#94 Matt Comyn - The Physical and Psychological Training that Underpins Being CEO of Australia's Biggest Bank (Coaching Corner)

Performance Intelligence with Andrew May

Listen to Matt Comyn providing a rare glimpse into his life and what it takes to be CEO of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), Australia's second largest company and one of the world's leading banks. From his humble beginnings and being raised by a single mother, to his decades-long commitment to the financial services sector, Matt's story is marked by resilience and an unbelievable work ethic.

Unknown to many, Matt is an avid student of psychology and human performance, dedicated to improving his physical and mental readiness to tackle the challenges and curveballs that life throws at him. Andrew and Matt discuss the specific performance psychology strategies and wearable tech metrics Matt uses to track and sustain his personal performance; what Matt has learnt over the years from coaches including Andrew, Adam Grant and Michael Gervais; how science and psychology have evolved his leadership style; and the pride Matt takes in CBAs Can4Cancer, a corporate community event that in partnership with Tour de Cure, will this year tick over $20M raised towards the prevention of cancer.

In this podcast Andrew and Matt discuss:

4:00 What 'Little Matt' was like growing up, his biggest inspiration is his mum, and reflecting on the journey so far.

10:30 The importance of shifting from a deficit to a skills model, not being top of the food chain at home, and the early days of Matts career.

16:40 The 5 wearable tech metrics Andrew asks all of his executive clients to measure and track, why sleep is so important to Matt, and finding the metrics and tools that work for you.

22:20 How Matt has learned to shift state and attention, avoiding taking bad news from one meeting to another, and relying on (realistic) positive thinking to help through the challenging/negative times.

29:30 Matt’s weekly fitness routine, what he has learned from 6 years of running Commbank, and loving the opportunity to meet interesting people along the way.

34:15 The hardest times of Matt’s tenure as CEO, enjoying getting stuck into problems when they arise, and the reality that corporate life is fragile and things can change very quickly.

43:30 Lessons learnt from the banking Royal Commission and how Matt and his team navigated this.

45:42 Balancing the 'See Saw of Ambivalence' and finding the balance between not being satisfied and gratitude.

46:45 Matt’s pride in seeing how much Can4Cancer has grown, his role in starting/supporting this event, and celebrating the 10 year anniversary in 2024.

52:00 What drives Matt’s curiosity and what he has learned from Manly Sea Eagles head coach, Anthony Seibold.

56:30 Boxer Tim Tszyu is one of the most dedicated people Matt has met, and being impressed by his obsession towards working hard.

58:00 Where Matt sees the banking industry and his own personal life heading in 10 to 15 years.

You can find Matt at his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcomyn/

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