By: Brendon Burchard
Reviewed by: Susan MacKenzie
The Premise: High performance in this book is defined as “succeeding beyond standard norms, consistently over the long term.” At The Roundtable, we work with many high performers. Most have been on a fast-track for high achievement for years. Their ability to perform at high levels is not in question, but rather how they keep energized and engaged to continue this path and probably most important, that they enjoy the ride. Who hasn’t longed for better balance and more satisfaction in their lives that includes personal/family time and a robust, successful career. In High Performance Habits, true high performers keep their mindset in growth gear and ensure that whatever they do, it lines up with what matters to them personally. Usually, it comes from a place of wanting to be of service.
Author Brendon Burchard is considered one of the world’s leading performance coaches. With six bestselling books, Oprah Winfrey as a client and over 100 million hits on his YouTube channel, he has pulled together some solid research on what the habits that all high performers have in common. Burchard’s writing style is engaging and full of real-life stories.
The premise of this book is that regardless of personality type or style, strengths, background etc., high performers have six habits in common. The book organizes the habits into two domains – personal and social. It is not a surprise that high performers put thought into and are intentional about how they show up every day. Each habit comes with reflection activities to support their intention.
In the Personal section – the habits are ‘Seeking Clarity” (setting clear intentions for how you interact, identifying skills to develop, how you can make a difference), “Generate Energy” (being accountable for the energy and joy in your life and “Raise Necessity” (know your why and the people who need your “A” game)
In the Social section, the habits are “Increase Productivity (focus on what outputs matter, breaking down goals into 5 moves and progressive mastery), “Develop Influence” (teach people how to think and grow) challenging them to grow and being a role model) and “Demonstrate Courage”
The Bottomline: I particularly liked how the book positioned the importance of having self-confidence. Self-confidence “predicts exceptional performance and happiness” and of course, following the six habits will contribute to that confidence. It aligns with the work we do with leaders – building mastery, aligning your work and life with who you are and connecting with others. It also emphasizes how important that reflection time is. It allows you to set the right intentions and to be strategic about which outputs to focus your energy on.
Roundtable Recommendation: This book is really comprehensive. I think that any leader who strives for high performance AND continued satisfaction and happiness will benefit from this book. It takes a holistic approach and is probably most beneficial to those who have spent time building their self-awareness. It has good thought-provoking questions for reflection. However, for someone who is starting to look at upping their performance and building self-awareness, it could be overwhelming.
