The Matt Townsend Show

Matt Townsend specializes in energizing and involving audiences with his unique approach to building and maintaining successful relationships. Known as one of America’s top presenters in the field of Human Relations and Development, Matt blends humor and story telling with interactive, real-life solutions that motivate and inspire his listeners.

Latest Episodes:

Good Isn't Enough, Gen Z at Work, Power Rangers Mar 24, 2017

Show notes

The Difference: When Good Enough Isn't Enough (16:33) Subir Chowdhury is the chairman and CEO of ASI Consulting Group and the author of 15 books. As a management consultant, he has worked with many Global Fortune 100 companies. His most recent book, The Difference: When Good Enough Isn't Enough, made the USA Today Best Seller List. What is the difference between a good business and a great business? Subir Chowdhury outlines the difference between those companies. Gen Z at Work (1:06:29) David Stillman is the co-author of bestselling books “When Generations Collide” and “The M-Factor: How the Millennial Generation Is Rocking the Workplace.” He has contributed to Time, the Washington Post, New York Times, and USA Today, and has been featured as a generational expert on CNN, CNBC, and the Today show. Stillman has been named one of the “Forty Under 40” movers and shakers and one of 200 to Watch by the Business Journal. Jonah Stillman is a 17-year-old high school senior and currently the youngest speaker on the circuit. Jonah is excited to be the voice of his generation and offer companies and organizations a heads-up about our next generation gaps. Most often when we talk about the “next generation of workers” we refer to them as Millennials. But, apparently, we might be using the wrong term to describe the people who are leaving college and entering the workforce. These people should actually be labeled “Gen Z” and have a lot to offer the future. David and Jonah Stillman, a father and son speaking duo, talk more with us about their book “Gen Z at Workk” and to help us become more informed about what’s to come. Liana Tan - Need for Sleep (1:30:51) The National Sleep Foundation recommends 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night for kids in their early teens. 7 to 9 hours of sleep for adults. In U.S., 40% of adults get less than the recommended amount of sleep. With that in mind, you are probably tired and could use more sleep. Producer Liana Tan shares some odd ways people have found to fall asleep. Parent Previews -

Influence, Procrastinate, Thriving Midlife Relationships Mar 23, 2017

Show notes

Orbit: The Art and Science of Influence (16:11) Dan Mann has previously been a College Professor, basketball coach and VP of Retail for Bachrach men’s clothing. Since then, Dan has developed a sales management program known as GEAR, which is currently used by over 750 retailers in the U.S. and Canada. Dan most recently founded the Mann Group and wrote the book, Orbit: The Art and Science of Influence. There are so many skills that are necessary to being a good leader, but have you ever wondered what the most important skills are? Or how you can improve them? Dan Mann has a few ideas that may help. Why We Procrastinate (1:05:22) Dr. Tim Pychyl is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology, the Director of the Centre for Initiatives in Education and he has a cross-appointment to the School of Linguistics and Language Studies. His most recent book is “Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change”. Dr. Puchyl gives us some tips on beating procrastination. Create Thriving Relationships at Midlife and Beyond (1:55:37) Dr. Gay Hendricks has been a leader in the fields of relationship transformation and body-mind therapies for more than 45 years. After earning his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Stanford, Dr. Hendricks served as professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of Colorado for 21 years and co-founded The Spiritual Cinema Circle, which distributes inspirational movies and conscious entertainment globally. He has written more than 40 books, including bestsellers such as Five Wishes, The Big Leap and Conscious Loving. Dr. Hendricks help us learn how to make choices in our relationships to regain that ‘smitten’ feeling no matter what our age.

