Imagine living life with Schizophrenia but having no idea. Today’s conversation is with a special guest, my childhood friend Dr. Apollo Ellis.
He is known as one of Silicon Valley’s top programmers in the tech industry, but the road to get there was incredibly difficult.
The show for the ‘Executive Athlete’.
In this episode, we sit down with Michael Morris, a renowned expert in organizational behavior and leadership, to explore the power of tribal instincts in shaping loyalty, identity, and group dynamics. Michael’s latest book, Tribal: How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together, dives deep into how our natural tribal instincts can be harnessed for positive change, fostering unity rather than division.
Michael discusses how tribalism, often seen as a divisive force, can be used by leaders to enhance team performance, build stronger communities, and create cultures of belonging. He delves into the psychology of tribal behavior, exploring the ways in which people form deep bonds based on shared beliefs and values, and how this can be leveraged in both political and corporate environments.
Through his book, Michael offers a fresh perspective on tribalism, suggesting that when understood and guided properly, these instincts can be channeled to promote collaboration, resilience, and collective success. He also touches on the role of identity in these dynamics and the impact of tribal loyalty on group cohesion.
This conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand the underlying forces that shape human behavior and how they can be used to drive better leadership, more effective teamwork, and stronger organizational cultures. If you want to learn how tribal instincts can be transformed from a source of division to a tool for collective growth, tune in now.
Don’t forget to grab a copy of Michael’s book, Tribal, for deeper insights into how we can use the cultural instincts that divide us to bring us closer together.
What to expect in this episode:
12:28 – How can tribal instincts be harnessed positively for organisations or communities?
19:09 – Are strong cultures close-minded?
24:11 – Have things become more tribal since Trump became President?
36:51 – How can leaders leverage triballism to create a stronger team?
Follow Michael:
Book – https://www.michaelwmorris.com/book
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-morris-a4b7/
Website – https://www.michaelwmorris.com/
X – https://x.com/MichaelMorrisCU
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The connection between schizophrenia and drug abuse
From addiction, depression and ultimately a diagnosis of Schizophrenia, his story is no short of a miracle, and certainly the outcome of a deep desire to be more in life. Apollo and I had shared in the madness of addiction and the streets as teenagers, we were truly lost in the wilderness.
We were amongst the worst within our circle of friends.
Through the Valley: Streets, Schizophrenia, and Success in Tech
Apollo Ellis’s journey from the streets of the 1990s San Francisco Bay Area to the heights of Silicon Valley is a tale of extraordinary resilience. Growing up in a world dominated by hip-hop and street culture, he faced daunting circumstances. Narrow escapes from the drug game and gang violence left their marks in the form of PTSD and addiction.
Homelessness and Schizophrenia
Homeless at the age of twenty, Apollo made the pivotal decision to return to school. Choosing education as his lifeline, he began to reconstruct himself. When a diagnosis of acute paranoid schizophrenia threatened his story again, he stayed his course and went on to graduate from UC Berkeley.
Today, Dr. Apollo Ellis is a renowned expert in computer science and technology. He has earned a Master’s degree and a PhD from the best institutions in the world and worked at many Fortune 500 tech giants like Intel, Apple, Sony PlayStation, and Facebook.
In Through the Valley, we accompany him on this journey from the precarious streets, through schizophrenia, to Silicon Valley’s pinnacle. It is truly a testament to the power of determination and of an unyielding pursuit of the right to chase one’s dreams.
What to expect in this episode:
00:04:24) – Becoming a meth baller from early teens.
(00:47:04) – Navigating learning while having Schizophrenia
(01:21:26) – Insights on how to publicly share your mental health journey.
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Follow Apollo:
Book – Through the Valley: Streets, Schizophrenia, and Success in Tech
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/apollo-e-481621a0/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/apollo.ellis
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