TIGNUM BLOG

Revisiting What Being a High Performer Means

Recently I have had several great discussions about the definition of what a high performer is. One comment that I’ve heard several times is some version of, “I’m not sure I want to be high performer all the time. Sometimes I just want to chill out, relax, and take my foot off the gas pedal.”  When they make this comment they cringe because they assume that I will attack this logic and call them a “floater”. But I don’t do this. Instead, I smile and cheer because consciously and strategically taking time to chill out, relax and take your foot off of the gas pedal is a vital part of being a “swimmer”.

When my clients have been traveling all week, attending all day meetings, preparing critical briefs, and burning the candle on both ends, I recommend that they schedule time to put the candle out. This may mean sleeping in a little longer, taking a 90 minute nap, going to a movie, taking a short get away in the mountains, doing some light movement, or just planning some quiet time with someone who is important to them. This is high performance in its highest form. The alternative is burning the candle out and this, unfortunately, is all too common.

This is called working smart rather than working hard and this is, by our definition, sustainable high performance. Let me know what you think and what you do to regenerate.

by Scott Peltin, Founder & Chief Performance Officer
TIGNUM // Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Every Day is Really Two Days

Do you ever experience a mental dip in the middle of your afternoon? You start your day strong, you accomplish a lot in the morning, but then your afternoon just seems to stall. As it turns out, you’re not alone. Our recent research shows that 73% of executives experience an afternoon dip 3 or more days/week. What is the impact of this on productivity? What falls through the cracks while you’re suffering from brain fog? What detail did you miss that will come back to haunt you?

The good news is that there is a cure to this problem. A great technique that can be very effective is to look at your day as two half days. You wake up in the morning and hydrate yourself, you get some movement in, you eat a high performance breakfast, you mentally prepare for the big events you have coming in the morning and the result is high performance. So why don’t you do the same for the second half of your day?

What would happen if you approached your lunch like it was the performance meal for your next 5 hours? This means you would limit your portion size, eat a balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates; and eat lot’s of nutrient dense vegetables. It also means you would hydrate yourself with water and avoid high sugar drinks. Then you could take a 10 minute power nap to accommodate the normal circadian dip that makes you feel tired. Research has shown that power naps can improve productivity by up to 35% (sounds like money in the bank). Finally, you could go for a 5 to 10 minute power walk and at the same time mentally prepare yourself for your afternoon’s critical meetings. You would come back focused, energized, and creative – what a great way to start the second half of your day.

I know what you’re saying, “I don’t have time to do these things.” Funny, you sure have time to be unproductive. If this high performance ritual takes you 20 minutes that means it costs you 6% of the time you have in the afternoon. On the flip side, if you improve your performance and productivity by 20 to 35% for the afternoon, you have made a significant gain. Even better, you’d be healthier, happier, and show up at home after work with more energy and self-esteem (from everything you’ve accomplished).

If you’re tired of working full time for half time results, try splitting your day into two halves and think different about your Mindset, Nutrition, Movement, and Recovery. It won’t happen by chance. Try this approach and let me know your results.

by Scott Peltin, Founder & Chief Performance Officer
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Solving the Crisis at the End of the Tunnel

This weekend we were reflecting on this past week, some of the meetings we attended, the presentations we made, and some of the things we read. There were two clear threads.

1.     People are clearly unconscious to the need to consistently invest in the Sustainable High Performance of themselves and their team.

2.     Organizations continue to stretch themselves on their earnings, reorganization and growth goals with absolutely no thought about how the current leaders and teams will physiologically be able to make it happen.

At a meeting with one of the world's largest professional services firms, one of the board members made the comment that too often the hindering factor in the success of a company's reorganization is the energy level of the leaders. Can you imagine the cost of this failure, or even just falling short? Can you measure the cost of the lack of trust that the entire organization has the next time you want to make a major change? All of this because of a complete lack of understanding that it's people that will make a change successful and people don't function well on bread and water (the equivalent of the lack of investment companies are making in supporting these leaders).

In another discussion, we were told of a new CEO of one of the largest global consumer products companies that set the goal of doubling their revenues in the next ten  years. Is this just a lofty goal to motivate the troops or is it actually possible? Only time will tell but one thing is glaringly clear to us. If he doesn't strategically change the company culture, energize the leadership, and make Sustainable High Performance habits the norm rather than the exception, there is no way. Not without burning out the majority of talent, destroying the motivation of the workforce, and making his organization unsustainable.

On reflection, it is clearer and clearer that leaders must shift their perception of Mindset, Nutrition, Movement, and Recovery strategies from a nice to have to a strategic must. If they don't there is very little chance of a light at the end of this tunnel.

by Scott Peltin, Founder and Chief Performance Officer

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

NEW: We offer the Tignum Premier Program also as an open enrollment version - click here for more details.

The Crisis at the End of the Tunnel

Lately the news is running stories that the recession may be weakening. The chatter is that many of the key indicators (other than unemployment) are starting to indicate that we may just be a quarter or two from the “light” at the end of the tunnel.

