Preston Cline, Coleman Ruiz, and the Mission Critical Team Institute share research and explore the questions vexing the most elite teams in the world, from Special Operations soldiers to Firefighters, from Trauma Medics to Professional Athletes, and from Astronauts to Tactical Law Enforcement.
S2 Ep3 Creativity within Mission Critical Teams
Please enjoy Harry's conversation with Professor Kate Stevens and Ben Pronk. Kate is a cognitive scientist and Professor in Psychology who’s work investigates humans interacting with each other, their environment, and with technology. Ben is a veteran and former Commanding Officer of Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment and is now the managing partner of Mettle Global. They have a broad ranging discussion on whether or not creativity is more prevalent or necessary in the MCTI community, or is it merely Harry’s recency/confirmation bias. Below are some of the resources mentioned in the episode. The “Bodystorming” concept - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BodystormingProfessor Kate Stevens research - https://katestevens.weebly.com/Unforgiving 60 podcast – https://unforgiving60.podbean.com/Robert De Cormier - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_De_CormierSimon Rattle - https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tLP1TcwLCvKyakyYPTiKc7Mzc9TKEosKclJBQBv-AjU&q=simon+rattle&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBAU826AU826&oq=simon+rattle&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j46j0i395l3j0j0i395l2j0j46i395.9293j1j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8Books mentioned includeAnne Osborn, Brain - https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Osborn_s_Brain.html?id=IaeswgEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=yMichelle Tucker, Elizabeth Macarthur - https://www.booktopia.com.au/elizabeth-macarthur-michelle-scott-tucker/book/9781925773736.html?source=pla&gclid=CjwKCAjwiLGGBhAqEiwAgq3q_pi-caPN6PV2wXA51LDqq7i1sMHKC2Rw1GB5OgwIeL66JoQJyFPq3xoCX8UQAvD_BwEBruce Pascoe, Dark Emu - https://www.booktopia.com.au/dark-emu-bruce-pascoe/book/9781921248016.htmlDan Harris, 10% Happier - https://www.booktopia.com.au/10-happier-dan-harris/book/9781444799057.htmlMichael Pollan, How To Change Your Mind - https://www.booktopia.com.au/how-to-change-your-mind-michael-pollan/book/9780141985138.html?source=pla&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs8uBkMXK7wIVDpVLBR33-ACXEAQYAiABEgJm5_D_BwENorman Doidge, The Brain That Changes Itself - <a...
6/21/2021 • 1 hour, 35 minutes, 9 seconds
#22 The DR5 Model
The DR5 modelIn this episode, Dr. Zab Johnson, Dr. Al’ai Alvarez, and Dr Preston Cline will break down the DR5 model using a Trauma Resuscitation scenario.The DR5 represents the latest version of the original MCTI Learning Diagnostic Tool (The LERP and then the DR4) that was developed through a collaborative inquiry process between the Mission Critical Team Institute, Naval Special Warfare, and the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative (UPENN), to improve the training for hostage rescue teams. This version was specifically developed for use in medical resuscitation. As always, it is designed as a tool to help Instructor Cadre improve performance within immersion events and is currently being utilized by teams worldwide. Initially created to move past the all too common “You Suck! Suck Less!” instructor/student interaction by providing instructors a more precise language to overcome the Tacit Knowledge Transfer Problem [1]. This is the problem that experts face when trying to explain or articulate their expertise (e.g., Having the skill to ride a bike versus explaining that skill to another). Using research from Psychology, Education, and Neuroscience, the DR5 model breaks down the immersion event into 5 distinct areas of Detection, Recognition, Reaction, Response, Reset, and Reflection. While neurologically, these stages do not behave sequentially [2], the model provides Instructor Cadres a mechanism for specificity [3] to diagnose better and mediate learning within and after immersion events.Guests:Dr. Elizabeth (Zab) JohnsonExecutive Director, Wharton Neuroscience InitiativeSenior Fellow, Wharton Neuroscience InitiativeElizabeth (Zab) Johnson is the executive director and senior fellow of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative. Her research focuses on vision and visual behavior. Her work spans physiological approaches in the retina and early visual cortex to using eye tracking to investigate how human observers look and navigate through the world, how these processes unfold over time and with experience, and the role of social cognition and decision making in these processes. She is an expert on color vision. She received her PhD in Neural Science at New York University. Al'ai Alvarez, MD, FACEP, FAAEM (@alvarezzzy)Assistant Residency Program Director, Emergency MedicineClinical Assistant Professor - Co-Chair, WellMD Physician Wellness ForumStanford University School of MedicineAl'ai is a clinical assistant professor of Emergency Medicine (EM) and an associate residency program director (APD) at the Stanford Emergency Medicine Residency Program. He is the APD for Residency Process Improvement (Quality and Clinical Operations), Recruitment (Diversity), and Well-being (Inclusion). Dr. Alvarez focuses on the intersectionality and interdependence of wellbeing with performance improvement on patient experience, quality and patient safety, diversity, equity and inclusion, and medical education.Additional ArticlesDR5 ModelHigh Performance Resuscitation Teams
5/10/2021 • 1 hour, 22 minutes, 38 seconds
#21 The Story of Wildland Fire and 9/11
Preston converses with ret. Chief Bob Maynes of FDNY and Chief Dan Oltrogge of Wildland Fire on the Southwest Incident Management Team at 9/11.
