How To Build High Performance Teams: Top 14 Peak Performance Speakers To Hire In The UK
Peak performance is defined as the ability to perform at an optimal level both physically and mentally. It plays an integral role in creating productive, resilient and happy workforces, however, for employees to reach peak performance, organisations must provide the perfect environment and resources that would allow them to reach a flow state.
Why is High Performance Important?
The benefits of high performance include improvements in mental health, increased productivity, and higher levels of engagement. These advantages are essential for business success in an increasingly competitive world. A Gallup study found that a more engaged workforce generated 21% greater profitability. Additionally, in a Harvard Business Review study, 90% of business leaders believed employee engagement is critical for business success.
In a study conducted by Forbes, they found that if 71% of team members are highly committed, a positive atmosphere will be created in any team. It has also been reported that there is 1.9 times increased likelihood of having an above-median financial performance when the top team is working toward a common vision.
How Can High Performance be Achieved?
There are many ways in which you can achieve high performance, both in your personal and professional life. Read our top tips for achieving high performance below:
- Manage your mindset – Think of your brain as a tool that can be improved or enhanced. Practice meditation and avoid negative self-talk, instead use affirmations as a way of focusing on what you want to achieve.
- Create a plan for success – Don’t go into a task blind, ensure that you have a plan in place that will lead you to high performance and success. Some of the most successful people in life write a short plan before they begin a momentous task, ensuring they have a clear vision of what high performance and success should look like.
Source: One Page CRM
Best High-Performance Speakers to Hire Today!
A market survey conducted by The Motivational Speakers Agency across 250 events conclusively state that the following are the best high-performance speakers available to hire for your virtual or in-person event:
- Charles van Commenee
- Sir Matthew Pinsent
- Toto Wolff
- Justin Hughes
- Ben Hunt-Davis
- Sir Ben Ainslie
- Jamil Qureshi
- James Kerr
- Jo Salter
- Matthew Syed
- John Amaechi
- Brendan Hall
- Kriss Akabusi
- Nicky Moffat
Charles van Commenee
Former Head Coach of UK Athletics, Charles Van Commenee can be credited with Team GB’s exceptional performance at the 2012 Olympic Games. Charles first rose to prominence as a leading athletics coach in 1994, through his ground-breaking work on Olympic Gold medallist Denise Lewis. His coaching helped her reach peak performance to become a European, Commonwealth and World Champion before winning Gold at the 2000 Olympic Games.
Charles has since replicated his remarkable success with Double World Champion Huang Zhihong and Olympic athlete Kelly Sotherton, who achieved a Bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, after initially ranking 57th in the world. In his speaking sessions, Charles translates his 30 years of experience coaching elite athletes to work environments, providing organisations with the knowledge to create peak-performing employees.
Testimonial:
Charles delivered a one hour presentation on Leadership and Coaching at our annual conference. His messages and core themes were perfectly aligned to what we expect from our leaders and his coaching philosophy was one that we can all learn from and apply. His no compromise approach to accountability will ring true to any organisation that is serious about performance. - Santander Corporate Banking
Sir Matthew Pinsent
Four-time Olympic Champion Sir Matthew Pinsent is one of Britain’s most successful athletes. Rowing since his time at Eton College, he carried his enthusiasm and passion for rowing to the University of Oxford where he competed in the famous Boat Race. Teaming up with the renowned Sir Steve Redgrave, he went on to win the World Championships in 1991 and the Olympic Games in 1992 and 1996 for the Coxless pair.
During his impressive athletic career, Matthew competed at the highest levels of international sport. Having to push himself to perform under pressure and cope with unimaginable stress, performing at peak levels was no easy feat. Alongside his teammates, he dominated, going on to win two more Gold Medals at the Olympic Games and ten Gold medals at the World Championships. With that experience in mind, Matthew offers valuable insight toward achieving peak performance.
Testimonial:
"A big ‘Thank you’ to Matthew and Champions for yesterday, it was great to meet him. The whole day went well and Matthew’s talk was fantastic! I hope he enjoyed himself too and I hope I have the opportunity to work with you both again soon."– Procter & Gamble
Toto Wolff
Renowned Team Principal and CEO of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, Toto Wolff is a man at his peak. Beginning his career as a racing driver, Toto is very comfortable performing under pressure. His debut race was in the Australian Formula Ford Championship in 1992. Gaining valuable experience from his previous races, Toto proceeded to win the 2002 FIA GT Championship followed by an impressive win in the 24 Hours Nürburgring and displayed dominance in the 2006 Dubai 24-Hour race.
