The ChairLife Podcast, hosted by CEO coach and Master Chair Tom Cuthbert, is your go-to, rapid fire resource for blending purpose and success in both your professional and personal life. Tom shares expert insights, proven strategies, and practical tools to help you build your ideal “ChairLife” — a life where mission and purpose seamlessly intersect with a balanced, fulfilling work-life. Whether you're a CEO coach, chair, consultant, entrepreneur or someone looking to find greater meaning in your daily routine, this podcast offers valuable lessons to help you thrive in all aspects of life. Tune in and start aligning your work with what truly matters!
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In the inaugural episode of the ChairLife Podcast, host Tom Cuthbert, CEO and master chair, introduces the ChairLife philosophy. This episode lays the foundation for what’s to come, explaining the podcast’s mission to empower chairs in the Vistage community with actionable insights and practical tools to navigate their leadership roles with balance and purpose.
Tom dives into the show's structure, offering valuable content at three levels . These levels will explore topics such as defining one's vision and purpose, mastering strategic capacity, establishing personal and professional boundaries, and maximizing productivity. He also outlines how the podcast will provide evergreen resources aimed at supporting chairs today and serving as a valuable reference as they grow in their leadership journey.
Suppose you're a Vistage chair looking to elevate your leadership, strengthen relationships, and create a thriving chair community. In that case, this episode is your starting point to learn, grow, and lead with intention. Tune in for the first step in building a fulfilling, balanced work life.
Episode 2 (101) Using "From" to Build Relationships / The Value of Voicemail 15:11
Season 1 · Episode 2
Friday, January 31, 2025 • Duration 20:35
In this episode of ChairLife, host Tom Cuthbert explores the first step in his coaching framework, "From Here to There." He discusses how understanding your past—your "From"—shapes your leadership and coaching style. Tom shares personal stories, including how historical events like the Apollo 11 Moon Landing influenced his journey. Listeners will gain insights into how personal reflection can enhance their leadership approach and learn actionable strategies to apply this mindset to coaching, branding, and decision-making. Tom also shares a business tip on the power of updating your voicemail daily to improve communication, build credibility, and reinforce work-life balance.
Show Notes
Key Topics
Discussed The “From Here to There” Coaching Framework Why reflecting on your past is essential for leadership Tom’s personal story: Growing up in Texas & major historical influences How to use "From" to enhance coaching & team building 8 practical ways to apply "From" in leadership. Tom’s business tip:
The benefits of updating your voicemail daily Voicemail Strategy:
Why It Works Sets clear expectations for callers
Acts as a subtle marketing tool
Encourages work-life balance & time management
Resources Mentioned
www.chairlifepodcast.com
www.tomcuthbert.com/fromheretothere
jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
jackdalysales.com/product/hyper-sales-growth/
www.cultureindex.com
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E7Lmx-Y1yNgisvTbgbyNb57yDlb7gHWkHqNFe5x0RSA/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 11 (201) The “Farm Team” Approach to your Chair Practice / Why the Wall Street Journal is a “Must Read” (13:53)
Season 1 · Episode 11
Friday, April 4, 2025 • Duration 22:13
Join Vistage Master Chair Tom Cuthbert in this episode of the ChairLife podcast. Tom explores how to build a successful Vistage Chair practice by treating it like a baseball farm system, developing raw talent into top-tier CEOs. Using the inspiring story of Mike Piazza, he outlines a structured approach with emerging leader, advancing leader, key, and CEO groups, sharing practical benefits for Chairs and member companies. In the "Tom’s Tips & Tricks" segment, Tom reveals why reading the Wall Street Journal daily for 40 years has been his secret weapon for staying sharp and relevant as a coach. This episode equips Vistage Chairs with strategies to nurture talent and enhance their practice through informed leadership.
Show Notes
Introduction: Tom introduces the episode, connecting a baseball analogy to building a Vistage practice and highlighting the Wall Street Journal’s value.
The Farm System Analogy: From Baseball to Vistage: Tom uses Mike Piazza’s rise from a late draft pick to Hall of Famer to illustrate talent development in Vistage.
Building a Vistage Farm System: Tom details his group structure—emerging leader, advancing leader, key, and CEO—showing how each level fosters growth.
Benefits of a Farm System Approach: Eight reasons why a farm system strengthens a Vistage practice, from talent scouting to retention.
Impact on Your Chair Practice: Tom explains how working with all leader levels improves his coaching and member loyalty.
