In this episode of Ore-atory: Elevating Mining Minds, Lindsey Schultz welcomes Sam Houston—strategist, executive coach, and founder of Strategist Solutions—for a powerful conversation on why the people side of mining is more critical than ever.
Sam dives into his current work on battery giga factories and the role of critical minerals in driving the global energy transition. But beyond the tech, he highlights the often-overlooked factor in mega project success: human dynamics. Through systemic team coaching, Sam helps project teams create alignment, improve psychological safety, and radiate performance across entire organizations.
Lindsey and Sam unpack the meaning of cognitive diversity and its importance in solving mining’s biggest challenges—from sustainability to innovation. They also discuss why mining’s siloed culture makes it hard for new voices to enter and grow and how shifting to a culture of belonging can fuel retention, performance, and purpose.
In a world where technical success is no longer enough, this episode is a masterclass in leadership, vulnerability, and people-first strategy. Plus, Sam announces he’s writing a book—and Lindsey makes sure it’s officially “out in the universe.”
✅ Key Takeaways
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Cognitive diversity is essential for solving complex problems in mining—not just demographic diversity.
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Psychological safety is the new frontier in building strong, sustainable teams.
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Systemic team coaching beats traditional “high performance” models by fostering collaboration instead of competition.
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Mining must break internal silos to attract talent and embrace innovation from other industries.
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Belonging is a critical component of retaining diverse teams and enabling long-term success.
📌 Timestamped Highlights
⚡ [01:00] Giga Factories and the Energy Transition – Sam’s work in battery infrastructure and why it matters for mining
🧠 [03:13] Coaching Breakthroughs on Project Teams – How team coaching delivers unexpected impact in complex environments
👥 [04:08] Why People Are the Missing Link in Mega Projects – Sam explains why technical success means nothing without team dynamics
🌍 [07:08] Designing Projects for the Future – How legacy assets failed society and why cognitive diversity must shape tomorrow’s mines
💬 [09:01] Attracting Nontraditional Talent – Why mining needs to embrace professionals from tech, AI, and beyond
🧩 [10:23] Cognitive Diversity vs. Demographics – Sam breaks down the difference and why it matters for solving industry challenges
🏗️ [12:32] Mining’s Role in the Global Transition – Sam frames mining as mission-critical to global progress
🎯 [13:35] Belonging Is the Missing Piece – Lindsey discusses why DEI needs “B” for belonging to retain talent
🔄 [16:16] Building Resilient Teams – Sam explains why external support like coaching is a strength, not a weakness
📣 [18:28] From Competition to Collaboration – Moving beyond “high performance teams” to systemic coaching approaches
🐾 [28:02] Louie’s Cameo – Lindsey’s dog interrupts the conversation with perfect timing (optional light edit!)
🚪 [30:36] Mining as a Closed Shop – Why siloed thinking and lack of cross-industry movement are holding mining back
🚧 [34:00] Psychological Safety in Mining – The critical need for psychological safety and how team coaching helps create it
🧠 [42:48] From Baseline to Breakthrough – Sam shares how he diagnoses and elevates team performance through targeted interventions
📚 [46:48] Sam Is Writing a Book – Announcement of a forthcoming book on people, sustainability, and project delivery
🎤 [49:38] Final Reflections – Lindsey and Sam close out with gratitude, insights, and a nod to future conversations
Connect with us on LinkedIn and check out monthly episodes of Ore-atory: Elevating Mining Minds on Apple Podcast or Spotify, where we continue to explore the mining industry workspace.
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