Transitioning from a racing driver to Executive Director of the Williams F1 Team, Toto later became the most successful leader of the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team. Under his guidance and coaching, the team set a new record, winning seven consecutive Formula One Double World Championships and recently a Constructors Title in 2021. In his speaking engagements, Toto can share his tips for creating high-performing teams.
Testimonial:
"Thank you for securing us Toto and Susie Wolff for our SLM 2021 event this year. I thought the combination worked really well having them both together, and would recommend that to your other clients. I received many remarks from event attendees around how ‘on message’ they both were on the themes of leadership and culture, which was a big focus of our event this year. It was a real event highlight." - Tetra Pak
Justin Hughes
Former fighter pilot and Executive Officer Justin Hughes is an expert on maintaining peak performance and managing high-risk environments. One of nine elite pilots to be selected for the world-renowned Red Arrows, he has successfully performed 250 displays worldwide and engaged in three international tours.
In his former career as a fighter pilot, Justin has often found himself in high-risk environments, especially during his time peacekeeping for the UN in Bosnia. What makes Justin an outstanding speaker is his peak performance as an elite pilot, but also his ability to maintain that performance in his post-flying career. As the author of The Business of Excellence, Justin is able to deliver highly engaging sessions on the topic of peak performance.
Testimonial:
"Justin delivered an excellent keynote. The feedback we received was massively positive and some of the best we’ve had" – Fujitsu Services
Ben Hunt-Davis
Olympic Gold medal-winning rower, Ben Hunt-Davis’s dedication and hard work are exemplary. Using the marginal gain philosophy to develop himself, Ben closely evaluated his performance at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games to go from ranking seventh to number one in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
Going through that process has helped Ben create a winning formula which he now shares through his performance consultancy. His peak performance strategies can be implemented in business environments to help professionals achieve their goals. In his speaking engagements, Ben can tailor his revolutionary strategies to meet the specific goals of organisations.
Testimonials:
"I think the key thing is, if you’ve achieved what Ben’s achieved, it’s obviously a message in itself in terms of that highest level of performance, but also Ben’s got a presence and a charisma about him that makes the message come home in a very solid way." - John Gardiner, Talent Stream
Sir Ben Ainslie
Elite Olympic athlete Sir Ben Ainslie is the definition of peak performance. One of only three athletes to win medals in sailing at five different Olympic Games, Ben’s record is truly extraordinary. He has dominated in the four consecutive Olympic Games, and won 11 World Championships and nine European Championships.
Honoured for his tremendous victories, in 2012, he was selected to be the first person to carry the Olympic Torch. Ben possesses an unparalleled knowledge of what it takes to achieve and maintain peak performance. In his speaking session, he shares his winning formula with his audience offering valuable takeaways.
Testimonial:
"Thank you for transforming our event and making it dynamic." – SAP
Jamil Qureshi
Renowned sports and business coach Jamil Qureshi’s ability to transform individuals to achieve peak performance is remarkable. His bespoke programmes allow him to tailor his winning formula to suit a variety of different professions and corporate goals. Jamil can provide strategies to increase productivity, achieve high-profit margins and create a more engaged workforce.
As the first-ever psychologist with the European Ryder Cup Team, Jamil played an effective role in making the team win by a history-making record-equalling margin. Outside sports, Jamil co-founded We Do Things Differently and founded JQES Ltd, consulting services aimed at changing corporate cultures to create the optimal conditions for peak performance. Jamil is a thought leader on peak performance and a highly sought-after speaker.
Testimonial:
"A massive hit. A masterful balance of humour and rich content."- Emirates Airlines
James Kerr
Leading business consultant and distinguished author, James Kerr is an expert on peak performance. James, a highly sought-after consultant, has provided valuable advice for leading companies including Shell, Adidas, and HSBC. He draws on his experience as an advisor to the legendary New Zealand rugby team, The All Blacks, to effortlessly unite his experience in sports with business.
With such an in-depth knowledge of achieving peak performance, James’s speaking sessions are very valuable, thought-provoking, and inspirational.
Testimonial
"The session itself was good thanks, please pass on our thanks again to him for such an engaging and inspiring session. From the feedback we’ve received since the event, the group certainly found the session thought-provoking and valuable." – Ingrid, KPMG
Jo Salter
Britain’s first female fast jet pilot, Jo Salter flew a Tornado GR1 during her time in service. Initially intending to become an engineering officer, Jo welcomed the opportunity to become a pilot when a change in regulation allowed women to fly. In her training, Jo exhibited great talent and in 1992 earned her wings to become Flight Lieutenant of the 617 Squadron.
