Major League Baseball remains shutdown but Mark Shapiro spies opportunities for growth and self-improvement right across the Toronto Blue Jays.

“We’re going to have to increase our level of open-mindedness and the way we connect with fans,” says the Blue Jays’ President and CEO. “The way we think about our game and the way we actually play and produce our game - the path back is likely to be a long one.”

Shapiro is the first guest on a new miniseries of podcasts brought to you by our co-hosts Matthew Stone, Leaders’ Senior Product Manager, and Steve Gera, the CEO of Gains Group, which helps some of sport’s greatest teams and athletes maximise the value of their data and technology.

The duo will bring you a slate of guests drawn from across sports performance to discuss how they are adapting to the new normal, attempting to thrive and contribute to the eventual reboot of the sports performance landscape.

From the comfort of his home office and standing desk, Shapiro talks about:

- Ongoing scenario-planning at the Blue Jays [5:00];

- The unintended consequences of the MLB shutdown [9:00];

- Why the Blue Jays are prioritising mental health and wellbeing for all athletes and staff [15:40];

- Knowing how to check the organisation’s cultural health [22:00];

- Why the potential of the team’s new practice facility still remains unknown [25:20].

Steve Gera: Twitter | LinkedIn

Matthew Stone: Twitter | LinkedIn

Further listening:

Jess Thirlby, Head Coach, England Netball

Listen above and subscribe today on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and Overcast, or your chosen podcast platform.