At our recent Empowered Performance in Practice Masterclass, two themes stood out for me.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
The first came from our colleagues in Sports & Active Health, who shared how creating a strong sense of team purpose and clear team pillars has helped bring focus, alignment and ownership to their work. The second came from Paula Brockwell’s keynote session, Creating Clarity in a Noisy World, which challenged us to think about the impact of competing priorities, competing demands and the “noise” that can make it difficult to focus on what matters most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shortly after the masterclass, the Sports & Active Health team received national recognition when Canterbury Christ Church University was awarded BUCS Active Campus of the Year. This fantastic achievement reflects the team’s leadership, innovation, hard work and commitment to creating an active and healthy campus environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whilst awards are never the result of one single action, their success is a great reminder of the power of having a shared purpose, clear priorities and a team that understands how its individual contributions connect to a wider goal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both the Sports & Active Health presentation and Paula’s keynote shared a common message: when teams are clear about why they exist, what they’re trying to achieve and where they should focus their energy, performance becomes more empowered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the masterclass, I’ve been hearing some great examples of managers taking these ideas back to their teams and putting them into practice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Starting with purpose<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n One manager told me that they returned to their team immediately after the masterclass and facilitated a discussion to create their own team pillars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Inspired by the Sports & Active Health presentation and Paula’s approach, the team spent time exploring questions such as: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The result wasn’t a lengthy exercise or a polished strategy document. It was a shared understanding of what mattered most to the team and how they wanted to focus their efforts moving forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What I particularly liked about this example was the simplicity of it. Rather than waiting for the “perfect” opportunity, the manager created space for a conversation that helped the team establish a clearer sense of purpose and direction. It also mirrored one of the key messages from the Sports & Active Health team: that taking time to define why you exist and what matters most can create stronger alignment, better decision-making and greater ownership across the team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Paula’s handouts encourage managers to start in exactly this place by defining team purpose and identifying the pillars that support it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Moving from purpose to prioritisation<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another manager has been exploring what happens next. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Following the masterclass, they reflected on an activity they had previously run with their team called “Keep, Kill or Give” and recognised how closely it connected with Paula’s focus on noise reduction and creating clarity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The exercise encourages colleagues to review their work and ask: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Using colourful Post-it notes and facilitated discussion, the team explored what was genuinely within their remit, influence and control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As you might expect, some of the conversations felt challenging. Discussions about priorities, responsibilities and workload often are. But by creating a safe and constructive environment, colleagues were able to share honest perspectives, identify opportunities for change and take ownership of areas where they could make a difference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Importantly, the exercise wasn’t focused on identifying everything that was wrong. It was focused on helping the team understand where their energy was being spent and whether it aligned with what mattered most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Which is exactly what Paula’s framework encourages us to do when asking: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking ahead, the team is now building on these conversations as part of an upcoming team day. Through facilitated discussions, group activities and team challenges, they hope to strengthen team connections, generate fresh thinking and create a greater sense of shared ownership. By keeping the atmosphere informal, engaging and collaborative, they are creating the conditions for colleagues to contribute openly, learn from one another and continue shaping how they work together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Small focused shifts<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n What connects both of these examples is that neither manager started with a major transformation programme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They started with a conversation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One team began by clarifying purpose and identifying their pillars. Another began by examining activities, priorities and pressures. Both are taking practical steps towards the same goal: helping their teams focus on the things that matter most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This reflects one of the principles Paula shared during the session: meaningful change often comes through small, focused shifts rather than trying to fix everything at once. Her suggested approach of creating clarity, building momentum and then embedding change over time provides a useful framework for any manager looking to make progress with their team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What could this look like in your team?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n You might start by asking: <\/p>\n\n\n\n You don’t need all the answers before you begin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The examples above show that simply creating the space for these conversations can be incredibly valuable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A final reflection<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n In a busy environment, it’s easy to assume that improving performance means doing more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The masterclass offered a different perspective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes performance improves because teams become clearer about their purpose. Sometimes it improves because people feel more connected to shared goals. Sometimes it improves because they stop doing things that no longer add value. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The examples shared here all started with conversations: defining team pillars, exploring team purpose, reviewing priorities and creating space for colleagues to shape how they work together. None of them required significant investment or complex change programmes. They simply required time, curiosity and a willingness to step back and reflect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The success of our Sports & Active Health colleagues demonstrates what can happen when a team has clarity about its purpose and works collectively towards shared goals. The managers featured in this blog are taking the same principles and applying them in their own areas, showing that creating clarity is something every team can begin today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you missed the masterclass, or would like to revisit it with your team, the recording is now available alongside Paula’s practical handouts. I’d encourage you to explore them together and consider one question: <\/p>\n\n\n\n What is one small, focused change that could create greater clarity for your team over the next 60 days? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Further Resources<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Masterclass Recording<\/strong> Empowered Performance in Practice: Creating Focus and Impact<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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