead!
From the Amplified Team
A bit about us
We help tech organisations execute at speed through the power of TeamX™. As a change management organisation, we help leaders build more engaged, strong, and united teams through a breakthrough business methodology. This is built by rallying behind a common purpose and supported by simplicity in execution – all underpinned by Patrick Lencioni’s Five Behaviors® model.
