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:

Poverty Stoplight, Building Trust, Movies Aug 19, 2016

Show notes

Poverty Stoplight (16:37) Jeff Sheets is currently the Director of the Laycock Center for Creativity and Collaboration here at Brigham Young University. He excels in creating powerful brand touch points through memorable and impactful brand to consumer communication. With more than 3 billion people, half of the world’s population living in poverty and over 1/3 of them living on less than $1.25 a day, poverty is one of the world’s top social-economical concerns. The United States is attributed with 47 million people living on or below the poverty line. Though there is no silver bullet to ending poverty, Brigham Young University students along with prominent non-governmental organization , Fundacion Paraguaya , might have found a catalyst for change. Liana Tan - How to Become an Olympian (39:56) The summer Olympics officially end this weekend, but no fear, you haven’t completely missed your chance. The next summer Olympics are just four years away in Tokyo, Japan and if you’re inspired to compete yourself, one of our producers, Liana Tan, is going to teach you how to become an Olympian. She shares with us some workout secrets so you can begin your own Olympic training! Building Trust in Your Organization (1:01:53) Stephen M. R. Covey is a cofounder of CoveyLink and the FranklinCovey Global Speed of Trust Practice. He is the former CEO of Covey Leadership Center. “Do you trust me?” These words can lead to all sorts of adventures. From Aladdin’s magic carpet ride with Jasmin to big business deals or even turning down a job, these words will likely change your life. How do we build trust? Why does trust matter? Stephen M.R. Covey, author of “The Speed of Trust”, explains why trust is important in all walks of life and how more trust will fix most problems. Parent Previews - Ben-Hur, Kubo and the Two Strings (1:52:23) Rod Gustafson from Parent Previews joins the show to review Ben-hur and Kubo and the Two Strings

Olympics, Uninformed Voter, Why Americans are Broke Aug 18, 2016

Show notes

Olympic Update (16:34) Coach Ed Eyestone is the BYU Track and Field coach. He is one of only four runners to capture the NCAA "Triple Crown" by becoming the 1985 NCAA Champion in cross-country, 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters. Coach Eyestone also represented the US in the Olympic Marathon at the 1988 Seoul, Korea games and the 1992 Barcelona, Spain games where he finished 13th. He is supporting former BYU runner Jared Ward who is competing in the marathon. Coach Eyestone shares his experience at the 2016 Rio games. Liana Tan - Olympics (39:03) The U.S. is still at the top of the charts for the most Olympic medals now. But maybe it’s not all about how GOOD our athletes are, but how MANY there are. There are a lot of countries we are competing against that seem to get lost in the shadows because they only have 1 or 2 athletes competing to represent their entire country. Our producer, Liana Tan, is going to bring some of those lesser-known countries to the light and teach us some of the traditional sports played in the countries that have the least amount of athletes competing in the Olympics this year. Uninformed Voter (1:02:48) Dr. Arthur Lupia is the Hal R Varian Collegiate Professor of Political Science at University of Michigan. Studies decision making and learning. His topics of expertise include information processing, persuasion, strategic communication, and civic competence. With a wealth of misinformation and an ever-growing population of citizen disinterested in politics, many experts think less informed citizen should just stay out of politics. However, our guest today, Dr. Arthur Lupia, argues in his book, Uninformed: Why People Seem to Know So Little about Politics and What We Can Do about It, that we can actually increase competence among voters. Dr. Lupia more explains the issues surrounding political education and his solutions to this rising issue. Reason Most Americans are Broke Holly Johnson is a financial expert and award-winning personal credit writer. The Federal Reserve says the average

Coastal Cities vs the Heartland, Libraries, Economics Aug 17, 2016

Show notes

How America’s Coastal Cities Left the Heartland Behind (12:10) Brian Feldman is a Researcher-Reporter with the Open Markets Program at New America. He previously worked for an education technology company in Cleveland, OH through Venture for America, an entrepreneurship fellowship centered on regional economies. Many of America’s Midwestern cities are experiencing an economic decline with big employers moving to bigger cities or out of the country. While many believe it to be an issue of deindustrialization and the trends in the free market, it may not be that simple. Brian Feldman says that the problems is actually a result of decisions made by “presidents and lawmakers in both parties, influenced by a handful of economists and legal scholars, quietly altered federal competition policies, antitrust laws, and enforcement measures over a period of 30 years.” So why are many Midwestern cities seeing such heavy economic blows? How have laws affected the growth of the cities? And will they ever return to their former “glory days”? What Role do Libraries Play in the Internet Age? (1:00:03) Donald Barclay is the Deputy University Librarian at the University of California Merced campus. He graduated in 1990 from Cal Berkeley with his Master of Library and Information Science. Libraries. What visuals enter your mind when you hear the word library? Maybe an old curmudgeon shushing you, maybe you remember sitting on the floor as a child while hearing a story, maybe you think of hours searching computers and bookshelves for an academic assignment. But is the library a thing of the past? Donald Barclay's research may surprise you. Commonwealth and Covenant: Economics, Politics, and Theologies of Relationality (1:44:11) Dr. Marcia Pally is a Professor at New York University in Multilingual Multicultural Studies and at Fordham University, and is a regular guest professor at Humboldt University’s Theology Faculty. Her research interests are culture, religion, and politics as well as culture and language. Author of Commo

