What does championship-level leadership actually look like in real life, under real pressure? In this episode, Matt Norman breaks down a post-game interview that says far more about leadership than football. After Indiana’s historic win over Ohio State, quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s raw, unscripted reactions reveal three qualities that consistently show up in the strongest leaders. Matt explores why being emotive in how you describe success, deflective with credit, and deeply cooperative in ...
All content for Lead With Influence is the property of Matt Norman and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
What does championship-level leadership actually look like in real life, under real pressure? In this episode, Matt Norman breaks down a post-game interview that says far more about leadership than football. After Indiana’s historic win over Ohio State, quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s raw, unscripted reactions reveal three qualities that consistently show up in the strongest leaders. Matt explores why being emotive in how you describe success, deflective with credit, and deeply cooperative in ...
The 3 Ways People Defend Themselves and How to Get Past It
Lead With Influence
13 minutes
5 months ago
The 3 Ways People Defend Themselves and How to Get Past It
When feedback hits a nerve, defensiveness often kicks in. In this episode, we unpack the three ways people protect their self-image—by deflecting, rationalizing, or fishing for reassurance—and how those reactions can block real connection and growth. Inspired by Matt Norman’s article, we explore how to break the cycle of blame and shame, and instead create space for psychological safety, self-awareness, and honest conversations that move relationships forward.
Lead With Influence
What does championship-level leadership actually look like in real life, under real pressure? In this episode, Matt Norman breaks down a post-game interview that says far more about leadership than football. After Indiana’s historic win over Ohio State, quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s raw, unscripted reactions reveal three qualities that consistently show up in the strongest leaders. Matt explores why being emotive in how you describe success, deflective with credit, and deeply cooperative in ...