4/26/2021 • 1 hour, 21 minutes, 27 seconds
#20 The Power of Narrative Medicine
Clare Murphy talks with Dr. Martin and Nurse Griffiths about the world of medicine, how the medical community operates under pressure, how the training shapes the doctor, life on deployment, strategies for coping in crisis, and the power of narrative medicine. As well as how the telling of doctors stories supports doctors to stay in the profession.Reading List:Atul Gawande, Being MortalHenry Marsh, Do No HarmChristie Watson, The Language of KindnessRita Charon, Narrative MedicineKathryn Montgomery Hunter, Doctors Stories,Arthur W Frank, At the Will of the BodyRelated ArticlesPreventing a Parallel PandemicMedical Students Learn to Tell Stories about Their Patients and ThemselvesFrom Doctors Stories to Doctors Stories, and Back Again
4/12/2021 • 57 minutes, 33 seconds
#19 NASA Chief Flight Director Holly Ridings talks with Dr. Preston Cline
NASA Chief Flight Director Holly Ridings' talk with Dr. Preston ClineHolly Ridings was selected by NASA in 2018 as the first female chief flight director. Holly hails from Amarillo, Texas, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University. She joined NASA in 1998 as a flight controller in the thermal operations group. She was first selected as a flight director in 2005. Since then, she has served as the lead flight director for several missions including International Space Station mission Expedition 16 in 2007-2008.
3/29/2021 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 32 seconds
#18 Harry speaks with Dr Deane-Peter Baker
Please enjoy Harry's conversation with Dr Deane-Peter Baker, Associate Professor and Co-Convener (w Prof David Kilcullen) of the Future Operations Research Group in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of New South Wales, Canberra (Australian Defence Force Academy). They have a broad ranging discussion on the morality and ethics related to being in MCTs, including new insights into the ground of moral injury and moral literacy. Below are some of the resources mentioned in the episode. Dr Baker’s new book Morality and Ethics of War - https://www.booktopia.com.au/morality-and-ethics-at-war-deane-peter-baker/book/9781350104549.htmlFuture Operations Research Group - https://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/school-of-humanities-and-social-sciences/research-groups/future-operations-research-groupCharles Taylor (philosopher) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Taylor_(philosopher)Moral Injury, Tom Frame - https://www.amazon.com.au/Moral-Injury-Unseen-Wounds-Barbarism/dp/1742234658Virtue ethics (Stoic/Aristotelian ethics) - https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/Dan Ariely's The Truth About Dishonesty - https://www.amazon.com.au/Honest-Truth-About-Dishonesty-Especially/dp/0007506724/ref=asc_df_0007506724/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=424824574499&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18188439755585565120&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9060880&hvtargid=pla-527466906841&psc=1Deane Baker (editor) Key Concepts in Military Ethics - https://www.booktopia.com.au/key-concepts-in-military-ethics-deane-peter-baker/book/9781742234380.html?source=pla&gclid=Cj0KCQiAv6yCBhCLARIsABqJTjb0pDZLuc7ZkxczuOdn50oRjrmS8LGGcyerzU4rMf7CL0t0UxYYcPYaAgV-EALw_wcBThe Strategic Corporal Revisited (Baker & Lovell – editors) - <a...
