Get the best out of
yourself and your team
High Performance Leadership
Research from Radboud University Nijmegen shows that your leadership has a direct impact on your organization’s performance. So the question is not whether leadership is important, but what makes your leadership effective. Your style must fit the culture, the people and the work you do together. A trait that seems awkward in one situation may actually provide security in another. Think risk avoidance in the military or in the operating room. High Performance organizations consciously choose a style that produces better results in the long run.
A definition
The definition of High Performance Leadership (HPL) is as follows: “A leadership style that focuses on the effective involvement and commitment of employees and managers with the goal of achieving higher levels of performance.” For you, High Performance Leadership is about commitment, accountability and focus. You focus on higher performance by putting employees at the center. You choose a long-term course that fits your mission and stay alert for opportunities to improve. You foster an environment that moves with change without losing direction.
Achieving a High Performance Organization
According to Harvard professor Michael Beer, a High Performance culture is created when you make conscious choices that empower employees and customers. You understand the importance of results while building trust and collaboration. Beer shows that you achieve this by consistently deploying three principles:
1. Performance tuning
You formulate a clear strategy and you ensure that processes, goals and cooperation are in line with it. Thanks to you, everyone knows which way you are heading.
2. Psychological alignment
You make your team feel meaningful. You make work challenging, you show why their contribution matters, and you create space to make a visible difference.
3. Capacity to learn and change
You encourage open conversations about what blocks success. You listen, you don’t react defensively and you show exemplary behavior when feedback is shared. Together with your team, you actively seek improvement.
The leader
The art lies in balance. Too much focus on one principle undermines the others. For example, you build a strong culture but inhibit innovation. Or you steer entirely on strategy and lose the commitment of your team. That’s why High Performance Leadership requires you to oversee multiple interests at once. You look at the impact on your employees, your clients, the organization and the results. From that broad perspective, you make daily adjustments.
Those who master this build an organization that performs sustainably. Want to learn more about this? Then check out our High Performance Leadership training course.
