Your Next Steps After the Small Business Lending Forum
The Lender's Edge: Positive Intelligence in an Accelerating World
“Thank you for joining us at the Small Business Lending Forum! We hope our session sparked some new thinking about how you can thrive as a leader in an era of accelerating change. This page is designed to help you continue exploring the concepts we discussed, whether you want to dive deeper into your Saboteur Assessment results, learn more about building mental fitness, or simply stay connected. Everything here is offered in the spirit of exploration and continued learning. No sales pitch, no pressure, just resources and people who are happy to help if you’re curious to learn more.”
Understanding Positive Intelligence: A Quick Refresher
Positive Intelligence (PQ) is a research-based framework developed by Shirzad Chamine that measures and strengthens your mental fitness, the capacity to respond to life’s challenges with a positive rather than negative mindset. Think of it as fitness training for your mind.
At the core of PQ are two competing forces in your mind:
Your Saboteurs are the internal voices that hijack your thinking and push you into reactive survival mode. We all have a Judge (the universal Saboteur that criticizes yourself, others, and circumstances) plus several accomplice Saboteurs like the Controller, Stickler, Pleaser, Hyper-Achiever, or Avoider. These patterns developed as coping mechanisms early in life, but they now undermine your leadership, relationships, and wellbeing. When you’re stressed, overwhelmed, or reactive, your Saboteurs are running the show.
Your Sage represents your deeper wisdom, the part of you that can handle any challenge with clarity, creativity, and calm. The Sage operates through five powers: Empathize, Explore, Innovate, Navigate, and Activate. When you’re in Sage mode, you see challenges as opportunities and gifts, and you respond with strategic wisdom rather than reactive emotion.
The PQ Rep is the fundamental practice for building mental fitness. It’s a simple 10-second exercise that shifts you from Saboteur brain to Sage brain by activating a different part of your brain. During our session, we practiced the three-step version: rub your fingertips together and notice the sensation for 10 seconds, feel your feet on the ground for 10 seconds, then notice one sound in your environment for 10 seconds. This 30-second reset interrupts the Saboteur hijack and creates space for your Sage to respond.
The research shows that lasting change in mental fitness follows the ‘20% insight / 80% muscle building’ formula. Understanding your Saboteurs intellectually is just the beginning—real transformation comes from consistent daily practice that literally rewires your brain. That’s why we emphasize building PQ Reps into your daily routine.”
start your Positive Intelligence Journey
Discover Your Saboteurs
If you haven’t taken the Saboteur Assessment yet, start there today. It takes about five minutes and gives you a clear view of the internal patterns that may be shaping your leadership, relationships, stress, and daily decisions. Most people find the results immediately recognizable, practical, and surprisingly accurate.
The assessment is free, your results are private, and the insights are often powerful right away. Take it now, name your patterns, and begin shifting from reactivity to clarity with intention.
Personal Saboteur Assessment Review
If you want to go deeper, book a complimentary 45-minute one-on-one Zoom session with a Certified Positive Intelligence Coach. In this conversation, you’ll unpack your results, identify how your top Saboteurs show up in work and life, and map the triggers that activate them under pressure. You’ll also begin practical strategies to intercept those patterns before they hijack your thinking and decisions. This is purely educational, with no obligation at any point. Connect with Adam, Scott, or Kyle to schedule your personal assessment review session.
7-Week PQ Pods Section
The 7-Week PQ Pod helps you turn insight into lasting change through consistent practice and support. You’ll complete short daily exercises in the PQ app and join weekly coaching sessions with a small group to apply tools, reflect on challenges, and build accountability. Across seven weeks, you’ll learn to catch Saboteurs earlier, interrupt them faster, and strengthen your five Sage powers in real situations. The model follows the core principle: 20% insight and 80% muscle building. If you’re curious, reach out to explore pod options with no obligation whatsoever.
Meet Your PQ Resources
Our team is committed to fostering growth and innovation. Each member brings unique skills and perspectives to help you achieve your goals.
Jaime Haver
Positive Intelligence Advocate
Most of you know Jaime far better than you know any of us, she’s the driving force behind the Positive Intelligence Panel you experienced at the Small Business Lending Forum. What you may not know is that Jaime is also passionate about Positive Intelligence and its application in our industry. If you’d prefer to explore PQ with someone you already know and trust, Jaime is a wonderful resource. She can share her own experience with the work and connect you with the right people and programs.
Connect with Jamie:
jaime@bluestreetcapital.com
Adam Lugsch-Tehle
Certified PQ Coach
Adam is a Certified Positive Intelligence Coach who serves as a personal PQ coach to both Scott and Kyle. He brings deep expertise in helping leaders understand and work with their Saboteurs. Adam works both independently and through MAC6 Growth Academy, which means there’s flexibility in how you might engage with him. Whether you’re looking for one-on-one coaching, want to bring PQ to your team, or are exploring other possibilities, Adam can help you find the right path.
Connect with Adam:
lt@aplt.me
Scott McIntosh
Co-Founder & Leadership Coach
Connect with Scott:
Scott.McIntosh@mac6.com
Kyle McIntosh
Co-Founder & Business Strategist
Connect with Kyle:
Kyle.McIntosh@mac6.com
About MAC6 Growth Academy
Scott and Kyle offer Positive Intelligence coaching as part of MAC6 Growth Academy, a Tempe, Arizona-based program dedicated to helping business leaders develop both their companies and their own leadership capacity.
Growth Academy integrates several proven frameworks, including Positive Intelligence, Patrick Lencioni’s team health models, and conscious capitalism principles, into a cohesive approach to business and personal development. The core belief is simple: the growth of a business is inseparable from the growth of its leaders.
If you’d like to explore what Growth Academy offers beyond Positive Intelligence, or how PQ fits into a broader leadership development journey, you’re welcome to learn more
Stay Updated with MAC6
If you’re interested in receiving additional resources or exploring the next steps with MAC6, we invite you to reach out. There’s no pressure or obligation—just an opportunity to learn more about how we can support your growth journey. Sign up to stay informed and take the first step towards enhancing your leadership capabilities.