3/15/2021 • 1 hour, 42 minutes, 38 seconds
#17 NASA Astronauts Chris Cassidy and Drew Morgan
Please enjoy Preston and Coleman's conversation with NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Drew Morgan.
2/15/2021 • 1 hour, 11 minutes
#16 Harry Moffitt speaks with Peter Ward
Special Operations Group (Victoria Police) - https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/special-operations-group-inside-the-world-of-the-police-other-cops-call-when-they-are-in-trouble-20170621-gwvbfv.htmlSpecial Operations Group (Victoria Police) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Police_Special_Operations_GroupSuffering as Privilege - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/residue-processing-extreme-experiences-preston-cline/?articleId=6658044186366930944Jergertroppen (The Hunting Troop) - https://www.forsvaret.no/forstegangstjeneste/tjenesteguiden/sokbare-forstegangstjenester/jegertroppenJergertroppen (The Hunting Troop) - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23296151.2019.1581434?scroll=top&needAccess=trueThe Legacy by James KerrSuggested Hawaiian Radio Stations - https://www.cision.com/2014/05/top-10-radio-stations-in-hawaii/
2/2/2021 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 37 seconds
#15 Harry hosts Danny Cooper: PhD, SOF vet, ultra marathoner, and stay-at-home dad
The Wanderers Education Program - https://www.sasresourcesfund.org.au/static/uploads/files/wep-wanderers-education-program-2019-wfvdwwznbjgo.pdfDr Jean Twenge – www.jeantwenge.comDanny Cooper - https://komanchi.com.au/Danny Cooper - https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/daniel-cooperThinking Fast and Slow – Daniel KahnemanPapillon – Henri CharriereIditarod Trail Invitational 2021 - https://www.iditarodtrailinvitational.comITI 1000 Invitational – https://www.iditarodtrailinvitational.com/iti-1000
1/4/2021 • 1 hour, 11 minutes, 4 seconds
#14 Harry Moffitt, Director of MCTI_Australia & New Zealand Takes the Mic
Enjoy my conversation with legend and teammate, Harry Moffitt, our MCTI Director, Australia & New Zealand, Psychologist, and Veteran of the Australian Army's most elite unit. Thanks, Harry!The Station Foundation https://thestationfoundation.orgThe COMMIT Foundation https://www.commitfoundation.org/Doug Zembiec https://vimeo.com/169599802Drown Proofing https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/national/navy-video-shows-seal-drown-proofing-exercises/2016/05/12/d4e1615c-1872-11e6-971a-dadf9ab18869_video.htmlPreston Cline - Mission Critical Teams: Towards the Creation of a University Assisted, Mission Critical Team Instructor Cadre Development Program - https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations/AAI10275988/Rhonda Patrick - https://www.foundmyfitness.com/topics/saunaColeman’s reading listBooksBattle Cry – Leon UrisWith the Old Breed – Eugene SledgeThe Bridge at Dong Ha – John Miller Immortality Key – Brian Muraresku The Untethered Soul – Michael SingerFlow – Mihaly CsikszentmihalyiDescartes Error– Antonio DamasioOther Minds – Peter Godfrey-SmithSpark – John RateyThe Body Keeps the Score – Bessel van der KolkThe Hero With a Thousand Faces – Joseph CampbellThe Rites of Passage – Arnold van GennepThinking Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman Antifragile – Nassim TalebThe Undoing Project – Michael LewisLakota Native American music – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcqSm9rRRe0The Externals – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z9n1zOv3co
11/2/2020 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 45 seconds
#13 Mission BBQ CoFounders & Teammates, Bill Kraus and "Newt"
Pleas enjoy my conversation with my buddies, patriots, teammates, and great humans, Bill Kraus and Steve "Newt" Newton!
10/23/2020 • 56 minutes, 56 seconds
#12 Solo Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker and Combat Veteran, Trey Free on: "Making decisions and suppressing demons."
