IAM866- Consultant Helps Leaders Achieve Mental Resilience

Maureen is a Neuroleadership & Resilience consultant, award speaker, and neuro-coach. Maureen works with leaders worldwide – helping them achieve mental resilience, increased performance, productivity, and profitability by leveraging brain science to change behaviors and habits to be conscious leaders.

• CEO Hack: Planning my day effectively in the morning
• CEO Nugget: Develop self-awareness, re-wire your brain, and become limitless
• CEO Defined: Being the leader of your life and busines

Website: https://www.maureenchiana.com/

Online Academy: https://www.themindsightacademy.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureenchiana/

Full Interview:

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Transcription

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00:02 – Intro

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

00:30 – Gresham Harkless

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Maureen Chiana of the Mindsight Academy. Maureen, it's awesome having you on the show.

00:40 – Maureen Chiana

It's lovely and also great to be here today.

00:44 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, absolutely. It's lovely to have you on as well. And before we jump in, I want to read a little bit more about Maureen so you can hear about all the awesome things that she's doing. And Maureen is the CEO of the Mindsight Academy. Maureen is a neural leadership and resilience consultant, award speaker, and neural Coach. Maureen works with leaders worldwide, helping them achieve mental resilience, and increase performance, productivity, and profitability by leveraging brain science to change behaviors and habits to be conscious leaders. Maureen, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

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01:17 – Maureen Chiana

Absolutely. Yes, I'm ready.

01:19 – Gresham Harkless

Let's do it then. So to kick everything off, I know I read your bio. I wanted to hear a little bit more about how you got started. Could you take us through what I call your CEO story and let us get started with all that work that you're doing?

01:30 – Maureen Chiana

Yeah, absolutely. So my background is in biomedical sciences. I'd worked for quite a few years in biomedical sciences, in research, and then became a lecturer, and then decided to open a business, which was absolutely fun, but after 4 years had to close it. And at that point, I felt like a failure. I felt that, you know, I felt so vulnerable. I felt ashamed. I just felt so low. But then my, I would say research brain kicked back in and I was curious to find out how people became successful. How did people fail and bounce back up? What was it that, makes them different from others?

Just a lot of questions. And that led me to neuroscience. And I got into neuroscience and literally started researching the brain and I discovered the power of the brain. And I started using that in a way to link it up with leadership, linking it up with managing people, getting teams to work better. And I just discovered the power of the brain in terms of anything we're doing as human beings.

02:42 – Gresham Harkless

Nice. That's so powerful, and especially, you know, resilience is one of those keywords, especially during this time. And I think that often, at least I don't feel like we are sometimes aware of the power of the brain, of the impact it can have on our lives, obviously, our businesses and organizations, us as leaders, the people that are around us. And I love that you've been able to obviously have the science backing in the information, but also help so many leaders be able to, I guess, perfect and increase that impact that they can have.

03:11 – Maureen Chiana

Absolutely. It really just makes a difference. Because once you understand how the brain works, then you're able to understand why you're feeling the way you are, and then you know what to do about it and it just, I find it so liberating, and it just really sets you apart.

03:29 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, and I love that you use that word liberating because I almost feel like sometimes you just think that things are just happening and you don't have any or any at all or any control at all of what's happening. But a lot of times you do if you really can understand the nuances, understand the science behind the brain, and what exactly you can do.

03:48 – Maureen Chiana

Absolutely, absolutely. And just adding it quickly, in this time that we're going through with the pandemic, One of the things that people struggle with the most is that lack of control. Surely when you go into lockdown like we are in the UK now, people just feel that they've lost control, and that creates anxiety. And I just find that, okay, understanding that, understanding that it's a normal reaction of the brain to feel anxious when there's change or when there's uncertainty. So if that's the normal reaction of the brain, that means I can do something about it. And that's the key.

04:24 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. And I love that you added that in because I think so many times we can beat ourselves up over that normal reaction. We can say, oh, I shouldn't feel that way. But it kind of sounds like you're saying if you understand that that is a normal reaction, because there's change happening, but these are the steps or the things that you can do in order to maybe counteract that or to improve your outlook on that or to affect the brain in order to kind of see it as maybe something different than what we sometimes jump to?

04:53 – Maureen Chiana

Absolutely. That's it's spot on. Because once you understand that it's normal, you know what to do, that you know, you're free. Then you can then take those actions. And like now, instead of focusing on the problem, it's now focusing on the solution. What can I do? I'm actually in control. Yes, I'm in lockdown, but I can control my own situation and do something about it.