White-Collar Criminals, Take Pride, Collapse of Parenting Mar 22, 2017

Show notes

Psychology of White-Collar Criminals (15:55) Dr. Eugene F. Soltes is a Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. His research focuses on how individuals and organizations confront and overcome challenging situations. White-collar criminals are categorized as businessmen or government officials who commit a financially motivated but nonviolent crime. Eugene F. Soltes interviewed 50 former executives about their crimes to learn how they tick. Dr. Soltes, author of the book Why They Do It: Inside The Mind of the White-Collar Criminal, dives deeper into the stories of these once seemingly successful business leaders. Take Pride (1:06:49) Dr. Jessica Tracy is a Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia and a Canadian Institute for Health Research New Investigator. Her work is currently supported by a Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) Operating Grant. Have you ever wondered how some of the greatest leaders became so great? What explains the massive success of Steve Jobs, a man with great ideas but weak programming skills and a questionable managerial style? Renowned emotion researcher Jessica Tracy reveals in Take Pride, each of these superachievers has been motivated by an often maligned emotion: pride. Jessica talks about her book “Take Pride: Why the Deadliest Sin Holds the Secret to Human Success” and what we can learn from it. Makena Bauss - Kids Need to Move (1:32:47) Kids tend to have a great deal of energy. Getting them to sit and listen can be a challenge. New research shows that maybe we should encourage them to get up and move to help them learn better. Producer Makena Bauss with the details. Collapse of Parenting (1:57:07) Dr. Leonard Sax earned a Doctorate in psychology as well as an MD. He established a family practice in Montgomery County Maryland and has built an international reputation as an expert in issues of child and adolescent development. He is the author of several books including his most recent, The Collapse of Parenting. Dr. L

Future of Drones, Body Language Mar 21, 2017

Show notes

Future of Drones (17:22) Dr. Michael Braasch is a professor of electrical engineering at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. He has been conducting navigation system research for the past 30 years and for the past 15 years, his research has included drones. We have heard news stories regarding people shooting drones that they see their property or organizations asking that drones not be used on their property. Although drones were once used only by the military, they are taking on a new role in society such as dropping off packages at your front door. Are drones the future? Michael Braasch explains. Body Language (1:04:44) Vanessa Van Edwards is a Huffington Post columnist and Penguin author. She is a behavioral investigator. She has been featured on NPR, the Wall Street Journal, the Today Show and USA Today. Her science of people approach has benefited both readers and corporations as Vanessa has consulted for multiple Fortune 500 companies. Vanessa Van Edwards shares her expertise on body language Caitlin Thomas - Goodbye to Winter (1:31:55) Yesterday was the first day of spring, and some of us welcomed in some much anticipated warm weather. It seems, that maybe, this winter is coming to an end. So, what things should we be waving goodbye to as spring makes its way in? Caitlin Thomas, a hater of the winter season, is here with us this morning to list off a few things we should keep in remembrance until next winter.

SCOTUS Hearings, Leading Brain, Emotional Suppression Mar 20, 2017

Show notes

Supreme Court and Health Care (18:16) Joe Cannon is our Washington Insider. Joe served as an assistant administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 1983-1985. He was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992 and served as the Chairman of the Utah Republican Party from 2002 to 2006. He was named editor of the Deseret Morning News on December 8, 2006. Joe currently is the CEO of Fuel Freedom Foundation. Joe and Dr. Matt discuss Healthcare issues and Supreme Court hearings Liana Tan - Spring Cleaning (44:00) Today is the first day of Spring. Some people see Spring as a great time to clean up the spaces around you. Some researchers trace the origin of spring cleaning to the ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the springtime memorial feast of Passover. Producer Liana Tan shares some tips to make Spring Cleaning a breeze. The Leading Brain (1:04:17) Friederike Fabritius is the leading Neuroleadership expert at the Munich Leadership Group. As an executive coach and leadership specialist, she has extensive expertise working with top executives from multinational corporations such as Bayer, Audi, Montblanc, and EY. A neuropsychologist by education, Friederike focuses on developing new methods and practices for leadership development based on solid scientific findings. Leadership has long been treated as an art, a fuzzy philosophy based more on fads than on facts. That accounts for the endless stream of “game-changing” management books that seem to come and go almost as rapidly as Paris fashions. It also explains why today’s leadership guru is often tomorrow’s forgotten footnote. But effective leadership isn’t an art. It’s a science. Friederike Fabritius discusses the ideas in her book The Leading Brain, which will help us learn how to become better leaders and reach our full potential. Makena Bauss - Combatting Stress (1:30:00) When you are in a tough situation your stress may be high. People have different ways of dealing with increased stress. One researc

