As a business leader in the outdoor and cycling industry, you understand the importance of high performance. Chelsea and Tim attended the 2023 Bicycle Leadership Conference hosted by PeopleForBikes, where Sunell Gupta, the CEO of RISE, discussed the four habits of high performers and shared insights on how we can grow from our failures.
Habit #1: Practice Rhythmic Renewal
Gupta emphasized the importance of taking breaks and following the 55/5 rule - 55 minutes of work followed by 5 minutes of break time. Taking regular breaks throughout the day can increase productivity and prevent burnout. High performers take on average 8 breaks a day.
Another favorite practice of ours is the Pomodoro Timers, 25min blocks of work followed by a 5 min break. Building breaks into your day is important, turning hour meetings into 50-minute meetings.
Habit #2: Turn Outsiders into Insiders
To build a team and improve cohesiveness, Gupta recommended helping team members become insiders by spending more time on Q&A and collaboration instead of just presenting information. This strategy can help build stronger relationships with customers and improve brand loyalty.
Most meetings follow a very top down model with the leader presenting for 80% of the meeting while discussions and Q&A make up the remaining 20%. This ratio should be flipped with 20% of the time setting up a more in-depth conversation.
Habit #3: Build a Circle
Gupta stressed the importance of building a circle. This can be used in building a team, circle of advisors, or personally. Gupta called these personality traits the Four C’s:
Collaborators - People who help build ideas. This is the classic role we think of when building a team.
Cheerleaders - Everyone needs a cheerleader. The person who encourages us to do our best, the optimist who is looking at the glass as half full.
Cheddar or Critic - After a few 8-Mile references, the role of the Critic was discussed. It’s important to have that devils advocate. Some groups will go as far as assigning this role to a person.
Coaches - This final role provides holistic support and feedback. Think of it more as a life coach vs a skills coach.
Surrounding yourself with these types of people (or assigning the roles) can help you generate new ideas, stay motivated, and improve your performance.
Habit #4: Play the Game of Now
Finally, Gupta recommended focusing on the present and working on what you can improve right now. Don't get bogged down by the past or future - stay focused on the present moment to maximize your performance.
As a business leader in the outdoor and cycling industry, implementing these four habits can help you improve your performance and achieve success. By practicing rhythmic renewal, turning outsiders into insiders, building a circle of support, and playing the game of now, you can become a high performer and drive growth for your business.