Unlocking Leadership Performance: How the Performance Equation Helps Teams and Leaders Thrive

At The Performance Equation, we help senior leaders and teams navigate the human dynamics that shape organisational success. One of the core ideas that underpins our work comes from Timothy Gallwey’s Performance Equation:

Performance = Potential – Interference

Gallwey first presented this deceptively simple formula in his book 'The Inner Game of Tennis', where he said:

“This is the game that takes place in the mind of the player. It is played against such obstacles as lapses in concentration, nervousness, self-doubt, and self-condemnation. In short, it is played to overcome all habits of mind which inhibit excellence in performance.”

This cuts to the heart of what drives (or limits) performance, not just in sports where Gallwey first developed it, but in leadership, business, and organisational life.

What Drives Leadership Performance?

Performance is the impact we have, the results we deliver, the change we lead, the progress we make. For senior leaders and leadership teams, performance shows up in how effectively you set direction, engage your people, make decisions, navigate complexity, and deliver outcomes that matter.

But raw talent or experience isn’t enough. What you could achieve (your potential) is only part of the story.

Unlocking Potential

Potential is the sum of your individual and collective strengths, your skills, knowledge, experience, creativity, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking. For leadership teams, potential includes not only what each member brings but how effectively those strengths are combined and harnessed.

Developing potential means investing in growth: sharpening leadership skills, deepening insight, and building team capability. But even high potential won’t automatically translate into results if something is blocking the way.

Reducing Interference

Interference is what gets in the way. It can show up as poor communication, unclear priorities, misaligned goals, interpersonal tension, lack of trust, or unproductive habits. For leaders, interference can also come from within such as self-doubt, overwhelm, or blind spots that distort judgement.

Reducing interference isn’t about being perfect. It’s about recognising what’s holding you or your team back and working intentionally to remove or minimise those blocks so your strengths can do their work.

Why This Matters for You

At The Performance Equation, we help leaders and teams unlock their full performance by identifying both sides of the equation:

Where is there untapped potential, individually or collectively?

Where is interference draining energy, clarity, or focus?

Our psychologically grounded coaching and consultancy work is designed to help you strengthen what works, address what holds you back, and move forward with greater clarity, confidence, and impact.

Ready to Explore What’s Possible?

If you’re a senior leader or leadership team who knows you could be achieving more, or who feels blocked by hidden challenges or frustrations. We’d love to help.

➔Let’s start a conversation about unlocking your leadership performance.