Clinton in Polls, High-Performing Teams, Treat Yourself Well Aug 16, 2016

Show notes

Clinton, Women, and the Election (17:28) Dr. Leslie Caughell is a Professor of American politics & Gender and Women's Studies at Virginia Wesleyan College. Shem ajored in Political Science at the University of Illinois. What is the impact of Hillary Clinton's run at the prediency? “I may become the first woman president, but one of you is next,” Hillary Clinton said addressing young girls during her speech at the Democratic National Convention. Hillary’s campaign has continued to emphasize the historic nature of her candidacy, but will this help or hurt her chances? Dr. Caughell with the info. Great Teams (1:03:52) Dan Yaeger is an award-winning keynote speaker, business leadership coach, an eight-time New York Times Best-selling author, longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, and author of Great Teams: 16 things high performing organizations do differently. The Rio Olympics have already shown us what teams can do, whether it’s the USA’s dominant gymnastics team, the star power of their women’s swimming relays, or the superstar filled basketball team. That raises the question. What makes one team great and others just okay? Treat Yourself Well Dr. Ron Hager is an Associate Professor of Exercise Sciences in the College of Life Sciences at Brigham Young University. His area of expertise is Chronic Disease Prevention. Dr. Hager discusses how we should stop using the doctors office like it is a repair shop.

Trump vs. Media, Strengthen Marriage, Smarter Parenting Aug 15, 2016

Show notes

Trump vs. The Media (17:34) Joe Cannon is our Washington Insider. Joe served as an assistant administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 1983-1985. Was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992. He 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. Townsend discuss Donald Trumps recent comments about the media and Hillary Clinton and Congress. Strengthening Your Marriage (1:02:55) Heather Johnson, M.S., has been an adjunct faculty member at Brigham Young University for nearly 10 years. She is passionate about teaching students the principles behind successful families and the importance of families spending time together. Heather shares with Dr. Matt tips to strengthen your marriage. Psychologically Smarter Parenting (1:45:16) Kim Giles, President and founder of Clarity Point Life Coaching. Named one of the top 20 advice gurus in the country by Good Morning America in 2010. Writes a regular column on KSL.com every Monday in the Happy Living Section. Author of the Book Choosing Clarity: A Path to Fearlessness. Kim Giles shares her latest article on smarter parenting.

Flipping Red States, Importance of Being Alone, Coach's Corner Aug 12, 2016

Show notes

Flipping Red States (16:01) McKay Coppins is a senior writer for the BuzzFeed News politics team, and the author of The Wilderness, about the battle over the future of the Republican Party. Mckay Coppins explains how several traditionally Republican leaning states are movign toward the Democratic party because of Donald Trump. Importance of Being Alone (1:02:10) Dr. Scott Campbell is a Professor of Telecommunications in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Michigan. His research examines social changes associated with the update of mobile communication technology. Dr. Campbell explains the importance of solitude and why it is helpfull to spend quality time alone with out technology. Coach's Corner - Sit and Listen (1:27:34) Dr. Matt Townsend talks about how as a soicity we don't set time aside to be without TV, phones, or the internet. Because of this we as a people don't take the time to talk with others and disconnect.

