The 3-Part Method to Hold the Attention of a Room, with Gary Barlow

The High Performance Podcast

High Performance

Sports, Self-improvement, Mindset, Growth Mindset, Health & Fitness, Non-negotiables, Education, Life Lessons, High Performance

4.8 • 4.7K Ratings

🗓️ 16 July 2025

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This episode is all about something we don’t talk about enough in high performance, not just how we deliver, but how we’re remembered.

When I sat down with Gary Barlow, he talked me through something he calls the Show Graph, a way of shaping emotion and energy through a performance. It’s not about perfection. It’s about creating moments that connect, and leaving people with something that lasts.

And what struck me most? This habit, refined over decades on stage, isn’t just for concerts. It’s something we can all use, whether you’re leading a meeting, giving a talk, launching a product, or just trying to get through to people in a meaningful way.

In this episode, we explore:

Why people remember moments, not timelines
How to open with impact, and close with meaning
The emotional architecture behind unforgettable experiences
Lessons from the world’s toughest rooms, northern working men’s clubs
What leaders, teachers and performers can borrow from a world-class show

Whether you’re leading a room, launching an idea, or giving a talk that matters, this conversation is a guide to crafting moments that last long after the lights go down.

If you’ve ever wanted to communicate in a way that lands, this one’s for you.

Listen to the full episode with Gary Barlow: https://pod.fo/e/17fc0b

Here is more information on the studies referenced:

When More Pain Is Preferred to Less: Adding a Better End (Daniel Kahneman, Barbara Fredrickson, Charles Schreiber, Donald Redelmeier 1993)

Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions (Barbara Fredrickson 1998)

Transcript

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0:04.4	Out now, Williams F1 driver, Carlos Sines.
0:07.6	This episode of High Performance is sponsored by Spec Savers.
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0:56.4	you don't need me to tell you that workplace stress is everywhere right now. In fact, it's one of the
1:01.0	top causes of declining mental health and 61% of the global workforce are feeling more
1:06.2	stressed than usual. And the thing is, most of us just can't quit our jobs or disappear for the summer. However,
1:12.7	we can take small steps that actually help. And look, I've struggled with my mental health.
1:17.7	And for me, just taking a break, sitting in the sun, maybe taking an incline walk on a treadmill,
1:23.1	or just switching my phone off at lunch. Those small moments made a real difference for me.
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	...

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