>> 15 steps to peak performance

n 1996 the British Cycling He followed 15 key steps to achieve 4. Focus on process: To ensure a steps to Federation faced insolvency peak performance: win at the Beijing Olympics, it was I and the closure of the only 1. Ensure clarity: Brailsford calculated that an improvement indoor Olympic-standard track in the attributes success to understanding in time from over four minutes to UK. Britain was ranked 17th in the world what you are trying to win, being under three minutes 55 seconds and won just two bronze medals at the clear about the purpose, setting was needed. The resulting ‘3-55 Olympics in Atlanta. By 2012, Britain an outcome that everyone buys programme’ for the team was summarised in a video. In Beijing, was ranked number one in the world into and ensuring absolute clarity the team executed 3-55 (which had and British riders won 12 medals (8 concerning roles, responsibilities, peak structure and tactics. become the norm in training) and gold) at the London Olympic Games. 2. Create a ‘Podium won gold. Sir Dave Brailsford is credited as one of Programme’: British Cycling 5. Get back to basics: Tim the principal architects in transforming aimed for medals, nothing less. Kerrison, Head of Performance Great Britain’s track fortunes over the Team Sky was equally bold – to win Support argued for simplification performance last decade. In 2009, he was appointed saying “the rider who generates the the Tour with a clean (drug-free) the performance director and manager British rider within five years. most power, for the longest period of a new professional British road cycling 3. Plan backwards: Brailsford of time, while weighing as little as >> The transformation of British cycling from near team, Team Sky which aimed to create followed five key steps (i) prioritize possible, and slipping efficiently the first British winner of the Tour de and decide what you want to win through the air, usually wins the bankruptcy to a dominant global force offers France, within five years. This was because you can’t win everything race.” To win the Tour de France, insights for any business looking to improve their achieved twice, by Bradley Wiggins in (ii) figure out what it will take to Bradley Wiggins focused on altitude 2012, followed by Chris Froome in 2013. win (iii) work back from what you training, weight control and power performance. So how did Sir Dave Brailsford do it and want to win to where you are today output. what aspects of his approach could (iv) create a plan to close the gap 6. Practice winning: The top riders boost a business’ performance? (v) execute. in Team Sky raced fewer days than their rivals and structured seasons to accommodate mid-season ‘training blocks’ in Tenerife. In 2012 purists argued that Wiggins had peaked too early in winning three week-long stage races prior to the Tour. Yet this was all part of the tactics. In those races the team trained to win by defending a lead.

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7. Aggregate marginal gains: 9. Conduct the orchestra: This 11. Charter a team: The British This meant working only with 15. Stick to your principles: Focus on improving components is how Brailsford describes his Cycling Team set its own “team people who have an intrinsic Whilst some professional teams that can significantly affect overall approach to strategic leadership. rules” which included: respect drive towards achieving a goal abandoned their tough drug policies performance by just 1%. Examples He commented: “I don’t coach the one another, watch each other’s (commitment), people who take for ‘truth and reconciliation’ following included taking riders’ own riders directly. I coach a team of backs, be honest with one another, ownership of their training and the Lance Armstrong scandal, mattresses and pillows to prevent people, including coaches to coach respect team equipment and be on development and responsibility for Brailsford reinforced zero tolerance. neck and back problems and even the riders”. Brailsford maintains that time. They also had the following their performance. Four senior members of staff left training the team on how to wash the most important members of the motivational motto on team clothing 13. Control the chimp: Brailsford Team Sky having confessed to past their hands correctly to reduce the team are the riders, not the coaches and printed on every bike: claims that “the best appointment involvement in doping. “We prefer to compromise our performance chance of infections. or the management: “We talked This is the line. I’ve ever made” was Steve Peters, a 8. Maximize the latest about taking the crown off the head The line between winning and psychiatrist from Rampton high- rather than change our policy,” says technologies: British Cycling had of the coach and putting it on the losing. security hospital. Peters works with Brailsford. a small team known as the ‘secret head of the rider. First and foremost, Between failure and success. riders to pre-empt or control their We have the knowledge of what to do, but squirrel club’ that was charged with I work for the riders”. Between good and great. ‘chimp’ - the emotional and irrational part of the brain, which has the having the will to do it is something else. finding technological innovations 10. Support the support: Team Between dreaming and believing. potential to inhibit performance. The ‘gold medals’ are out there waiting to to boost rider performance. The Sky was the first professional team Between convention and innovation. 14. Manage the ‘triangle of be won. Are you up for the challenge? MF team would search for ways to that offered dedicated one-to-one Between head and heart. change’: To achieve change people get marginal gains from using coaching to all its riders, deciding It is a fine line. It challenges everything we do. must be a) committed to being technological advances across that the split of investment in riders better b) psychologically minded David Denyer is a Professor And we ride it every day. of Organisational Change and sport, science, industry and the versus support should be 80/20 (think that they can change) c) 12. Build a strong CORE: This was Director of Research at Cranfield. military. For example, riders rather than usual 90/10 split in pro suffering enough to engage with Brailsford’s acronym to explain how benefited from electrically heated cycling. “You’ll get more from a change. If the first two are in place, success would be achieved: ‘hot pants’ as leg warmers that were £900,000 rider with a coach than Brailsford argues, it is possible to inspired by Formula One’s tyre you would from a £1m rider without Commitment + Ownership + achieve change by either increasing warmers. one” was Brailsford’s rationale. Responsibility = Excellence consequence or reward.

Prioritize and decide what you want to win because you can’t win everything.

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