Driving Performance

A neuroscience-based and hands-on guide to building a high-performance environment in any organization In Driving Performance: 10 Lessons About Building High-Performing Teams From Neuroscience and Formula One, neuroscientist and psychologist Marcia Goddard delivers a groundbreaking new approach to sustainable high performance. Dr. Goddard draws on her extensive experience working with global organizations and Formula One teams to highlight effective strategies for encouraging innovation, productive culture, leadership, and teamwork within people and within companies. This book is a roadmap for building and maintaining high performance environments in any industry. It offers practical tools, reflective tips, and actionable insights for leaders and team members who hope to elevate their performance and the performance of everyone around them. It skips the hustle culture clichés and focuses exclusively on proven behaviors that work in the real world, with real people, who are part of real teams. You’ll also find: Insightful strategies that leverage the latest neuroscience research to frame change as a challenge, instead of a threat Effective techniques for creating leadership practices that encourage trust, autonomy, and psychological safety Advice for cultivating useful traits in your team members, including emotion regulation, mental flexibility and empathy Perfect for managers, executives, entrepreneurs, founders, and other leaders, Driving Performance is an invaluable strategy guide for everyone interested in improving their own performance, or the performance of those who work for and with them. It’s a science-based, step-by-step guide to creating a durable and resilient high-performing team in any organization.

Foreword xi Preface xv The Foundation: The Neuroscience of Change and Resilience 1 1 Clear Communication Drives Success 17 2 A No-Blame Philosophy Fosters Continuous Learning 37 3 A Shared Purpose and Effective Goal-Setting Fuel Intrinsic Motivation 53 4 Openness to Alternative Perspectives Powers High-Quality Decision-Making 71 5 Autonomy over Hierarchy Creates Empowerment 103 6 Trust over Control Increases Engagement and Ownership 113 7 Psychological Safety Ignites Team Performance 125 8 Talent Gets You Noticed. Drive Keeps You Going 153 9 Neuroplasticity Builds Individual High Performance 165 10 AI Can Be the Ultimate Performance Enhancer 193 Epilogue 213 Notes 215 Acknowledgments 223 About the Author 225 Index 227