On February 1st and 2nd Will It Make The Boat Go Faster? were delighted to host Performance Dinners with our friends and partners from a host of different organisations. Joining us were CEO’s, MD’s, HRD’s and more from organisations such as Rolls Royce, Imagination Technologies, HobbyCraft, Laurent Perrier, Tokio Millenium, Jewson and Brunel University to name but a few. No offence please for those I didn’t include!
The dinner was an opportunity for us to introduce Dr. Steve Ingham, Head of Performance at Will It? Steve has brought to the team the very latest insight on the approach to performance in elite sport, and specifically on the area of Performance Under Pressure. In today’s environment, there seems to be a greater need than ever to manage not just the day to day load but also the peak events that can define so much success. In both cases the ability to get the best out of yourself and others when under pressure makes such a powerful difference.
Steve spoke on both nights about his journey with Team GB during 5 Olympic cycles up to and including Rio 2016, and especially with Jessica Ennis-Hill culminating in her delivering one of the greatest under pressure performances in the history of sport.
Steve reviewed 3 key areas around Performance Under Pressure (PUP):
1. The High Performing Self
Values – understanding why we do what we do
Experience – drawing on the lessons learnt from our rich source of achievements
Stress Response – understanding how the (our) brain responds to pressure
2. Developing Performance (under pressure)
Perfect Picture –what does perfect look like
Perfect Gap – how to realistically bridge it without overwhelm
The Perfect Plan – developing the tried and tested method for maximum performance
Optimal State -understanding your optimal psych / physiological state
3. Delivering Performance (under Pressure)
Readiness – getting your mind and body in the best possible shape
De-Escalate – preparing for all eventualities
Simplify – gaining focus and clarity for maximum impact
Stress Management – reducing the negative impact of nerves/anxiety
Steve’s excellent talk prompted several hours of healthy debate and discussion and the need for several extra bottles of wine to be ordered. We would like to thank everyone who attended and look forward to similar events later in the year.
The work we do around Performance Under Pressure is one of the modules in our Leadership Performance Programme and is also run as a stand-alone workshop over 2-3 days. For more information please contact one of the team on 020 3870 7088.