Steven Spielberg, Presidential Power, Ordinary Economy Mar 18, 2017

Show notes

Steven Spielberg a life in Films (17:28) Molly Haskell is a film critic and the author of five books, writes and lectures widely on film. She lives in New York City. From the Jaw’s theme to Indiana Jones's whip, and the creature known as E.T. Steven Spielberg has been entertaining the masses for decades. In her book Steven Spielberg: A Life in Films Molly Haskell looks at Hollywood’s most renowned director and unpacks the director's life and works. Rein in Presidential Power (1:07:47) Andrew Rudalevige is a Professor of Government at Bowdoin College and heads the Presidents and Executive Politics section of the American Political Science Association. His book Managing the President’s Program: Presidential Leadership and Legislative Policy Formulation, which won the national Neustadt prize. Throughout every presidential administration, the executive powers of the President and his branch have steadily grown stronger. Bills like REINS Act and the Midnight Rules Relief Act would provide Congress with powers currently held by the executive branch, but also it would make them more accountable to the American people. Would President Trump relinquish so much power to the Legislative Branch? Return of the Ordinary Economy (1:52:55) Marc Levinson is an economist and historian who lives in Washington, DC. He was formerly finance and economics editor of The Economist magazine in London, worked as an economist for a New York bank, and was a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “Make America Great Again” was the war cry of President Donald Trump. This phrase is often associated with America’s dipping economy. Marc Levinson shares in his book, An Extraordinary Time: The end of the Postwar Boom and the Return of the Ordinary Economy, how this dipping economy might not be reversible. Marc Marc Levinson shares some of his insights. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:17:28 - Steven Spielberg a life in Films 01:67:47 - Rein in Presidential Power 01:112:55 - Return of the Ordinary Economy

Leadership, Leading Unleadable, Beauty and the Beast Mar 17, 2017

Show notes

Leadership Step by Step: Become the Person Others Follow (16:32) Joshua Spodek, bestselling author of Leadership Step by Step: Become the Person Others Follow, is an Adjunct Professor at New York University, leadership coach and workshop leader for Columbia Business School, columnist for Inc., and founder of Spodek Academy. Have you ever wanted to be the person others follow? Or help others make better decisions? Joshua Spodek helps us understand how we can improve both in leadership and in other areas of our lives. Leading the Unleadable (1:05:08) Alan Willett is an expert international consultant, speaker, and author. Alan Willett's latest book is Leading the Unleadable: How to Manage Mavericks, Cynics, Divas, and Other Difficult People. He has worked with companies ranging from 1 person to some of the giants such as Microsoft and NASA. What’s the best way to lead people who don’t want to be lead? Alan Willett shares his thoughts. Liana Tan - Going Green (1:30:43) Today is St. Patrick's Day. A day to celebrate Irish culture or to wear green and have a party. Producer Liana Tan gives us an alternative way to celebrate the day by "Going Green" Parent Previews - Beauty and the Beast (1:52:33) Rod Gustafson from Parent Previews joins the show to review the new movie Beauty and the Beast.

Climate Conversation, Stress-Proof Brain, Smartphone Shyness Mar 16, 2017

Show notes

How to Talk Climate Change Across the Aisle (17:05) Thomas Bateman is a Professor of Management at the University of Virginia. Professor Bateman specializes in organizational behavior. He conducts research on leadership, problem-solving, motivation, decision making, personality, stress, and managerial goals. Current research projects focus on behavior and decision making in the domain of climate change. For all the hot air expended on the subject, we still don’t know how to talk about climate change. Thomas Bateman discusses how to talk climate change across the aisle. The Stress-Proof Brain (1:06:38) Dr. Melanie Greenberg is a licensed Clinical Psychologist, and EMDR Practitioner trained for Trauma, Schema Therapy, and Mindfulness. She is the author of the book “The Stress-Proof Brain: Master Your Emotional Response to Stress Using Mindfulness and Neuroplasticity. She is also a media expert on relationships and stress. Let’s face it- modern times are stressful. Between the mad dash to meetings, the dreaded daily commute, tragedy in the news, and the constant need to do and have more, you may be feeling wound up, irritable, and out of balance. Unfortunately, you can’t always avoid the things that stress you out. But you can control how you respond to stress before it takes over your life. Dr. Melanie Greenberg talks with us about a breakthrough process that will help us put a stop to some of our unhealthy stress responses. Caitlin Thomas - Decluttering our Digital Lives (1:30:17) Technology has a dramatic influence on our daily lives. We depend on technology in our professional lives to complete essential job functions and rely on digital devices in our personal lives to stay connected with the outside world. But, sometimes this leads to us making less human connections and more technology dependency. Caitlin Thomas is here with us this morning to talk about how we can help keep our connections meaningful and our digital media organized Is Your Smartphone Making You Shy? (1:52:56) Dr. Joe Moran is a cult

