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Speaker and author on professional relationships, Andy Lopata, explores great connections with experts and high achievers worldwide.
The Subtle Art of Upgrading Your Relationships with Jake Thompson
The Connected Leadership Podcast
44 minutes
2 weeks ago
The Subtle Art of Upgrading Your Relationships with Jake Thompson
Are the people you spend time with making you better or holding you back? This episode examines Jim Rohn's famous idea that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
Jake Thompson, a leadership performance coach and the Chief Encouragement Officer at Compete Every Day, joins the show to unpack this powerful concept. He has spent over a decade working with leaders
at organisations like Deloitte and the Dallas Cowboys, helping them achieve better results. Jake started his brand, Compete Every Day, in 2011 by selling t-shirts from his car and has since impacted over 80,000 leaders and hosts a top 1% global podcast.
In this conversation, Jake and Andy Lopata explore how to intentionally build a professional "starting lineup" while allowing personal relationships to grow organically. They discuss the critical difference between evaluating professional peers based on success and personal friends based on shared values and energy. Learn how to identify "drains" versus "radiators" in your life and the subtle art of the "slow fade"—distancing yourself from relationships that no longer serve your growth without confrontation. This episode is a masterclass in auditing your inner circle to ensure it aligns with the person you aspire to become.
What we discussed:
Your "Starting Five" Are the people you spend the most time with secretly holding you back, or are they the key to unlocking your future success?
Values vs. Success: Should you judge your friends by their achievements or by something deeper? Discover the one quality that truly defines a valuable relationship.
Drains vs. Radiators: Do you leave conversations feeling energised or exhausted? Learn the simple way to identify the "energy vampires" in your life.
The "Slow Fade" Technique: Is it possible to end a draining friendship without a dramatic confrontation? Uncover the subtle art of "consciously uncoupling" from people who no longer fit in your life.
The Power of Disagreement: Why surrounding yourself with people who only agree with you could be the biggest mistake you're making for your personal growth.
SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE
Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube
Connect with Jake Thompson: Website |LinkedIn |
The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring
The Connected Leadership Podcast
Speaker and author on professional relationships, Andy Lopata, explores great connections with experts and high achievers worldwide.