Tom’s Tips & Tricks: Why the Wall Street Journal is a Must-Read: Tom shares how the Wall Street Journal keeps him connected to members’ industries and challenges.
Conclusion: A call to develop talent like a farm system and leverage resources like the Wall Street Journal for success.
Tom’s Tips & Tricks: Why the Wall Street Journal is a Must-Read
Tom recounts how skipping a college degree led him to rely on the Wall Street Journal daily for 40 years, making it a cornerstone of his Chair practice.
Overcoming Obstacles: Mentors recommended it to bridge his lack of formal education, sparking a lifelong habit.
Relevance to CEOs: Read by 70% of C-suite executives, it aligns Chairs with members’ business realities.
Practical Use: Tom reads it backwards, tying articles to his 40 CEOs’ industries (e.g., retail, tech, tariffs).
Leadership Insights: Offers C-suite inserts and trends like AI and hiring for strategic coaching.
Habit Stacking: He reads the paper copy only while exercising, enhancing both mind and body.
Resources
www.tomcuthbert.com
www.chairlifepodcast.com
https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
https://www.wsj.com/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13HZX7p2AXQmlO7mlJmCqHdm7yn7iacuV4fTMTTQgKjc/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 12 (201) From Good to Great: 10 Referral Ideas Every Chair Needs / Recharge to Lead-A Sunrise Reflection from the Cuthbert Bridge (10:42)
Season 1 · Episode 12
Friday, April 11, 2025 • Duration 16:36
Join Vistage Master Chair Tom Cuthbert in this episode of the ChairLife podcast. Tom shares strategies for building a thriving referral culture within Vistage groups, drawing inspiration from Adam Grant’s Give and Take to emphasize helping others succeed. He outlines ten high-performing behaviors to foster referrals, strengthening group dynamics and member growth. In the "Tom’s Tips & Tricks" segment, Tom reflects from the Cuthbert Bridge in Arkansas, underscoring the necessity of rest for sustained leadership effectiveness. This episode equips Vistage Chairs with practical tools to enhance their practice through referrals and personal recharge, ensuring they lead with impact and intention.
Show Notes
Introduction: Tom introduces the episode, focusing on referrals as a cornerstone of Vistage success and the importance of rest.
The Power of Referrals in Vistage: Inspired by Give and Take, Tom highlights how referrals drive mutual success in Vistage groups.
Ten High-Performing Referral Behaviors: Tom lists ten actionable ways to build a referral-focused culture, from planting seeds to celebrating wins.
Implementing Referral Strategies: Suggestions for immediate action and a preview of a referral scale-up session on April 30, 2025.
Tom’s Tips & Tricks: The Necessity of Rest: Tom shares a personal reflection on rest’s role in leadership, recorded from the Cuthbert Bridge.
Conclusion: A call to adopt referral behaviors and prioritize rest for a stronger Vistage practice, with an invite to the April 30 session.
Tom’s Tips & Tricks: The Necessity of Rest
From the Cuthbert Bridge in Arkansas, Tom honors his late father and explains why rest is non-negotiable for Chairs.
Personal Connection: Memories of family time on the lake ground Tom and highlight rest’s value.
Clearer Thinking: Breaks spark clarity and big ideas, untangling complex challenges.
Energy Boost: Rest sharpens focus, enhancing presence for members.
Resilience: Recovery builds grit to navigate life’s ups and downs.
Family Time: Connecting with loved ones fosters better leadership and humanity.
Resources
www.tomcuthbert.com
www.chairlifepodcast.com
https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
https://adamgrant.net/book/give-and-take/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11cPMrPBUE9nuVU76YYXsnasVpSe-B3R4RgMpZ91pFhA/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 13 (101) Lenses as Guiding Principles for Leaders/ Putting Things Where and When They Go (12:14)
Season 1 · Episode 13
Friday, April 25, 2025 • Duration 20:18
Join Vistage Master Chair Tom Cuthbert in this episode of the ChairLife podcast. Tom introduces lenses as guiding principles to keep leaders focused on their goals, offering a practical framework to make better decisions and stay on track. He also shares a system for managing daily inputs to reduce mental clutter and enhance productivity. Drawing on real-world examples and personal strategies, this episode equips Vistage Chairs with tools to strengthen their practice and guide members toward achieving more than they imagined possible.
Show Notes
Introduction: Tom outlines the episode’s focus on lenses as guiding principles and a system for organizing tasks to support a successful Vistage practice.