Ordinary Economy, Work Civility, Superhero Aggressiveness Mar 15, 2017

Show notes

Return of the Ordinary Economy (17:00) Marc Levinson is an economist and historian who lives in Washington, DC. He was formerly finance and economics editor of The Economist magazine in London, worked as an economist for a New York bank, and was a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “Make America Great Again” was the war cry of President Donald Trump. This phrase is often associated with America’s dipping economy. Marc Levinson shares in his book, An Extraordinary Time: The end of the Postwar Boom and the Return of the Ordinary Economy, how this dipping economy might not be reversible. Marc Marc Levinson shares some of his insights. Makena Bauss - Cell Phones: The New Drug (42:14) Studies are showing that teenagers less likely to use drugs and alcohol. Some research is looking into whether the drop in drug use is because teens are finding more stimulation from their constant use of computers and cell phones. Producer Makena Bauss with the info. Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace (1:03:32) Christine Porath is an Associate Professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. She is also a consultant working with leading organizations to help them create a thriving workplace. Whatever the activity bullying and incivility in the workplace is a common problem. So how do we address that issue? Author Christine Porath shares her book Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace Liana Tan - Daylight Saving (1:30:34) Let’s face it ... Daylight Saving time is annoying. The whole "Spring Forward" or "Fall Back" thing can be confusing for some. The time change affects the amount of sleep people get and for some, it takes time to get used to the new schedule. There are some areas country that don't change with the rest of the country making it difficult to figure out what time it is in places like Arizona. What are the pros and cons of Daylight Saving Time? Producer Liana Tan shares what she has learned. Superhero Culture Magnifies Aggressive Behaviors (1:53:4

Presidential Power, Therapy DIY, Chronic Stress Mar 14, 2017

Show notes

Rein in Presidential Power (17:43) Andrew Rudalevige is a Professor of Government at Bowdoin College and heads the Presidents and Executive Politics section of the American Political Science Association. His book Managing the President’s Program: Presidential Leadership and Legislative Policy Formulation, which won the national Neustadt prize. Throughout every presidential administration, the executive powers of the President and his branch have steadily grown stronger. Bills like REINS Act and the Midnight Rules Relief Act would provide Congress with powers currently held by the executive branch, but also it would make them more accountable to the American people. Would President Trump relinquish so much power to the Legislative Branch? Andrew Rudalevige explains. Therapy DIY (1:03:45) Jessica Thompson is a therapist in Jamaica and a Buzzfeed contributor. She was previously a Service Coordinator II, at the Hollywood Homeless Services, for the TAY40 Program at Step Up on Second. Jessica Thompson talks with Dr. Townsend about how to do therapy on yourself. Caitlin Thomas - Why We Love the Bachelor (1:28:36) Well folks, last night something huge happened. Something that will be talked about all across American media for the next week, maybe even two- the Bachelor gave out his final rose. For those who watch or know anything about the show, you know that there are thousands of people, men, and women, across the nation who watch this show. So, why? What is it about this love-searching reality tv show that we love so much? Well, Caitlin Thomas is here with us this morning to help us understand better. Chronic Stress Makes You Fat (1:53:35) Dr. Ron Hager is an Associate Professor of Exercise Sciences in the College of Life Sciences at Brigham Young University. One of his areas of interest is Chronic Disease Prevention. Dr. Hager explains some new finding involving Chronic Stress and weight gain.

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