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July 2026
Ella Jaczynska
I recently posted about the some of the comparisons and similarities between elite athletes, leadership and the mindset of Healthy High Performance. This weekend, Wimbledon served up even more thrilling matches; and it got me thinking more deeply on some of the subjects I touched on last week.
At the elite level, everyone can hit the ball. The crucial difference rarely sits in the physicality of how the game is played, instead it’s mindset which gives the edge. In my opinion leadership is much the same.
In this month’s issue of Mindset Matters, I delve a little deeper into the three mindset disciplines that set both elite athletes and successful leaders apart.
1 – Clarity beats complexity
One thing you notice when watching elite tennis is how players simplify under pressure. They aren’t thinking about winning Wimbledon while they’re in the middle of a rally. Their attention is on the next serve, the next shot, the next point.
Leadership often works in the opposite direction. As pressure builds, so does the temptation to think about everything at once. Every issue feels urgent, priorities blur and it becomes harder to distinguish what’s important from what’s simply loud.
The leaders I see perform at their best don’t necessarily have fewer challenges. They have greater clarity. They know the outcome they’re working towards, but just as importantly, they know what deserves their attention today, what to focus on, and what is posible. That ability to simplify complexity is a powerful leadership discipline.
2 – Play to your strengths
Another thing elite athletes have in common is that they don’t all win in the same way.
Some rely on relentless consistency, others on power, creativity or tactical intelligence. They understand what makes them effective, what they need to use and rely on against the opponent they are facing at that moment, and, when the pressure increases, they trust those strengths rather than trying to become someone else. They flex as they play and make micro adjustments as needed. You don’t see a sudden dramatic change in their playing style.
Leaders can fall into the opposite trap. Under pressure it’s easy to compare yourself with others, lose faith in your abilities, try new things or feel you need to adopt someone else’s style. Yet part of sustainable high performance comes from knowing your own strengths and using them deliberately and situationally.
High performing leaders take time to reflect on the situation and can flex accordingly, allowing them to determine what strengths and capabilities the moment needs. They try it, see what impact that capability is having, and recognise what the small incremental adjustments are that may be needed.
This is why self-awareness sits at the heart of great leadership; without knowing your strengths, your default preferences, patterns, vulnerabilities and mindsets limit your ability to strategically choose how you want to act, behave or bring about change.
This is where our coaching often focuses with the leaders we work with.
Coaching isn’t always about working with someone who wants to learn something new or change something; often it’s about helping them recognise what’s already there and giving them the confidence to lean into it more intentionally.
3 – Small improvements create profound impact
Elite performance is rarely transformed overnight.
The best athletes are constantly looking for marginal gains – a slightly better recovery routine, a small adjustment in technique or a more consistent routine between points. None of these changes seem significant on their own, but together they create a meaningful competitive advantage.
Leadership develops in much the same way. One better conversation, a clearer priority, a more thoughtful question or a brief pause before reacting may seem insignificant in isolation. Over time, though, these small changes shape behaviours, influence culture and improve decision-making.
As we watch the final week of Wimbledon, we’ll see extraordinary performances under extraordinary pressure. It may look effortless, but what we’re really seeing is the result of thousands of hours spent developing not just physical capability, but mental discipline.
Leadership is no different. When pressure arrives, we don’t suddenly become the leader we aspire to be. We rely on the habits, mindset and ways of thinking we’ve developed long before the moment matters.
Let us help you be that Leader.