Lenses as Guiding Principles: Tom explains how lenses act as guardrails to maintain focus, using Warren Buffett’s tree-planting metaphor.
Why Lenses Matter: Three reasons lenses are critical—staying on track, considering perspectives, and improving decisions.
Examples and Application of Lenses: A Children’s Shelter case study and personal lens examples show how to apply and test guiding principles.
Tom’s Tips & Tricks: Putting Things Where and When They Go: Tom shares his mantra for managing inputs, inspired by Stephen Covey, to stay focused.
Conclusion: A call to adopt lenses and a task management system to enhance leadership and member outcomes.
Tom’s Tips & Tricks: Putting Things Where and When They Go
Tom explains his mantra, “Put things where and when they go,” a system to manage mental clutter and prioritize tasks effectively.
Mental Clutter Challenge: Constant inputs like emails and notifications reduce creativity and presence.
Where Things Go: Capture inputs in a Bullet Journal (weekly priorities), email inbox (via BrainToss), or delegate non-essential tasks.
When Things Go: Act on tasks immediately, delegate, or schedule to the future using tools like Spark or FollowUpThen.com.
Supporting Resources: Draws from Atomic Habits, Getting Things Done, Essentialism, and Indistractable.
Weekly Review: Spend 15 minutes every Sunday reviewing the Bullet Journal and calendar to prepare for the week.
Resources
www.tomcuthbert.com/goals
www.tomcuthbert.com/bulletjournal
www.chairlifepodcast.com
https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
https://gettingthingsdone.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Essentialism-Disciplined-Pursuit-Greg-McKeown/dp/0804137382
https://www.nirandfar.com/indistractable/
https://braintoss.com/
https://www.followupthen.com/
https://sparkmailapp.com/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_oIosnwMYhZV3CDahOJFZG4Dxtuq0mcRNmddbRs06Pw/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 14 (101) Overconfidence, the Silent Killer in the C-Suite / (12:08) Sleep, the Underrated Superpower
Season 1 · Episode 14
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 • Duration 20:11
Join Vistage Master Chair Tom Cuthbert in this episode of the ChairLife podcast. Tom addresses overconfidence as a silent threat in the C-suite, offering strategies to identify and challenge it in yourself and your CEOs. Drawing on examples like Kodak’s downfall, he emphasizes the role of Vistage peer groups in fostering humility and better decisions. In the "Tom’s Tips & Tricks" segment, Tom highlights sleep as an underrated superpower, sharing practical habits to optimize rest for leadership effectiveness. This episode equips Vistage Chairs with tools to strengthen their practice and guide members toward sustainable success.
Show Notes
Introduction: Tom introduces the episode, focusing on overconfidence as a leadership pitfall and sleep as a critical asset.
Understanding Overconfidence: Tom defines overconfidence as a cognitive bias, quoting Daniel Kahneman to underscore its risks.
Sources and Dangers of Overconfidence: Explores origins like past successes and consequences like poor decisions, illustrated by Kodak’s failure.
Challenging Overconfidence as a Chair: Five strategies for Chairs to confront overconfidence through questions, observation, and peer groups.
Applying the Lessons: Actionable steps to foster self-awareness and discuss overconfidence openly in Vistage groups.
Tom’s Tips & Tricks: Sleep, the Underrated Superpower: Tom advocates for prioritizing sleep to enhance leadership performance.
Conclusion: A call to challenge overconfidence and prioritize sleep for a stronger Vistage practice.
Tom’s Tips & Tricks: Sleep, the Underrated Superpower
Tom emphasizes sleep’s role in leadership, citing Arianna Huffington on its ability to refocus perspective.
Why Sleep Matters: Boosts cognitive function, emotional regulation, and physical health for better leadership.
Challenges for CEOs: CEOs average 25% less sleep due to poor time management or overconfidence in needing less.
Tom’s Sleep Routine: Ensures eight hours on work nights with a consistent schedule, dark room, and physical book reading.
Tools and Apps: Uses Apple Watch with AutoSleep ($5 app) to track deep sleep (2–3 hours) and AutoWake for gentle wake-ups.
Habits for Success: Charges devices outside the bedroom, eliminates lights, uses white noise, and preps clothes.