05:19 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, that's definitely powerful. And I think a lot of times we forget the limits and the energy that we have. And if we put more energy into the solutions rather than the problem that's before us, that allows us to really kind of tap into that CEO entrepreneurial mindset and leadership mindset. And so I know I kind of touched on it a little bit, you know, when I read your bio, could you take us through a little bit more on how you serve your clients and the different ways you help to support them?

05:44 – Maureen Chiana

Yeah, So I've got an online academy, which is one of the main things. I'm so pleased I did that about 3 years ago. I set this up, and it's kind of come out to be fortunate now. So it means that people can just go on and buy the online courses, and do it at their own pace, which is fantastic. And then every month, anyone who buys the course literally joins my leadership community. And every month we have a live coaching session where you can ask questions.

And I also do neuro coaching, which is brain-based coaching. So really helping people navigate through their life, through their business, really strategize in terms of their business. And I have a podcast as well, which is called the Lead to Excel podcast. I'm not very regular, but it's there. And there are a lot of fantastic topics that we've been talking about. So it's one to really look out for. And my main website as well has a lot of information on it, which is MaureenChiana.com.

06:45 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Well, I definitely appreciate that Maureen. And I think definitely, I don't know if you find this or you hear this from people that you work with, having those different ways by which people can take in that information is so huge by of course, being able to go through the Academy or listening to the podcast, or of course going to your site. It provides so many different ways that at the end of the day, people can understand the ways by which they can kind of control their brain or take more control over things that they sometimes realize. We forget that we have control over it.

07:14 – Maureen Chiana

Absolutely. It's really fortunate that we can do it that way. And actually, we also do virtual training, so live training, which is also because some people prefer that, which is fine. But I think the key is just being able to get that information, however, works for it, because we all learn in different ways. It's getting the information and using it. The key is you've got to take action. So it's not a case of you have the information and things will just happen. You've got to work on the brain to change it, but it can be done.

07:46 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, we forget that it's sometimes like a muscle, like you're working in the gym, that you have to work it out on a regular basis. So you do it consistently and then you start to see once you know that change happens all of a sudden you have that reaction that you want to have because you've been working on it over and over again, just like you're doing sit-ups or push-ups or something like that.

08:03 – Maureen Chiana

That's it. So basically what I help you do is teach you how to rewire your own brain. That's it because it's your brain. So you have the skills to rewire it or to reprogram it. And then you can then use it in however you want because situations happen, change is constant, and life happens, but at least with those tools, you'll be able to navigate life better.

08:27 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, and it's so huge because I think so many times we get so obsessed over-controlling things we cannot control, We can't stop or not have there, having been a pandemic and things like that, but we can control our mindset. We can control things and how we react to these certain things. So I love that you kind of arms people in so many different ways with that information and in that knowledge. And so I wanted to ask you now for what I call your secret sauce. This could be for yourself or your business and your company. But what do you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique?

08:58 – Maureen Chiana

I think for me, it's that It's being able to give people the tools to rewire their brains and develop emotional intelligence. Because you see, every thought that you have creates an emotion. And it's this emotion that drives the decisions you make, helps you solve problems, helps you communicate better, helps you form better relationships, and helps you attract the right people. So for me, it's being able to help people rewire their brains, develop emotional intelligence, and basically become limitless. That's mine.

09:31 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Well, I wanted to switch gears a little bit and I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be like an app, a book, or a habit that you have but what's something that makes you more effective and efficient?

09:43 – Maureen Chiana

For me, it's really planning my day effectively. So when I get up in the morning, the first thing I do is my quiet time. So I pray and just really meditate on the past day and what I'm planning to do that day and have a plan of what I want to achieve. I'm a morning person. So I have to do all my real, you know, hard tasks in the morning and get it done so that at the end of the day, I can do things that I don't really need to, I don't need that much brain power. So it's really for me, it's planning effectively each day.

10:22 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Okay. So I wanted to ask you now for what I call a CEO nugget. So this could be a word of wisdom or a piece of advice. It might be something you would tell a client, or if you have to do a time machine, you might tell your younger business.