Maintaining peak performance after leaving the military, Jo proceeded to develop her leadership, technology, and people skills to become Director of Global Transformative Leadership at PWC. Highly inspirational and a role model for many, Jo’s ability to reach and maintain peak performance is a topic she eloquently discusses in her speaking engagements. In recognition of her exceptional career with the Royal Air Force, Jo was recently invited by Tom Cruise to attend the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick.
Testimonial:
"Great energy, uplifting and motivational style. Came across as passionate and authentic with good presentation skills. Managed the whole session without any slides." - Tejas, Global Supply Manager, British American Tobacco
Matthew Syed
Co-founder of Matthew Syed Consulting, Matthew Syed is one of the leading and most highly sought-after peak performance coaches. An exceptionally talented coach, Matthew believes there is a direct relationship between mindset and peak performance, therefore his strategies often involve a focus on aligning mindsets to goals.
Matthew has been known to inject innovation and agility into corporate environments through his ground-breaking training sessions, producing miraculous results. He was named one of HR Magazine’s Top 30 Most Influential Thinkers in 2018. Having developed himself to reach peak performance as a former number one table tennis player and a six-time best-selling author, Mathew is an outstanding speaker to book.
John Amaechi
One of the first Britons to play in the NBA, John Amaechi developed his talent using sheer determination and hard work. After a marvellous career with one of the most successful basketball teams, John was inducted into the US Basketball Hall of Fame. Understanding what it takes to reach peak performance, John founded Amaechi Performance Systems, offering valuable coaching sessions for leading corporate clients.
Also a respected Psychologist, John dedicated much of his time studying for a PhD in Psychology and wrote several distinguished articles on confidence, success, and perception. Combining his understanding of human psychology with his experience as a highly successful athlete, John tackles the topic of peak performance from multiple dimensions to produce exceptional results in his coaching sessions.
Testimonial
Brendan Hall
Distinguished yacht skipper Brendan Hall rose to prominence in the 2009 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. Despite being the youngest and most inexperienced skipper, Brendan rose to the challenge and in a display of extraordinary leadership, he lead his team of 44 sailors to a tremendous victory.
Known for creating a culture of high performance, Brendan and his team were tested during a terrifying ordeal in the middle of the North Pacific. In winter hurricane conditions, they were tasked with rescuing an incapacitated skipper. Once again Brendan rose to the challenge, using his brilliant leadership skills and exceptional team to skipper two vessels, 4000 nautical miles to safety. In his speaking sessions, Brendan draws on his experience to offer insightful tactics for building high-performing teams.
Testimonial
"Brendan delivers an engaging experience that translates directly into meaningful business & team building learnings that will help our team stay ahead of the competition." – Swarovski
Kriss Akabusi
400m hurdles Olympic medallist, Kriss Akabusi has invested so much in his personal growth to become a peak-performing athlete. Winning Gold in the men’s 4x400 relay World Championship, Kriss set British records and earned an MBE in recognition of his efforts. Since retiring, Kriss has become a popular TV presenter working with leading broadcasters such as the BBC.
Sharing his winning formula as the CEO of The Akabusi Company, Kriss is a highly sought-after corporate coach who uses his athletic background, to transform work environments into adopting high-performance attitudes. In his speaking sessions, Kriss brings his infectious personality to provide highly engaging sessions on peak performance.
Testimonial:
"He was great. He was lovely to work with – and the client is absolutely delighted with the video we’ve made from what we shot with him. Pass on our thanks again to Kriss. He made our job very easy!" – Indigo Blue Media
Nicky Moffat
Nicky Moffat has led a distinguished military career spanning 27 years in the armed forces. During that time, she developed extensive leadership experience, especially during her time as a private secretary, where she played an instrumental role in supporting the Ministry of Defence on some of the most challenging operations.
Due to Nicky’s highly sensitive position, only excellence would be accepted, and so, peak performance was mandatory. In one instance she led 4500 soldiers for a finance function, proving herself capable of handling intense pressure and producing extraordinary results. Nicky now draws on her military experience in her consulting practice, What Good Leadership Looks Like and is highly sought after by corporate clients seeking to transform their workforce to embrace peak performance.
Testimonial:
"We booked Nicky to talk at our ‘women in road’ network event. Nicky gave a fantastic talk and really connected with her audience who found her both interesting and thought provoking. She was a great success and feedback after the event was all positive – they loved her!"- Emma, The AA
Book a Peak Performance Speaker Today!
Booking one of these best high performance speakers, as confirmed by a market survey across 250 events between 2022 and 2024, will help organisations to create those perfect conditions for high performance, in addition to providing coaching for managers to build high-performing and more engaged teams.
Get in touch with one of our dedicated booking agents directly on 0207 0787 876 or by filling out our online contact form to secure your speaker today.
For more experts on high performance, visit our sister website - The High Performance Speakers Agency.
