PEAK PERFORMANCE: WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE PARTY?

What are the attributes of peak performance? This is a fundamental question, that goes right to the heart of work, talent, and great people.

What are the attributes of peak performance?

I run peak performance workshops for groups of people who work in medium and large organisations — be they leaders, high potentials, a team or a department.

One of the questions I ask my workshop participants is, “What are the attributes of a peak performer?”

I explain that by ‘peak performance’ I mean ‘peak’. Not just on time, on budget, and good enough to get the job done. I mean ‘peak’ as in performance that shapes the future and makes a difference today.

This is a fundamental question, that goes right to the heart of work, talent, and great people. And the list of attributes that participants throw up is pretty much the same every time. Passionate, visionary, enthusiastic, creative, self-belief, no fear, driven, energetic, goal orientated, open minded, tenacious, etc.

There are no right or wrong answers in this exercise. The point is that while we ‘automatically’ recognise and list the attributes that constitute ‘peak performance’, they fall way under the radar when it comes to CVs [your personal brand document] and job descriptions.

Your CV is not a true reflection of what’s important

The closest most CVs come to tell who you really are is in the section headed “Hobbies & Interests”. And you write something like “poetry and rugby”, covering your bases in case you’re being interviewed by a guy or a girl. The closest most job descriptions come to capturing the attributes required for peak performance is in the section headed “Duties & Responsibilities”. Fail!

Imagine now, for a moment, you are looking to hire peak performers for your dynamic business. The CVs have been submitted, and you’ve short-listed the candidates down to the top 5. One by one they arrive for their interview, and one candidate turns up stark naked.

So you pull out your ‘peak performance’ checklist and start ticking off the boxes = passionate [yes]; enthusiastic [yes]; creative [yes]; self-belief [absolutely]; no fear [for sure]; driven [yes]; energetic[yep]; goal orientated [yep]; open minded [for sure]; tenacious [oh yes].

“Congratulations sir [or madam], you have got the job.”

When you turn up you need to stand for something

Now I am not suggesting you turn up naked for your next interview or day at the office. But what I am suggesting is that you DO need to turn up and stand for something if you’re the sort of person who wants to shape the future, make a difference today, and be 100% self-expressed along the way.

So what, over and above our day-to-day job description and function, do YOU bring to the party? Think of this as your own personal brand essence. Write it down [in 3 words or less], place it on a huge sign in your head, and be that person.

And this, by the way, is my sign

Richard Sauerman
Richard Sauerman
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