Resources
www.tomcuthbert.com/sleep
www.chairlifepodcast.com
https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
https://purple.com/
https://autosleepapp.tantsissa.com/
https://sleep.me/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1azsyJsea6tiJmCLB6gwAPJ3DmDLr6_vF7DHLx6MeiI4/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 3 (201) What is a Full Practice Chair? / Voxer, Followupthen, Brain Toss 11:10
Season 1 · Episode 3
Friday, February 7, 2025 • Duration 19:01
In this episode of ChairLife, host Tom Cuthbert dives into the concept of becoming a Full Practice Chair—someone who sets clear goals, builds a thriving coaching practice and creates a lasting impact. He discusses the importance of defining what "full" means for your practice and how setting clear targets helps drive success. Tom shares the four key benefits of a full practice: fostering high-performing groups, strengthening member retention, expanding your impact, and maximizing income opportunities.
Beyond building a successful practice, Tom highlights the need to balance professional growth and personal well-being. To help optimize productivity, he introduces three powerful tools—Voxer, Followupthen, and Brain Toss—that can improve communication, streamline workflow, and increase efficiency. Whether you're a seasoned chair or just starting, this episode provides valuable insights to help you lead with excellence while living with intention.
Show Notes
Key Topics Discussed
What is a Full Practice Chair? – Setting clear goals & achieving them
The four key reasons to build a full practice
How to balance growth, impact, and personal life
Strategies to retain high-performing members
The importance of setting targets and measuring progress
Top 3 productivity tools to streamline your workflow
Tom’s Productivity Tools & Business Hacks
Voxer – A voice-based communication tool for quick and efficient messaging
FollowUpThen – An email-based reminder system for better time management
Brain Toss – A note-capturing tool to quickly save ideas and tasks
Resources Mentioned
www.tomcuthbert.com/highperforming
www.charlifepodcast.com
www.jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
www.voxer.com
www.followupthen.com
www.braintoss.com
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17c0aQLyZWn5bHKj-HEVJPw2lP4Cn4bH03psULs0DRoM/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 4 (101) Finding Your There and "Their" There / Your 3 Things (10:17)
Season 1 · Episode 4
Saturday, February 15, 2025 • Duration 18:12
In this episode of ChairLife, Vistage Master Chair Tom Cuthbert explores the concept of "there"—where we want to be in the future—and how understanding it can enhance leadership and coaching. Tom shares insights on defining your there, helping others find theirs, and applying this framework in a successful Chair practice. He also introduces the "Three Things" concept, a powerful productivity strategy that helps leaders focus on what truly matters.
Tune in for valuable tips on gaining clarity in your leadership, delegating effectively, and helping others achieve their goals.
Show Notes Key Topics Discussed
Understanding "There" and "Their There"
The Role of "There" in Coaching
Identifying Your Three Things
Delegation and Focus
Tom’s Tips and Tricks
Final Thoughts and Takeaways
Tom’s Tips and Tricks
Be intentional about defining your there – Know where you want to go, both personally and professionally.
Focus on your three things – Identify what only you can do and delegate the rest.
Ask powerful questions – Help others discover their aspirations by being a great listener.
Leverage others’ strengths – Surround yourself with people who complement your skills.
Simplify and prioritize – Eliminate tasks that don’t contribute to your bigger goals.
Resources
For additional insights and tools, explore the following resources:
www.tomcuthbert.com
www.chairlifepodcast.com
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Jack Daly
Vistage Chair Network
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tAzSs1nOGNYWIKB04-oi0OcM1Y6dHXaaarAlUpc5yFE/edit?usp=sharing
Thank you for tuning into ChairLife! If you enjoyed this episode, share it with others and join us next time for more insights on building a successful Vistage Chair practice.
Episode 5 (201) Building your Flywheel / Why (and How) I Take a Nap Everyday (12:10)
Season 1 · Episode 5
Friday, February 21, 2025 • Duration 18:05
In this episode of The Chair Life Podcast, Tom Cuthbert delves into the concept of building a personal and professional flywheel, inspired by Jim Collins’ book Turning the Flywheel. Tom shares his own journey in developing a system for consistent, meaningful progress and leadership growth, helping CEOs and leaders achieve more than they imagined possible.
You’ll learn why momentum isn’t about one big break but rather a continuous, disciplined effort that compounds over time. Plus, Tom shares a surprising productivity hack: why taking a daily nap has become an essential part of his success strategy.