This is my conversation with combat veteran and Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker, Trey Free. Among many other things, Trey reminds us in this conversation that "Quitting is a mindset, not a decision!"*A reminder that anything Trey says here are his thoughts, and his thoughts alone. He is not representing his former or current organization.*Trey is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, then Air Force special operations Combat Controller, a guy I consider an expert in selection, assessment, and training. Trey's a huge part of the MCTI community. He's a dad, a husband, an Appalachian Trail through-hiker, and great American.In this conversation, we discuss selecting and training chess players rather than those who play checkers.- building the race car we need today, rather than fighting the last fight- when Trey realized he needed to change his thinking around professional development, and how to select and train Tier 1 operators effectively- we discuss how challenging it is when as instructors and trainers we try to push/progress training when the only experience we have (the only experience anyone has) is our own.- we talk about moving away from selecting only on tactics and skills, but selecting and training to "Characteristics" such as:- Problem Solving- Interpersonal Effectiveness- Communication- Drive- Stress Tolerance (cognitive overload)We also discuss why training is for certainty and education is for uncertainty- we discuss mental toughness and Trey tells us his 15 categories of what he believes you can control, and need to keep front-sight-focused upon- we talk about peak performance and getting over perceived failures- as it pertains to quitting hard things, Trey talks about "quitting" as a mindset, not a decision.- we talk about residue and transition from the militaryYou can find Trey on YouTube at EarlyRiser71, and see his book release promo at It's Time to Choose.
10/6/2020 • 1 hour, 13 minutes, 32 seconds
#11 After Action Reviews w/ Coleman Ruiz and Dr. Preston Cline
After Action Reviews, by Coleman Ruiz
9/10/2020 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 54 seconds
#10 Cleveland Brown's Director of High Performance, Shaun Huls
Today, I speak with Shaun Huls, Director of High Performance at NFL Football team, the Cleveland Browns. Shaun has worked for 30 years in college sport, military special operations, and professional football in America.In the conversation, we discuss:- sports science and human performance,- we talk about the myths of physical and mental performance,- skill acquisition and skill transition,- staying a white belt everyday,- the origin of one of the NCAA's first strength and conditioning programs in the country,- taking care of the primary "human weapon system," as Shaun describes it to me,- on how you don't have to "get ready" if you "stay ready"- willing oneself to be a great player off of one thing: a routine- removing the word "potential" from your name- growing beyond your mentor- how your primary responsibility on any high performing team is acquiring skills and knowledge, and executing that skill: slow, then at speed, then at speed when fatigued, then at speed when fatigued, and under pressure, and doing so consistently.Please enjoy my conversation with the Cleveland Browns' Director of High Performance, my friend, Shaun Huls.
8/24/2020 • 1 hour, 16 minutes, 38 seconds
#9 Coach Justin Langer on "walking excellence" and living "the reality" (not just "the dream")
This is my conversation with Justin Langer, head coach of the Australian Men's National Cricket team, the #1 ranked cricket team in the world, in a sport that is the #2 most watched sport in the world.From my view, this was a master-class in building and maintaining elite team culture. Justin takes me to school on what it takes to stay grounded while leading one of the most elite athletic teams in the world. Yet, the team's world #1 ranking pales in comparison to Justin's energy and love for cricket that started when he was a child.Finally, straight from J.L.'s epic quote room in Perth, Australia, he reminds me of a few quips that he keeps top of mind everyday:"If you preach excellence and walk mediocrity you're nothing more than a common liar." "The pain of discipline is nothing like the pain of disappointment.""Most people want to live the dream but they can't live the reality."Watch the documentary here: The Test: A New Era for Australia's Team
7/16/2020 • 1 hour, 23 minutes, 32 seconds
#8 Communicating Through Story w/ Clare Murphy
