logo
episode-header-image
Jul 24
35m 52s

1078: How to Stop Playing Small and Achi...

How to be Awesome at Your Job
About this episode

Richard Medcalf gets to the heart of why so many high achievers get stuck—and offers a transformative solution for reaching the next level.


— YOU’LL LEARN — 

1) Why strategy alone won’t get you to the next level

2) The signs you’re playing too safe or slow

3) The bold reframe that leads to a more meaningful life


Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1078 for clickable versions of the links below. 


— ABOUT RICHARD — 

Richard Medcalf describes himself as "what you get if you were to put a McKinsey consultant, a slightly unorthodox pastor and an entrepreneur into a blender".

He is the founder of Xquadrant, which helps elite leaders reinvent their 'success formula' and multiply their impact. His personal clients include CEOs of billion-dollar corporations, successful serial entrepreneurs, and the founders of tech 'unicorns'.

Richard has advised the C-Suite for over 25 years. After a Masters at Oxford University, where he came top in his year, he joined a premier strategy consultancy and later became the youngest-ever Partner. He then spent 11 years at tech giant Cisco in an elite team reporting to the CEO.

Richard is bi-national English/French, lives near Paris, and is happily married and the proud father of two. He has an insatiable love for spicy food and the electric guitar.

• Book: Making TIME for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful

• Book: The 10X Reckoning: Why great leaders get stuck, play small, or go slow—and how to ignite your life’s greatest work 

• Free digital version: The 10X Reckoning

• LinkedIn: Richard Medcalf 

• Podcast: The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast

• Website: XQuadrant.com 


— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — 

• Article: “ChatGPT May Be Eroding Critical Thinking Skills, According to a New MIT Study” by Andrew R. Chow

• Study: “Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task” by Natalia Kosmyna et al. 

• App: Streaks

• Past episode: 867: How to Stop Being Busy and Start Being Strategic with Richard Medcalf

• Past episode: 1000th Episode Special! 


— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — 

• Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome

• Plaud.aiUse the code AWESOME and get a discount on your order

• Rula. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at Rula.com/Awesome

• LinkedIn Jobs. Post your job for free at linkedin.com/beawesome

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Aug 21
1086: How to Unlock Personal Power and Deep Confidence with Chris Lipp
Chris Lipp reveals the key to owning the room and boosting your confidence.— YOU’LL LEARN — 1) How to end self-consciousness2) A 5-minute ritual to prime your power3) Two behaviors that naturally earn you respectSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1086 for clickable version ... Show More
39m 57s
Aug 18
1085: How to Find More Fun at Work Every Day with Bree Groff
Bree Groff shares the simple but effective strategies for finding more fun at work.— YOU’LL LEARN — 1) The mind shift that helps us find more fun at work2) The 5-minute team practice that drastically improves engagement3) How to find joy during even the roughest work daysSubscrib ... Show More
36m 40s
Aug 13
1084: How to Navigate Change and Encourage Innovation with Jeff DeGraff
Jeff DeGraff shows you how to go from managing change to mastering it. — YOU’LL LEARN — 1) Why facts don’t actually change minds—and what does 2) Why you should seek out constructive conflict3) What to do when you’re overwhelmed with choice Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com ... Show More
38m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2025
Negotiating Disagreement | Robert Bordone & Joel Salinas
In today's episode, we dive into the science of managing conflict and building resilience with Bob Bordone and Joel Salinas, two thought leaders in negotiation and emotional intelligence. Bob Bordone, a senior fellow and former professor at Harvard Law School, is the founder of t ... Show More
1h 4m
Jan 2025
The Science Of Conflict Resolution | Dr. Jim Guinn
In today's episode, we discuss the art and science of conflict resolution with Dr. Jim Guinn, a renowned expert in mediation and interpersonal dynamics. As the president of the Resolution Resource Group, Dr. Guinn has worked with Fortune 500 companies, government organizations, a ... Show More
1h 6m
Nov 2024
Suzanne de Janasz: How Addressing Small Conflicts Can Prevent Big Frustrations
Want to share your thoughts?Fill out our listener formRequest A Customized Workshop For Your Company In this enlightening episode of "Negotiate Anything," host Kwame Christian and guest expert Dr. Suzanne de Janasz delve into advanced negotiation tactics and the importance of sel ... Show More
40m 11s
Sep 2024
Mastering Difficult Conversations: David Dye's Tips on Workplace Conflict
Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company: https://www.americannegotiationinstitute.com/services/workshops/ Join Kwame Christian, Esq., M.A., in this enlightening episode of Negotiate Anything as he welcomes David Dye, president of Let's Grow Leaders and renowned author. Tog ... Show More
27m 26s
Aug 2024
Chris Voss: #1 Secret Formula FBI Negotiators Use To Always Get What They Want & 4 Ways to Apply These Tactics to Your Life
What's a simple negotiation trick you can try today? How can you get better at persuading others? Today, Jay welcomes former FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator and author of "Never Split the Difference", Chris Voss. He is renowned for his innovative negotiation strategi ... Show More
1h 39m
Nov 2024
Jonathan Mahan: Why Traditional Sales Training is Failing You
Want to share your thoughts?Fill out our listener formRequest A Customized Workshop For Your Company In this enlightening episode of Negotiate Anything, host Kwame Christian, Esq., M.A., is joined by Jonathan Mahan, co-founder of The Practice Lab and negotiation expert. The duo d ... Show More
34m 38s
May 2024
ICYMI: Negotiate Better With These Body Language And Boardroom Hacks, with Fotini Iconomopoulos
Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed. Have you ever thought about how the way you sit — and where you sit — can affect the success of a negotiation or meeting? This week we’re throwin ... Show More
7m 12s
Dec 2024
Douglas Squirrel: Productive Conflict Starts With Vulnerability
Want to share your thoughts?Fill out our listener formRequest A Customized Workshop For Your Company In this enlightening episode of "Negotiate Anything," host Kwame Christian sits down with tech expert Douglas Squirrel to delve into the nuances of negotiating and communicating e ... Show More
34m 5s
Aug 2024
The Compassionate Curiosity Framework Explained - with Kwame Christian and Lindsay Andrews
In this insightful episode of "Negotiate Anything," host Kwame Christian takes on the role of the interviewee as Lindsay Andrews sits down with him to delve into mastering the art of difficult conversations through his compassionate curiosity framework. Kwame shares his journey f ... Show More
38m 28s
Jul 2024
How to Embrace Ambiguity When Making Decisions
Making business decisions often means choosing one path over another—but that doesn’t always need to be the case. Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis argue that leaders should move beyond “either/or” choices and try to come up with solutions that embrace ambiguity and paradox. In this ... Show More
27m 30s