Is traditional industry education and upskilling really the solution for enhanced performance?

Before you seek traditional performance enhancement strategies like industry education & ‘upskilling’, check whether your foundations to perform are enabling you to be at your best. In most cases improving our practical skillset has little impact on our performance output, but if we focus on our capacity to perform – our output can enhance exponentially.

Perhaps this would be more evident in the following story.

I picked up a basketball again recently (yes, probably caught in the Laker wave). Alas, a team asked me to fill in and I obliged. I have not played in over a decade, but prior to that I competed at a pretty high level, that is to say I have done my 10,000 hours. So, as I rolled onto the court and took a few practice shots I was a little clumsy, but the general feel was there, and the skills and flow quickly returned. Then it was game time, and my shots were absolute bricks, my dribbling was out of control and my passes were off by a good metre. I was tired. I was slow. I was not match fit.

My foundations to perform were poor. If I want to get better now. If I want to make actual improvement in my game today, it is not my skillset, my shooting, my passing, or my ball skills that need work. I need to improve my base fitness. I need to improve the foundations that support the performance of my skills.

Similarly, in the workplace, don’t focus on improving the skillset of your trade. Likely, you’ve done your hours too. Focus on improving the foundations that allow you to perform. You may have heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs there is complimentary theory that posits that as well as a hierarchy of needs, we too have a hierarchy of performance capacities. The suggestion being that one cannot operate in a higher performance capacity without the foundation of the preceding support conditions. To get the most out of our cognitive performance – where majority of us apply our trade – we need to be have built and grown a sturdy physical base and a robust emotional platform.

Physical Capacity.

Maintaining physical capability and energy seems obvious. Even so, the first routine dropped or overlooked in most long-term corporate careers are those that benefit our physical health. Simply put, if you want to perform you need to have the energy and body to do so. The following are two options to improve:

·         Nutrition and Movement.

Even with all the information now available within seconds, this is still something that we generally don’t get correct and most people don’t have enough knowledge about. Seek to be educated. (Not my area of expertise – happy to refer you if you are looking for some advice.)

·         Recovery

Consistent brief periods of recovery are essential. In the current corporate environment we would prefer to get up earlier, to fit more in the day, to push ourselves harder and just be seen to be ‘doing more’. It is not smart. In fact, the research says it is counter-productive. Intervals of recovery that conserve our energy have a much more prominent impact on performance ability than using up all of our limited energy and operating on empty. To find more physical energy to perform at your work, use consistent rituals to refuel.

Try creating rituals for periodic breaks.

Use a timer or schedule in non-negotiable meetings with yourself to create moments that allow you to refuel. Go and sit in the sun; take a brief walk outside; or read a book unrelated to the task at hand. Whatever your ‘thing’ is, find something that allows you to refuel your energy. Ten minutes of every hour is place to start. If you’re in a moment of flow and avoiding distraction, maybe ten minutes out of every ninety will work better for you.

Emotional Capacity.

Operating from our cognitive capacity takes both physical and emotional energy. If you have a low storage of either you are not going to be at your best. Whilst many of us have been heavily peppered with physical capacity solutions, interventions for our emotional capacity are not so frequently come by. Here are a few proven options to expand your emotional platform and energy.

·         Awareness.

Expanding your ability to identify emotions has shown benefits to expand your overall emotional capacity. Seek to set aside a few brief moments in the day where you consciously identify both yours and others’ emotions. This should be just a split second of recognition, nothing more.

·         Antecedents and Reframe.

An ability to identify the antecedents of our own emotions allows for higher emotional capacity. Practise recognising the signs of unhelpful emotions arising within and seek to reframe your thoughts to channel them in a more positive and advantageous way.

·         Connection.

There is no bigger impact to be had on our capacity to deal with emotions and support performance than the interaction of our closest relationships. Frequent contact and comfort from those we most love provides satisfaction, positive feelings and emotional recovery. Stop thinking you need to spend more time at work. You don’t. Your performance will improve when you spend more quality time at home.

To excel in your industry, trade education and practical upskilling is a logical step and most traditional performance enhancement strategies provide for it. As practised as it may be, it has little impact on your performance output. To increase your performance and expand your cognitive capacity (the capacity that applies most to corporate professions), you want to focus on expanding your foundation performance capacities that allow your cognitive to function. Refuel and take care of yourself physically, use connection and awareness to care for your emotional needs. Expand these two capacities and experience exponentially enhanced performance.