Magic in the Room #43: Mindset: An Introduction w/ Special Guest Bob Schooley

February 10, 2021

What is mindset, and how does it show up? If our behaviors are informed or even driven by our mindset, it seems crucial to be intentional about the mindset with which we approach our lives. In this episode, Chris, Luke, and recurring guest, Dr. Bob Schooley, explore central questions about mindset and how it affects the way we show up in the world.

 

What does mindset mean to you? It’s about our attitude that we bring with us every day, says Bob. When Luke thinks about mindset, he reflects on what we believe and how we navigate this world. Ultimately, it’s what we hold to be true and how we get from point A to B in life. For Chris, it’s about the approach he chooses to tackle any given situation in life.

 

Although the hosts in this episode have three different definitions, the bigger question is, where does that belief or that approach originate? In this episode, the team shares their own experiences while also discussing nature vs. nurture and the impacts that both can have on our mindset in our unique development journeys.

 

There are many differences between a growth mindset and a fixed one and inward versus outward. When comparing the high-performance mindsets for leaders, the specific approaches appear to be more successful than others depending on the individual.

 

On his developmental journey, Bob believes that the first step is awareness. Bob reminds himself that he would have a very inward mindset if he were left to his own devices. But as an eternal optimist, he feels very fortunate to be surrounded by focused people with outward mindsets that he admires. They act as his role models who help him evolve and expand his own mindsets.

 

Luke shares how he has observed people living life on autopilot in their career and an inward mindset. But they are now reexamining their mindset and seizing opportunities caused by a disruption to their belief system. Many are questioning why they had put off learning for the last five, 10, or even 20 years. A new growth mindset is encouraging people to invest in their personal development again.

 

Chris reveals a moment where he had a bad mindset and how it was only when he stopped worrying about himself and started focussing on other people that everything fell into place. The hosts are united in never underestimating the power of altering or cultivating a different mindset. It will require some difficult choices, messy work, and a willingness to do things differently. It’s hard work, but it can make an incredible difference to our leaders’ lives and the teams out there doing work every day.

 

If you would like to dig further into your mindset or explore developing your team’s mindset or your entire organization, please contact us. It’s what we do. You can reach Chris, Hannah, and Luke at  info@purposeandperformancegroup.com.

Magic in the Room #200: How to Lead through Polarities

By Sarah Whitfield • May 5, 2026
In this episode of Magic in the Room, Luke and Hannah explore the concept of polarities. Tensions like purpose and performance, stability and change, or accountability and grace that are often mistaken for problems to solve rather than dynamics to manage. Drawing on insights from Barry Johnson’s work, they explain how these opposing forces are interdependent and must be balanced over time to achieve sustained success. Through practical examples and personal reflections, they show how over-relying on one side of a polarity leads to predictable “shadow sides” such as stagnation, chaos, inefficiency, or burnout, while effective leadership requires recognizing where you are on the cycle and intentionally recalibrating. The episode emphasizes that many recurring organizational frustrations are not failures, but signals of imbalance, and offers a more nuanced approach to leadership. One that replaces rigid either/or thinking with flexible both/and awareness to improve decision-making, team dynamics, and long-term performance.

Magic in the Room #199: The Power of Mattering

By Sarah Whitfield • April 7, 2026
In this episode of Magic in the Room, Luke Freeman, Hannah Bratterud, and Chris Province dive into the concept of “mattering,” inspired by Zach Mercurio’s work, and explore why it is a foundational driver of engagement, performance, and culture in organizations. They challenge leaders to move beyond assuming people matter to actively ensuring individuals feel that they matter by being valued and by contributing value to a shared purpose. The conversation highlights how mattering differs from belonging, why it cannot be replaced by perks or efficiency, and how leadership behaviors like attention, recognition, and presence directly shape whether people feel seen, heard, and understood. Through examples ranging from workplace dynamics to broader societal trends like social disconnection, they argue that disengagement, conflict, and even poor performance are symptoms of a mattering deficit. Ultimately, they position mattering not as a soft concept, but as a measurable, actionable leadership responsibility that underpins trust, resilience, and long-term success.
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