Show Notes
Introduction to the Flywheel Concept
The Five Key Steps to Building Your Flywheel
Identify your flywheel components
Find your core strengths (Hedgehog Principle)
Simplify and codify your flywheel
Test and refine your flywheel
Accelerate with consistency and discipline
How to Apply the Flywheel to Personal Growth
Tom’s Personal Flywheel Breakdown
Leading High-Performing Groups with Intention
Tom’s Tips & Tricks: The Power of Napping
Tom shares his top strategies for maximizing productivity through rest and recovery:
Cognitive Benefits: Boost memory, creativity, and problem-solving
Mood Enhancement: Stay fresh and present during one-on-one sessions
Physical Health: Lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease
Practical Tips:
Block time for naps on your calendar
Create a distraction-free nap routine
Communicate with your team to respect rest periods
Offer the same recovery time for team members
Resources
For additional insights and tools, explore the following resources:
www.tomcuthbert.com/flywheel
www.chairlifepodcast.com
www.longevityarchitects.com
Good to Great - Jim Collins
Turning the Flywheel - Jim Collins
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SZ9FsJkGWi4H7-GyZ-FmWBgzZoAg4HFGmnI40iUv2oE/edit?usp=sharing
In Episode 6 of ChairLife, Vistage Master Chair Tom Cuthbert explores the "Here" element of his "From Here to There" coaching framework, focusing on the present—the daily roles, responsibilities, and actions that drive a Vistage Chair practice. Drawing from Mahatma Gandhi’s insight, "The future depends on what you do today," Tom emphasizes the importance of the current moment while arguing it’s the least critical of the framework’s four elements ("From," "Here," "There," and the upcoming "To"). He provides practical strategies for assessing and optimizing "Here" through time management, focus, and key performance indicators like capacity, utilization rate, and member retention.
The episode concludes with "Tom’s Tips and Tricks," offering actionable advice on strengthening relationships with speakers—a cornerstone of Vistage community success. From selection to recruitment, Tom shares a four-step approach to ensure speakers deliver high value to members. Whether you’re a seasoned Chair or building your practice, this episode offers insights to lead with impact and live with intention.
Show Notes
Introduction: Tom introduces the "Here" focus, building on Episodes 2 ("From") and 4 ("There"), and sets the stage with Gandhi’s quote about the power of today’s actions.
The "Here" Element:
Defines "Here" as your current responsibilities, KPIs, and daily drivers (30-90 days).
Contrasts it with "From" (past) and "There" (future), noting its role as the immediate focus in coaching.
Argues "Here" is the least important, with reasoning tied to its role in serving "From" and "There" (full explanation at episode’s end).
Drilling Down on "Here":
Covers roles, company metrics, and personal commitments.
Key questions: Are your actions moving you toward your "There"? What’s keeping you stuck?
KPIs for Chairs: capacity, utilization, income per hour, NPS, referrals, and retention.
Time and Focus:
Time: Guard it, set boundaries, prioritize unique tasks, and let work come to you.
Focus: Be present, eliminate distractions, and align talents with passions (via a "magic quadrant").
Why "Here" Matters Less: Today’s actions are a bridge from past to future; "To" (next episode) will tie it together.
Closing: Reflect on your "Here" and tune in for Episode 7 on "To." Share the podcast at ChairLifePodcast.com.
Tom’s Tips and Tricks: Strengthening Speaker Relationships
Tom dedicates this segment to enhancing speaker engagement, vital for delivering value to Vistage members. Here’s his four-step strategy:
Speaker Selection:
Begins in June with ambassador meetings to review 50 annual speaker sessions.
Targets speakers with 4.7/5+ ratings and 100+ sessions; exceptions for trusted referrals or new talent.
Books top speakers for multiple days with other San Antonio Chairs; tests new speakers in development groups.
Speaker Prep:
Conducts a 20-minute call to align speakers with group needs and clarify takeaways.
Discusses group dynamics and tailors content for maximum impact.
Speaker Retention:
Post-session, offers speakers a chance to promote their work (e.g., books, programs) appropriately.
Promotes speakers on LinkedIn, writes recommendations, and rebooks high performers.
Speaker Recruitment:
Identifies potential speakers within the community (e.g., Trusted Advisor Group).
Develops new talent to refresh content as veteran speakers transition out.
Action Item: Thank speakers, post about them, and invite local talent to elevate your Vistage program.
Resources
Indistractable by Nir Eyal: https://www.amazon.com/Indistractable-Control-Your-Attention-Choose/dp/194883653X
Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tAzSs1nOGNYWIKB04-oi0OcM1Y6dHXaaarAlUpc5yFE/edit?usp=sharing
www.TomCuthbert.com/Ambassadors
www.ChairLifePodcast.com
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