From main-stage theaters to medieval round-towers Clare has been a professional storyteller for 14 years now. She has performed in more than 20 countries, telling stories for all kinds of audiences. Her performances include shows such as “The King of Lies,” political folkloric shows set, and playful pieces which explore where quantum physics, philosophy and mythology meet. From storytelling for the President of Ireland to performing at the Writers room of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Clare also performs at festivals, art centers, universities, public and private events, and she teaches for us at the MCTI. But what Clare actually teaches is basic COMMUNICATION skills!!!Our careers have an arc, our training events have an arc, our more acute missions have an arc, briefings have an arc, the books, and the films we love are based on a well structured story arc, and all of our communications are in pursuit of as much common understanding as possible, or else are we really a high-performing team?We, of course, talk about Clare's background, but we also discuss:speaking in technicolorbuilding contextstories that go nowhere...that never get resolved communicating to one person in order to talk to everyone, rather than talking to everyone which has you talking to no onegetting a team's brain out in the open for everyone to learn from collective experience (we say we want to be a high performing team, not a group of high performing individuals)burning down librariesorigin storiesdiscovering what right looks likeembedding images of high performanceClare Murphy, Irish-born StorytellerStay in touch via our Newsletter here.www.missioncti.com
6/30/2020 • 1 hour, 35 minutes, 33 seconds
#7 Emotional Athletics, Culture, and "Teaming" as a Sport w/ Daniel Coyle
Today, I speak with author Dan Coyle. We discuss LOTS of stuff like emotional athletes, the marshmallow experiment, treating "teaming" like a sport, his book The Culture Code, and the central question of the book, which is "Why do some teams add up to be greater than the sum of their parts while others add up to be less?"Dan reveals what he saw while researching eight teams, teams like the San Antonio Spurs, Pixar, and the Union Square Cafe, by going on site and not looking for traits or descriptors but literally watching what he saw physically, what did people actually do when they were doing whatever it is they do.Daniel Coyle's website here"How Strong is Your Culture" quiz here
6/16/2020 • 1 hour, 28 minutes, 56 seconds
#6 Ten (10) Principles of Navigating Uncertainty w/ Dr. Preston Cline
My conversation today is again with Dr. Preston Cline. We discuss the difference between "safety" and "security," and why it matters. We talk about judgment and decision making, risk-to-force versus risk-to-mission and what it costs you to balance both. We discuss team fluidity, team cohesion, and "user guides." Enjoy the conversation. The Ten (10) Principles of Navigating UncertaintyExample User Manual (here).And stay tuned for my interview next week with author of The Culture Code: the Secrets of Highly Successful Groups, Daniel Coyle.As always, contact us at info@missioncti.com
6/2/2020 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 8 seconds
#5 Touching the Dragon w/ Jimmy Hatch
My conversation with Jimmy Hatch, combat veteran, founder of SpikesK9Fund, author of Touching the Dragon, and one of the most insightful, humble, and honest conversations you'll EVER hear on the broad range of human experience.Touching the Dragon, James Hatch (and Christian D'Andrea)SpikesK9FundMy Semester with the Snowflakes, James Hatch (on Medium)
5/20/2020 • 2 hours, 12 minutes, 17 seconds
#4 Residue & the Hard Path w/ Dr. Preston Cline
Residue Research Paper (for public distribution)MCTI Podcast Website and Links to our Newsletter
5/7/2020 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 55 seconds
#3 The Physiology of Long Duration Effort w/ Dr. Andrew Huberman
This is a conversation with Dr. Andrew Huberman, Assoc. Professor of Neurobiology at Stanford University and Director of the Huberman Lab, and a discussion I’ve been wanting to have for a long time! We discuss the physiology of long duration efforts in rapidly emergent complex environments. Don’t miss this one!!! What it is ACTUALLY like on deployment, Coleman RuizAnd the survey link here for collaborative input Thank you.Spark, The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainMindset, The New Psychology of SuccessLights Out, Sleep, Sugar, and SurvivalThe Gift of Fear: Survival Signals that Protect us from ViolenceOn Combat, The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and PeaceThe Strange Order of Things, Life, Feeling, and the Making of CulturesThe Body Keeps the ScoreEmail us at info@missioncti.comThanks for listening!!!You can download the Associated Research Article PDF by clicking here.
4/24/2020 • 2 hours, 8 minutes, 31 seconds
#2 Swarms, X-Teams, and Routine vs. Critical Communications
Critical vs. Routine Communications Research and Survey link here. Thanks for contributing!You can download the Associated Research Article PDF by clicking here.
4/13/2020 • 49 minutes, 7 seconds
#1 The Mission Critical Team Institute w/ Dr. Preston Cline
