High performance is a buzzword in business, but have you ever stopped to really think about what it means for your team?  

Let’s break it down so that you can easily empower your team to unlock their full potential.

Nothing has meaning except the meaning we give it.  

In our conversations with clients (and on our poddy which you can check out here), you’ll often hear us talking about peak performance. Understanding and being aligned with your definition and meaning of high performance as a team is a critical part of this equation. 

Because here’s the thing: high performance can mean different things to different people. It’s one of those words that can have a dozen interpretations.

So getting on the same page is an absolute game-changer. 

It’s not just about saying you’re a ‘high performing team’; it’s about 1. defining what that means, 2. working towards it, and then 3. seeing the benefit of aligned outcomes.

Think of it like creating a blueprint of success for your team to follow. 

It sets the tone for your business culture. 

And it’s the difference between a team that’s burning out in the name of success or one that’s thriving without the burnout.

Introducing 70-20-10 

We use a trusty model created by Andy Meikle that breaks down high performance into three parts: 70% is about results, 20% is about being a person of influence, and the remaining 10% is being a person of grace.

Results: 

This part is pretty straightforward – it’s all about the numbers, the goals, KPIs and the measurable outcomes in business. 

The real magic happens when you overlay the 20% of Influence and the 10% of Grace on top of Results!

Influence: 

Being a person of influence takes into account your behaviour, values, and contributions to the overall team’s success. Are you open to feedback and coaching? Do you share your success strategies and support your colleagues? This is what creates a culture of high performance.

Grace:

The last 10% is the internal stuff, your attitude, resilience, and how you handle the tough days. It’s about staying composed and not letting stress get the better of you affecting your impact on the people around you. 

If you take one thing away from reading this article, let it be that high performance is not just about results, it’s also about how you achieve them and the environment you create.

So, what’s your definition of high performance and how do you know it’s the same as your team? 

There’s only one way to find out the answer to these questions and it’s to have the conversation as a team and write down what your collective definition of high performance is. 

Following the 70-20-10 model is a simple way to get the conversation started.