Cultivating Peak Performance: On the Greens or In the Office

Stay tuned for more blog postings from Mary Kier.

When I was much younger - high school age in fact - I participated in an oratory class. The class revolved around receiving an assigned topic, writing a speech on that topic, and presenting it. Towards the end of the course, I was assigned this speech topic - "You Can Do Anything." I turned to Amelia Earhart for inspiration and fervently cited her accomplishments in being the first woman to fly around the world, and the first to do so alone. In this situation, it turned out that "I" could do anything. The speech took me to the state oratory competition where I received the highest marks.

In retrospect I now realize that - while the concept is nice for a high school speech class - there are many things I will never be able to do, no matter how I try. I'll never, for instance, be as talented as Jack Nicklaus at the game of golf. No matter the amount of effort I exert trying to best Nicklaus in a game on the greens, there is no way I can match the Golden Bear's record 18 major tournament wins. As we can see from the Jack Nicklaus example, some people are born with traits, attributes and inclinations that destine them to be particularly gifted in a certain endeavor.

Surely you have heard the axiom that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. This idiom holds true for top athletes, as well as, executives at the top of their game. While Nicklaus is a gifted athlete with inherent qualities that aided his astronomical rise to the top, bear in mind, he did have to work diligently at becoming the best. His success is a result of combining genetic gifts with dedicated practice and cultivating an unparalleled mental toughness.

Recently I thumbed through Marshall Goldsmith's "Mojo" book and came across a an especially relevant passage where he says, "I don't believe that we can become anything that we want just because we choose to do it ... We all have real physical, environmental, or mental limitations that we may never be able to overcome ... On the other hand, I am amazed at what we can change if we do not artificially limit ourselves.  I have seen leaders make massive positive changes, both in the way that they treat others and the way that they see themselves."

Goldsmith is an authority on coaching executive leadership at corporations to reach their peak performance.  It is his premise that on playing field, as in the boardroom, attributes like endurance, speed, flexibility, precision, and coordination can be cultivated. As leaders concerned with our own performance, and the achievement of those we manage, there is much we can learn from experts like Goldsmith about workforce management. Psychologists classically categorize fundamental peak performer proficiencies into five skill sets:

• Awareness of the self behaviorally, affectively, somatically, inter-personally and cognitively;
• Control of effort where the performer learns to master energy and muscle tension levels;
• Visualization for mental practice and feedback purposes;
• Cognitive skills for strategic planning, motivation and attitude control;
• Self-programming for preparation before any situation the peak performer encounters.

As a high performer, you know that being the best requires diligence, hard work and an iron-clad mental fortitude. As a leader you also know that one of the most rewarding pieces of the job is helping employees grow and improve their performance. Next week we'll continue the exploration of peak performance, and turn our focus to transferring the best practices of leaders into the lives of those they coach - be it on the court or in the office.

Suggested Reading:
Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back if You Lose It, by Marshall Goldsmith.

Peak Performance: Aligning the Hearts and Minds of Your Employees, by Jon R. Katzenbach.