As leaders, we are defined by our capacity to create the conditions that enable the group to perform at its best, and there is no better measure than building a culture and a common good so compelling that individuals know, accept and play their roles in a team and all of its expectations.

I sometimes wonder about the application of this high-performance mindset beyond the sporting field. Its importance however was emphasised in my conversation with Dame Alison Rose DBE, our guest on episode #007 of ‘In the Arena’.

Dame Alison Rose DBE was formerly the NatWest Group's CEO and the first woman appointed to this role. With operating revenue of £6 billion, assets of £693 billion, 61,500 employees and 19 million customers, she led in one of the highest stakes environments in business.

“It can be a very individualistic kind of culture if you're not careful. And so, for me, it was always about bringing the right team with the right culture on a common mission”, says Alison.

“I used to cox rowing teams. You'd have eight highly competitive individuals in a boat. And if you got them all moving in the same way, this boat would sing, and it would fly. It was amazing. And you could tell the difference between when it was working and when it wasn't. But each of those individual people had to be motivated in a different way. And that's true of corporate teams.”

“It was the thesis I had on the multiple teams I've built throughout my career. Always hire people better than you. A sign of a weak leader is when you push talent down. So, you should never be intimidated by talent. You hire the best people, people who are better than you, because you want collective skills in your team.”

“Be very clear on the culture you want to create. So mutual respect is really important, creating a team that can build trust”.

Grab a pen and notebook, take the time, this is a rich offering from a very generous leader.

Play on!

Cam