There’s more to performance than how good you are and how hard you try.
What stops us bringing more of what we’ve got to what we do?
Image credit: gustavovillegas
Hello fellow Enablers,
When I was at school I used to bring home a report card at the end of term.
For each subject my performance was graded with a letter from A to E for my ability and a number from 1 to 5 to describe my effort.
“A3” would mean you had strong aptitude and were putting in average effort. “C1” reflected average ability in that subject but high levels of effort.
We’ve been taught that two things determine performance:
How good you are—your knowledge, skills, experience and any natural talent.
And how hard you try—your intensity, grit, and persistence.
I’ve noticed that’s mostly how we view our own performance and that of others.
Those components have a significant part to play but they are not the whole story.
There’s more to performance than how good you are and how hard you try.
I created Fulfilling Performance to answer one question:
What stops us bringing more of what we’ve got to what we do?
And over time, I’ve come to see that it’s often not about our effort or individual capability, it’s about friction.
In Fulfilling Performance we use the term handbrakes.
These are the factors we don’t necessarily see or name but which prevent us from bringing more of the capability we already have to what we do.
When we reveal hidden handbrakes we are able to identify a wider range of next steps and choose ones that are going to be most effective.
As individuals we obviously benefit from this increased clarity to navigate our lives and as a leader you can take this approach to increase the performance and fulfilment of those you lead and care about.
First though, let’s take a deeper dive into how you can apply this perspective to your own performance.
The old way vs the new way
Old way:
Assume that the performance we are experiencing is simply the result of capability and effort.
Try to increase either or both.
Hope it gets better with time and, if it doesn’t, become increasingly frustrated and potentially even give up.
New way:
Zoom out. Look at the whole picture.
Identify the handbrakes.
Address what’s missing, not just what’s misfiring.
Release the friction and bring more of yourself to what you do.
The big picture: What enables Fulfilling Performance?
Fulfilling Performance is about more than hitting your numbers, it’s about feeling filled up and energised while you do it.
Here’s the framework I use with leaders and teams:
1. Fundamentals First
Fulfilling Performance requires healthy quantities of these four fundamentals:
Clarity – Knowing what you’re supposed to be doing and how you’re doing.
Capability – Not just knowledge, skills and experience, but also mindset and resources including our health and energy levels.
Culture – The support of the people around you at work and at home.
Purpose – The extent to which what you’re doing genuinely matters to you.
2. Appropriate Effort
Effort counts—but not all effort is equal.
I help people explore the quality of their effort by asking:
• How intense is it?
• How long is it sustained?
• How skilfully is it applied?
• How well is it aligned with what matters?
3. A Simple Set of Questions
We use four diagnostic questions to uncover where handbrakes might be slowing us down or holding us back.
From there, it’s about action. Not more push, but less drag.
How to start: Release a handbrake this week
If you’re new to this way of thinking, here’s where to start:
1. Pick one challenge, project, or goal you’re working on right now.
2. Ask yourself these four diagnostic questions:
• How clear am I about what I’m supposed to be doing and how I’m performing against expectations?
• How well equipped am I in terms of knowledge, skills, experience, mindset, and resources?
• How is the behaviour of the people around me supporting me to perform at a high level?
• How much does it mean to me what I’m doing?
3. Then reflect:
• What’s acting as the biggest handbrake right now?
• What could I do to release it?
• Who could help me get that done?
This isn’t about fixing yourself, it’s about freeing yourself.
Now imagine how taking this approach with those you lead and care about could transform their performance and their sense of fulfilment!
If you have any questions, I’d love to hear them.
We’re often far more capable than we realise but we can’t bring our best while holding ourselves back or being held back by a lack of Clarity, Capability, Culture or Purpose.
Release the handbrake! — Bring more of you to what you do.
CAREER-VIEW MIRROR #213
Marianne Daniels: a multifaceted automotive engineer who leads authentically, integrating creativity and care.
🔋 From V8 Engines to Electric Propulsion: A Journey of Growth, Resilience, and Leadership 🚗⚡
Marianne Daniels MEng career is one of transformation—both personal and professional.
Starting as a quality engineer on the shop floor, she worked across manufacturing, supplier quality, purchasing, programme management, and new vehicle launch, always pushing herself to learn, adapt, and lead. From working on V8 Jaguar engines to now leading supplier quality for electric vehicle propulsion, Marianne's career spans an era of significant change in our industry.
But her story isn’t just about technical evolution.
Marianne has led business transformation, driven culture change, championed inclusion, developed talent, and embedded coaching into her leadership style. She’s faced challenges, from being a woman in a male-dominated field to rebuilding confidence after setbacks. Through it all, she’s leaned on resilience, learning, and self-belief.
Marianne’s journey is a testament to the power of continuous learning, authenticity in leadership, and the importance of investing in people.
If you’ve ever navigated career challenges, had a disengaged manager, or questioned your own progress, I think you’ll find inspiration in her story.
🎧 Listen now: Apple Podcasts / Online / Spotify
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E: andy@aquilae.co.uk