ISIS Radicalization, Weight Loss, Magically Implanted Thoughts Aug 11, 2016

Show notes

ISIS Radicalization (15:31) James Rollins has a Masters of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. He has served in Afghanistan and currently serves on special assignment to U.S. Northern Command, advising on the integration of federal military resources in disaster response. James Rollins explains how terrorist groups like ISIS use YouTube, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and other social media sites targeting our youth and what we can do to limit their influence. Train the brain to lose Weight (1:03:34) Dr. Laurel Mellin is a health psychologist who founded and developed emotional brain training. She is an associate clinical professor of family and community medicine and pediatrics at the University of California San Francisco. Dr. Mellin has authored papers on the science and efficacy of EBT and is a New York Times bestselling author of four books on the method. Dr. Mellin explains how to take control of your brain to meet personal goals like weight loss. Coach's Corner - Emotional Management (1:30:38) Dr. Matt Townsend shares some tip on how to better manage emotions to achieve your goals Magicly Implanted Thoughts (1:48:04) Jay Olson is a graduate student in psychiatry at McGill University. Olson’s latest study looks at the way contextual factors influence the decisions people make. Jay Olson uses magic tricks to see what choices people will make when faced with difficult decisions.

What Makes Olympians, Purpose Effect, Men and Women at Work Aug 10, 2016

Show notes

What makes Olympians (16:04) Dr. Brooke Macnamara is an Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve University. Her research interest rest mainly in skill acquisition and expertise, communications, bilingualism, and working memory. As children we heard the phrase, “Practice makes perfect.” As adults we have heard about the “10,000 hour-rule”, if you practice anything for 10,000 hours you will become an expert in that field. This raises the questions, “Does practice make an Olympian?” and “Can my child be the next Michael Phelps?” Dr. Macnamara on what makes an Olympian. Coach's Corner - Sports and Kids (40:04) Dr. Matt Townsend on having resonable expectation from youth sports The Purpose Effect (1:03:00) Dan Pontefract is Chief Envisioner at TELUS, a Canadian telecommunications company, where he heads a future-of-work consulting group that helps organizations enhance their corporate cultures and collaboration practices. Dan Pontefract, author of THE PURPOSE EFFECT: Building Meaning in Yourself, Your Role and Your Organization, explains how to find purpose in life. When Men and Women Work Together (1:49:51) Dr. Joseph Baker is a cognitive psychologist at Stanford University and lead author received a Doctorate of Philosophy from Utah State in 2013. When working with your spouse or someone of the opposite gender, sometimes we wonder why they do things the way they do- it’s like they have a completely different way of thinking. And that might be exactly what’s going on. Maybe this is because men and women’s brains work differently when they are working together. Dr. Baker shares his research in what happens when men and women work together.

Public Space Crisis, Smartphones and ADHD, Back to School Aug 09, 2016

Show notes

Public Space Crisis (15:48) Zenovia Toloudi, assistant professor of studio art at Darmouth University and a research fellow at Harvard Graduate School of Design. Before the internet, debates used to take place face-to-face in public spaces. However, present circumstances find us in the middle of a public space crisis—public spaces that used to be centers of democracy just don’t exist anymore. Public Dialogue (31:14) Dr. Matt Townsend talks about the importance of face to face conversation and how online interactions will hurt us socially. Smartphones and ADHD (1:01:37) Dr. Kosta Kushlev is a research faculty at the University of Virginia. He studies how factors like technology, money, and parenthood can influence personal well-being. ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, can cause many problems. Among them, Trouble paying attention or staying still. Dr. Kushlev found that people not suffering from ADHD may unknowingly give themselves the symptoms of ADHD, through Smartphone notifications. Preparing for Back to School (1:48:38) Julie Nelson (the "Child Whisperer") has a master's degree in Marriage, Family, and Human Development. She teaches classes such as Applied Parenting and Marriage and Relationship Skills at Utah Valley University. Julie talks what to plan for as you prepare kids for back to school.

Short Circuiting, Kids and Politics, Forgiving Others Aug 08, 2016

Show notes

Short Circuiting (16:08) Joe Cannon is our Washington Insider. Joe served as an assistant administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 1983-1985. Was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992. He 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. Townsend discuss Hillary Clinton's comments about Short Circuiting and Trump’s response Tips for Talking to your Children About Politics (1:01:45) Heather Johnson, M.S., has been an adjunct faculty member at Brigham Young University for nearly 10 years. She is passionate about teaching students the principles behind successful families and the importance of families spending time together. Heather and Dr. Matt talk about how to talk politics with your children. Coach's Corner - Problem Solving (1:27:31) Dr. Matt Townsend with some tips on how to teach problem solving to friends and family. Forgiving Others (1:47:05) Dr. Loren Toussaint is a professor in the department of psychology at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Dr. Toussaint’s research examines religious and spiritual factors, especially forgiveness, and how they are related to health and well-being. What if there’s one thing you can do today to eliminate a lot of stress in your life? Dr. Toussaint explains how he found out through his own studies and research that forgiving others is actually good for your health.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Matt Townsend Show

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected