Max Gawn | Embrace your difference
From Stanley St. Social | cycling conversations by Alex Clements
May 20, 2026 · 1h 12m
About this episode
Max Gawn discusses his cycling journey and leadership insights while outlining how to build a winning cycling team culture.
Melbourne Football Club captain and cycling analyst Max Gawn joins his pod to go deep on his cycling journey, his leadership journey, and the practices he'd apply to build a winning cycling team culture - when (not if) Stanley St. Social gets a WorldTour squad. From accidentally discovering the Tour de France on SBS as a kid to breaking down monument tactics and GC battles, Max traces how he became one of AFL's most genuine cycling obsessives. Then he gets honest about leadership - what it really took to become Melbourne's captain, the late Jim Stynes' influence on embracing his difference, and why the best culture he's ever been part of was built in the hard years, not the good ones. And then we build the team. Max lays out exactly how he'd approach culture, connection and leadership in a WorldTour cycling squad - and it's more practical than you'd expect. We chat: Max's cycling journey from SBS late nights to monument obsessive Leadership, identity, and embracing your difference Jim Stynes and the mentor who shaped a captain Type A vs Type B leaders and why both need a seat at the table Building team culture across a globally scattered cycling roster The Triple H framework and…
People in this episode
Host: Alex Clements
Guest: Max Gawn
Topics covered
- cycling journey
- leadership
- team culture
- AFL
- mentorship
- Type A vs Type B leaders
- storytelling
Keywords
- cycling
- leadership
- team culture
- AFL
- Jim Stynes
- Type A leaders
- Type B leaders
- storytelling
- WorldTour
- monument tactics
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Melbourne Football Club
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