10:35 – Maureen Chiana

Okay, for me, the key is to develop self-awareness. Develop self-awareness, and learn how to rewire your brain and become limitless. I know I've said all this before, but those 3 things will set you apart. So for some, it could even just be getting a mentor, a coach, or somebody, but it's taking that responsibility to actually do something for yourself, understand yourself, and learn how to take control of your brain and decide, be determined, be intentional about what you're doing so that you can achieve the success you deserve. So self-awareness, rewiring your brain and become limitless.

11:19 – Gresham Harkless

I wanted to ask you my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. And we're hoping to have different quote-unquote CEOs on the show. So Maureen, what does being a CEO mean to you?

11:28 – Maureen Chiana

I think it's being, You know, the CEO is the chief executive officer of your life. Every single person is a leader. And I think that's the key. So it's being the leader of your life. So that's what CEO means to me, being the leader of your life, being the leader of your business. And you can lead your business, you can lead anyone else until you start leading yourself. So it brings us back to that whole point of self-awareness. So it's really been, first and foremost, being the leader of your own life, and then anything else is possible.

12:03 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. I think there's a quote that goes along the lines of, I wanted to change the world, but then I realized I needed to change myself and then the world started to change. And I think that speaks so much to what you're talking about and your definition and that perspective because I think it's so powerful because we're always out, we can often, I should say, be outwardly focused on I want X, Y, and Z to change or A, B, and C to change and they're all outward things when in reality we need to kind of start within ourselves to look at our emotional intelligence, look at our brain, look at all of those aspects and see how we can be the change within ourselves and see that in the world.

And I think that when you start to understand that it's a very powerful liberating, as you said, a place to be. And it really starts to create a lot of phenomenal momentum.

12:49 – Maureen Chiana

Absolutely. And this is saying that goes that you see the world not as it is, but as you are. So once you discover how you are, it then makes it opens your eyes to a lot of other things. And you find that a lot of things would stop stressing you out, or you'll not be anxious about a lot of things, or you manage your expectations of people as well, much better because you're aware that actually what you're seeing or expecting is really coming from you. And once you can manage yourself first, then you'll be able to manage others. So once you can control yourself, then you can be a better influencer to other people.

13:35 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, and that's extremely powerful. And I think that that probably hits home with a lot of people that are listening to this is sometimes when we don't have that limitless mentality or understand that we can do and create anything. A lot of times we have to look and hold up a mirror and remind ourselves that that might be a reflection upon us and our limiting beliefs, our mindset, our emotional intelligence, all of those different aspects, and how that helps us to direct and see the world how we want it to be.

So Maureen, truly appreciate that definition. I appreciate your time even more. What I wanted to do is pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional you can let our readers and listeners know and of course, how best it can get hold of you, find out about the Academy, subscribe to the podcast and hear about all the awesome things you're working on.

14:19 – Maureen Chiana

Okay. Yeah, no, it's basically just being controlled. Take that control back. Shaleen, the climate we're in, there's so much going on, but the fact is that you don't be a victim of life. Don't be a victim of COVID. Don't be a victim of this pandemic. Be in control because the brain belongs to you the same way you learn how to drive, the same way you learn how to do things. It's the same way you can actually train your brain to do what you want it to do. So that would be my key thing. And if anyone wants to get in touch with me, you can visit my website at maureenchiana.com or the Mindsight Academy. There are courses there that will help you. There's a course on building resilience so that you can thrive through times of uncertainty.

It's a fantastic course and it's one that anyone can do whether you're in business or whether it's for your career to literally help you achieve that resilience because you know being able to adapt to different situations is key now because things are changing. We're not going back to the way things are. There's been a shift. So how well are you adapting? So all this will help you adapt to the change. And if you need coaching or we don't want to work coaching by all means get in touch. I'd love to hear from you. So yeah, and it's been a great pleasure being here today. So I've really had fun.

15:42 – Gresham Harkless

Maureen, thank you so much. Pleasure. Definitely all ours. And we will have the links and information in the show notes as well too so that everybody can follow up with you and see all the awesome work that you're doing I appreciate that reminder and the work that you're doing because like you said you know we're in the new normal things are not going to go backward they're not going to go back to how they are. As soon as we understand that, it allows us to put our energy toward the solutions and figure out how to reinvent ourselves, our businesses, and so many other aspects. And when we're spending time there, really allows the true entrepreneur, CEO, and business owner to flourish and blossom. So appreciate you for the work you do again, and I hope you have a great rest of the day.

15:38 – Outro

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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