Alan Watkins - What's the difference between mental health and emotional self-regulation?

The Future Talent Learning Podcast

Access the podcast transcript here.

Are we unhealthily obsessed with mental health? What does ‘mental health’ mean in an organisational context? And is it really good for us to switch off and take a break?

To explore this question, Ross G and Ross D are joined by Dr Alan Watkins, a physician-turned-leadership-consultant. Alan now runs a leadership consultancy and coaching business called ‘Complete’. He also writes on a variety of topics, from leadership issues to how to tackle the world’s toughest problems.

We discuss:

• Why the common understanding of ‘mental health’ is completely wrong
• Whether we can really ‘switch off and relax’
• How learning about our emotions can help us – and our teams – improve our performance.

Episode Timestamps

• Introduction and defining mental health [00:00:54]
• The role of emotions in decision-making [00:18:20]
• Emotional literacy and regulation [00:26:00]
• Addressing emotional issues in organizations [00:29:08]
• Taking ownership and emotional sovereignty [00:32:37]

Additional Information

During the discussion, Alan discussed the case of Phineas Gage and the tamping iron that passed through his brain. See more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phineas_Gage

In ‘One Thing I Learned This Week’, Ross D recommended the Nike Vaporfly range and the issues athletic bodies have with them: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/51324991

Alan discussed the book The Order of Time, by Carlo Rovelli: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/301539/the-order-of-time-by-rovelli-carlo/9780141984964

Ross G referenced Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/440237/project-hail-mary-by-andy-weir/9781529100617

And Ross G also discussed a Twitter thread from @CulturalTutor: https://twitter.com/culturaltutor/status/1538211892707086338?lang=en-GB

You can find out more about Alan on his website: https://complete-coherence.com/

See also his TED talks (For example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-rRgpPbR5w), and his book Coherence: The Science of Exceptional Leadership and Performance: https://complete-coherence.com/coherence-second-edition/