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Listen "Building Teams That Last: Trust, Resilience, and Leading Through Change"
Episode Synopsis
What really makes a team succeed? What slowly tears it apart?
In this episode of Extraordinary Pursuits, Mohamed (“Mo”) Massaquoi joins host Rachelle Kuramoto for a conversation about leading with impact and unlocking team potential. Mo knows a lot about teams. He had an early career as a college and NFL wide receiver. After retiring from the game, he became an organizational psychologist and founded VESSOL, a consultancy providing leaders with change management and organizational transformation guidance.
Listen in to this inspiring discussion to learn why a group of people and a true team are not the same. What non-negotiables consistently bind high-performing teams. How to spot and avoid the pernicious ‘cracks’ that can undermine culture and performance – and much more.
This conversation is a playbook for founders and executives who want to be part of and lead strong teams capable of innovation, resilience, and lasting results.
Time Stamps:
02:53 Mohamed's background and transition into finance
05:32 What inspired Mohamed to pursue organizational psychology
07:14 Unlocking the potential of people within a team
09:14 Common misconceptions and the true force that binds teams
13:12 The non-negotiables of building a thriving team
15:44 Key indicators of a strong, healthy team
17:07 Insidious cracks that can undermine a team’s foundation
19:35 Balancing leadership with delegation in team management
21:17 Team integration: How mergers can accelerate or hinder growth
24:04 Building teams with a human-centered approach
26:46 How VESSOL helps companies build high-performance teams
28:53 Mohamed’s final words on the power of peers
Points of Wisdom:
“People have the potential to make it happen with a good leader.” [06:58]
“As teams, we have to share the same values, but that does not mean we have to be the same person.” [13:20]
“Without constant leading, mending, and molding of a team, cracks can appear, and they are really hard to patch when they do.” [17:58]
About Mohamed Massaquoi:
Mohamed (“Mo”) Massaquoi is an organizational psychologist, former NFL wide receiver, and founder of VESSOL. After a standout football career at the University of Georgia and five seasons in the NFL, Mohamed transitioned into finance with Morgan Stanley. He later earned a master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and completed Harvard’s Leadership Development Program.
In 2017, a life-changing ATV accident led to the amputation of his left hand, shaping his perspective on resilience, adaptability, and the dynamics of high-performing teams – especially in times of change. Today, Mohamed helps organizations navigate transformation, unlock growth, and build teams that can truly thrive together.
Follow & Subscribe:
Listen to more episodes of Extraordinary Pursuits
Follow BIP Ventures on LinkedIn
Watch Extraordinary Pursuits on YouTube
In this episode of Extraordinary Pursuits, Mohamed (“Mo”) Massaquoi joins host Rachelle Kuramoto for a conversation about leading with impact and unlocking team potential. Mo knows a lot about teams. He had an early career as a college and NFL wide receiver. After retiring from the game, he became an organizational psychologist and founded VESSOL, a consultancy providing leaders with change management and organizational transformation guidance.
Listen in to this inspiring discussion to learn why a group of people and a true team are not the same. What non-negotiables consistently bind high-performing teams. How to spot and avoid the pernicious ‘cracks’ that can undermine culture and performance – and much more.
This conversation is a playbook for founders and executives who want to be part of and lead strong teams capable of innovation, resilience, and lasting results.
Time Stamps:
02:53 Mohamed's background and transition into finance
05:32 What inspired Mohamed to pursue organizational psychology
07:14 Unlocking the potential of people within a team
09:14 Common misconceptions and the true force that binds teams
13:12 The non-negotiables of building a thriving team
15:44 Key indicators of a strong, healthy team
17:07 Insidious cracks that can undermine a team’s foundation
19:35 Balancing leadership with delegation in team management
21:17 Team integration: How mergers can accelerate or hinder growth
24:04 Building teams with a human-centered approach
26:46 How VESSOL helps companies build high-performance teams
28:53 Mohamed’s final words on the power of peers
Points of Wisdom:
“People have the potential to make it happen with a good leader.” [06:58]
“As teams, we have to share the same values, but that does not mean we have to be the same person.” [13:20]
“Without constant leading, mending, and molding of a team, cracks can appear, and they are really hard to patch when they do.” [17:58]
About Mohamed Massaquoi:
Mohamed (“Mo”) Massaquoi is an organizational psychologist, former NFL wide receiver, and founder of VESSOL. After a standout football career at the University of Georgia and five seasons in the NFL, Mohamed transitioned into finance with Morgan Stanley. He later earned a master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and completed Harvard’s Leadership Development Program.
In 2017, a life-changing ATV accident led to the amputation of his left hand, shaping his perspective on resilience, adaptability, and the dynamics of high-performing teams – especially in times of change. Today, Mohamed helps organizations navigate transformation, unlock growth, and build teams that can truly thrive together.
Follow & Subscribe:
Listen to more episodes of Extraordinary Pursuits
Follow BIP Ventures on LinkedIn
Watch Extraordinary Pursuits on YouTube
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