Episode 29: Matt Formston AM, Blind | High Performance and Excellence

What does it take to lead with confidence when uncertainty is constant?

In this episode of Lead Well Live Well, Mark Bilton sits down with Matt Formston AM, High Performance Athlete, Trust and Leadership Expert, whose remarkable journey spans the corporate boardroom, elite sport and some of the world’s most challenging environments.

Diagnosed as legally blind at just five years old, Matt built a successful senior executive career at Optus while simultaneously becoming a multiple World Champion, Guinness World Record holder and elite big-wave para surfer. The leadership principles he now shares were not learned in a classroom. They were forged through years of navigating adversity, building trust, maintaining high standards and performing under pressure.

Together, Mark and Matt explore what high performance really looks like, why accountability begins with personal standards, how leaders can create psychologically safe teams without lowering expectations, and why trust remains one of the most powerful drivers of leadership success.

Whether you are leading a business, managing a team or striving for personal growth, this conversation offers practical insights you can apply immediately.

In this episode:

• The mindset that transformed “I can’t” into high performance.
• Why standards create stronger cultures and safer teams.
• Lessons on resilience, accountability and disciplined leadership.
• The importance of trust in business and life.
• How to build a leadership framework that delivers lasting success.
• Why the journey matters just as much as the destination.

Learn more about Matt Formston at mattformston.com.

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