In an exclusive interview with GMB, coach Leo Judkins shares his work on guiding leaders in time management, effectiveness, management, and other critical topics. In November, he launched the podcast "The iGaming Leader" to address these issues. "The intense passion and enthusiasm driving the industry's growth in Brazil are a double-edged sword: they can inspire innovation, but can cause the opposite when people sacrifice their health and well-being."
Games Magazine Brasil - What led you to specialize in high-performance coaching for leaders in the iGaming industry? How does this choice reflect your experience in the field?
Leo Judkins
- After 12 years in the sector, I reached the peak of my career, but also the worst moment of my health. As the youngest director of the company, who progressed rapidly, I lacked the tools to perform my best role without sacrificing my well-being. I ended up becoming an out-of-shape person, with poor health and fearing not seeing my newborn son grow up.
This situation forced me to act, hire a coach, and seek ways to achieve sustainable high performance. After losing 35 kg and getting into the best shape of my life, I felt inspired to help others in the iGaming sector do the same. Helping them build habits, behaviors, and skills to sustain high performance despite industry pressures.
I certified myself as a nutritionist, sleep coach, stress management specialist, and finally, a high-performance coach, with the goal of helping leaders at the intersection of performance and well-being.
Your new podcast addresses the balance between well-being and performance in the iGaming sector. What insights can Brazilian leaders expect from these episodes?
I launched the program with interviews with industry leaders, offering case studies and practical advice for professionals looking to excel in a fast-paced and challenging environment.
Given the complexity of regulations and the tight deadlines faced by iGaming leaders in Brazil, podcast listeners can expect extremely valuable insights from leaders on how to excel under pressure. Many of these professionals have gone through similar situations in markets like the UK, Germany, and the United States, and listeners will be able to learn from the strategies that worked for our guests.
Each episode highlights the human side of what is necessary to achieve sustainable performance as a leader in the iGaming sector, especially under pressure. Listeners will gain insights into the successes and failures of these leaders, allowing them to chart their own paths based on these learnings.
How can the combination of well-being and productivity benefit leaders in the iGaming market, especially in the dynamic Brazilian scenario?
With imminent regulation, Brazil is in a unique position. The rapid changes, short deadlines, and the need to balance regulatory requirements with business initiatives put enormous pressure on leaders. This will require long working hours, intense effort, and difficult decisions.
Having a "fully charged mental battery" is essential for achieving maximum performance and gaining a competitive edge over those who will not do the same.
What are the biggest challenges iGaming leaders face today in terms of stress management and sleep optimization? And how do you help them overcome these?
The easiest path is to deal with stress using unhealthy coping mechanisms and compromising sleep to gain more time in the day. However, both immediately drain your energy and reduce your mental capacity. This means working slower, solving problems with less agility, and delivering lower quality results – unacceptable consequences in today's market.
Effectively managing stress and managing your energy (not just time) are crucial for developing resilience and overcoming challenges quickly. Simple routines of 10 to 20 minutes in the morning, during the day, and at night can significantly improve sleep, recovery, and stress for optimal performance.
With the growth of iGaming in Brazil, do you notice any cultural or regulatory particularities that affect the performance of leaders in the region?
The fast pace of regulatory developments in Brazil, with recent requirements and deadlines for licensing, requires leaders to adapt quickly while driving business growth.
The Brazilian cultural context, where the boundaries between professional and personal life are often blurred, increases the risk of burnout. However, there are many stages before burnout where performance already significantly drops. Therefore, leaders need to be intentional in setting aside time for recovery and thus maintaining their best performance.
The ability to consistently perform at the peak, even under pressure, will differentiate leaders and their companies in a highly competitive market.
How does your experience of over 12 years in leadership positions influence your coaching strategies? Could you share practical examples of success?
Having experienced the pressures of leadership in iGaming, I bring a deep practical understanding to my work as a coach. For example, I know how the demanding deadlines of a launch in a new market can lead to chronic work overload and rapid deterioration of health and performance, if people do not have resilience or habits to sustain high performance.
In my case, setting aside time for daily movement and prioritizing nutrition were transformative for my energy and focus as a leader. Blocking times, optimizing meetings, reducing distractions, and being rigorous with focus and priorities were crucial for achieving more in less time.
I have worked with over 200 leaders who significantly reduced stress and improved strategic thinking by prioritizing key initiatives and empowering their teams through strategic delegation. These experiences are present in every coaching conversation I have.
What are the current trends in leadership coaching?
Current trends emphasize the importance of well-being as the foundation for high-level performance. It's no longer about the number of hours worked, but the quality that each hour offers. After all, in the end, we are not paid for the time we dedicate, but for the value we bring to that time.
There is a growing awareness that business success depends on the physical, mental, and emotional capacity of leaders to handle complexity and inspire their teams. In addition to managing their time, priorities, focus, and team, the best leaders recognize that maximum performance requires emotional regulation, adaptability, and resilience.
Do you believe that the focus on mental health and well-being among iGaming leaders has been sufficient? What gaps still need to be filled?
Most leaders are still in the early stages of using well-being as a basis for maximum performance. This means that many operate at only 50-80% of their potential.
Well-being is often the first to be compromised to achieve short-term results. This is natural, but also why it requires a habitual behavioral change so that leaders can rely on these foundations when under pressure. Just like brushing teeth or taking a shower, these habits should not be abandoned in times of stress or tight deadlines. In fact, they often serve as a moment of pause and renewal.
The gaps include a lack of leaders who are examples of these behaviors, a lack of psychological safety to openly discuss well-being challenges, and work environments that inadvertently weaken the healthy habits necessary for good performance.
What high-performance practices or methodologies do you recommend for Brazilian executives to handle market pressure?
Sleep optimization and recovery, rigor in time and priority management, establishing clear boundaries for focus and attention, developing autonomous and high-performing teams, delegating decisions, not just tasks, cultivating relationships with peers in similar positions who can offer support, working with a coach who understands the specific challenges you face.
How do you see Brazil's role in the global iGaming scene and the importance of developing leaders who combine well-being and efficiency? Is there something unique about leading in the Brazilian market?
As a leader in a rapidly growing iGaming market, Brazil has a unique opportunity to define the future of the industry.
By incorporating sustainable high-performance habits and prioritizing well-being, Brazil can create a more competitive, resilient, and adaptable workforce.
The intense passion and enthusiasm that drive the industry's growth in Brazil are a double-edged sword: they can inspire innovation, but also can cause the opposite when leaders naturally sacrifice their health and well-being.
The tight deadlines and constantly evolving regulations require leaders who can adapt and innovate at an unprecedented pace. Prioritizing well-being will be crucial to effectively face these challenges and build a thriving industry in the long term.
More than that, leaders who prioritize well-being and set an example create a domino effect in their organizations. They shape the culture of their teams and the market as a whole to achieve better results, while reducing burnout and related mental health challenges. Leaders have the opportunity to demonstrate that well-being and maximum performance are not opposites, but interdependent.
Source: Exclusive GMB
