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The Grit FactorAuthor: The Grit Institute
Season 3 of The Grit Factor, hosted by Shannon Huffman Polson, Army veteran, pilot, and corporate and non-profit leader dedicated to building courageous leaders for a better world. We'll look at facing fear and failure, connecting to purpose, when to grit and when to quit, and much, much more, from the fields of the military to government, law to business, academia and more. Tune in Tuesdays for new conversations, and make sure to leave your questions for Shannon at https://www.speakpipe.com/TheGritFactor Language: en-us Genres: Business, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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How High Performers Think: Dr. Ruth Gotian on Success, Leadership & Motivation
Episode 17
Thursday, 4 December, 2025
Host Shannon Huffman Polson is the founder of The Grit Institute and host of The Grit Factor Podcast, where she helps purpose-driven leaders build grit, resilience, and purpose in their lives and organizations. A former U.S. Army Apache helicopter pilot and one of the first women to fly the Apache in the Army, Shannon brings real-world leadership experience from the military and corporate boardroom to her work as an author, speaker, and leadership educator. She is the author of The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience, and Leadership in the Most Male-Dominated Organization in the World, which distills lessons from elite leaders across industries and the armed forces. Through The Grit Institute, Shannon combines research, storytelling, and actionable frameworks to help individuals and organizations navigate transitions, overcome challenges, and lead with impact. Her work empowers people to connect with purpose and bring values-based leadership into every facet of life and work. Whether in the cockpit, the classroom, or the boardroom, Shannon champions a mission to cultivate courage, purpose, and authentic leadership for a better world. Guest Bio Dr. Ruth Gotian, Chief Learning Officer and Associate Professor of Education in Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine, is a globally recognized expert in mentorship and leadership development. Hailed by Nature, Wall Street Journal, and Columbia University, she was named a top 20 mentor worldwide. Thinkers50 ranked her as the #1 emerging management thinker in 2021, LinkedIn recognized her as a top voice in mentoring in 2023, and she was named a Top 50 Executive Coach in the world in 2024 (Coaches50 list). A semi-finalist for Forbes 50 Over 50, Dr. Gotian is a prolific contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Psychology Today, where she shares insights on 'optimizing success.' With a focus on the mindset and skill set of peak performers, including Nobel Prize winners, astronauts, Olympic and NBA champions, she's also an award-winning author of The Success Factor and The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring. Summary In this conversation, Shannon Huffman Polson sits down with Dr. Ruth Gotian, a world-renowned expert in leadership, high performance, and success. Together, they explore what truly sets high achievers apart—from astronauts and Olympic athletes to top-performing leaders. Dr. Gotian shares insights from her groundbreaking research on motivation, resilience, and peak performance, revealing practical strategies anyone can apply to excel in their personal and professional life. They also discuss the mindsets that drive exceptional achievement, the habits that separate elite performers from the rest, and how purpose, curiosity, and continuous learning fuel long-term success. Whether you're a leader, creator, or someone striving to improve, this conversation offers actionable wisdom to help you elevate your performance and live with intention. Key Takeaways What Dr. Ruth Gotian has learned from studying the world's highest performers The mindsets and daily habits that drive exceptional success How purpose fuels resilience and long-term motivation The importance of curiosity and continuous learning Practical tools you can start using today to elevate your performance Why high achievers think differently—and how you can too Resources Website: https://ruthgotian.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rgotian