We aren’t so sure. From the leaders we know, our colleagues in the leadership blog world, and the groups we present to, we see a different outcome at the end of the tunnel. Sure many of the cost reductions have had a positive impact on margins and liquidity, but will this be sustainable? Many executives have shared their doubts that the changes and strategies they put in place during this recession will be able to make their organization more capable of reaching their future targets.  Even worse, they question their own energy and capacity to continue to try to keep up, let alone get ahead.

Up until now, many executives could blame the economy for their poor results but how long will this be possible? As companies have stripped their workforce, the patience for low performing leadership seems very thin. We are constantly told that the pressures placed on executives from all the stakeholders increase daily.

At the same time, the recession has taken a toll on many leaders, their teams and their entire organization. This wouldn’t be so bad if there was a break to regain your composure, reenergize your passion, refocus your mindset, and get the troops rallied to move forward. But in business you have to fix the plane while you fly it. If you weren’t exactly full of energy, resilience, and capacity before this most recent crisis, you surely are worse for the wear now.

This is the crisis at the end of the tunnel. There will be many opportunities that emerge from the post recession economy. Unfortunately, too many leaders and organizations will still be in survival mode. They are numb, tired, foggy, and lack the passion to really capitalize. As Seth Godin commented in his blog, they are preparing to place or show but definitely not win.

The last year has been a time of less. Less people, less investment in the people remaining, less optimism, less outward focus (on the customers and the opportunities), and less training. Unfortunately, it has also led to less swimmers. In order to see the light at the end of the tunnel you need to change the paradigm to one of MORE. More energy, more passion, more productivity, more preparation, more focus, and more design.

These things don’t happen by chance they happen by choice. They are the result of your Mindset, Nutrition, Movement, and Recovery habits. How are yours?

by Scott Peltin, Founder, Chief Performance Officer

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

This week we wanted to share a short presentation we gave at a client event in London. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.


By Jogi Rippel, CEO, Founder
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

One of the reasons I'm so passionate about Tignum is that I live in the business world and I am constantly reminded of the need for our sustainable high performance strategies.

Two weeks ago we got a new family member. That's right, a 10 week old Labrador puppy named Alana. After two weeks of getting up every three hours to watch her empty her  bladder and to play "bite the toes,"  I decided to conduct my own research study on the effects of sleep deprivation. Below are my preliminary findings:
1. After 3 nights I began to crave sugar and wanted chocolate throughout the day.
2. After 5 nights I lost my motivation to do my morning movement (replaced of course with the broken promise that I would do something after work).
3. After 6 nights I found it difficult to focus and concentrate during meetings or while reading. I also found myself easily irritated (especially by puppies who were born with too small of a bladder to hold it all night).
4. After 1 week I had brain fog. If I were traveling I would swear I had jet lag.
5. Now after just 10 days of reducing my sleep by 20% I am over-eating, craving carbohydrates, performing at a fraction of my potential and feeling apathetic.

This week I entered phase two of my study. I started implementing the strategies that we teach. I've prioritized my to do list and I'm putting my attention, focus and energy into the things that are most important. I'm taking a 20 minute power nap every day after lunch. I'm avoiding sugar and caffeine and instead drinking lots of water and infusing more protein into all of my meals and snacks. I have shifted my movement goals from trying to beat Scott in tennis to just trying to maintain my current level. This means 15 minutes of daily prep in the morning and a nice walk after dinner (with Alana of course).

What are my findings? This stuff works. I am still suffering from not getting enough sleep at night but I am not only functioning, I'm performing at a high level again. I have regained control over the things that I can control and I'm doing what I can to maximize my energy. Better yet, I am now thoroughly enjoying the experience of having a new puppy (like having my shoelaces chewed out, having my neighbors complain about her barking, and getting licked to death every time I sit on the floor).

Last night I ended the study and my wife agreed to get up with Alana. I was so excited to begin studying her reaction to sleep deprivation. Of course, Alana slept all night last night and my wife woke up fully refreshed. Now I'm studying my self talk around how jealous I am of my wife. I'll share that study with you in a future blog.

The key here for all you business men and women is that even if you can't control your sleep (due to kids, deadlines, long hours, travel or even puppies) at least you can implement some high performance strategies to reduce the detrimental impact. If you guys have any other strategies that you have found in your research please share them with us.

By Jogi Rippel, Founder, CEO
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Recently I was asked to present to a group of college students the topic of sustainable living from a Tignum perspective. I knew that they were very familiar with the idea of sustainability from an environmental perspective so I wanted to stimulate them to think about sustainability from a human perspective. I apologize for this being so long but I thought it may provide some great nuggets for you too. Below is my rant:

In today's media the rave is definitely sustainability. Since Al Gore produced the inconvenient truth businesses, and individuals have been challenged on how they can reduce their energy consumption, reduce their carbon emissions, recycle more, consume less, and become more environmentally sustainable. Almost every company has a strategic plan on how to make their brand more "green". This is great for the reduction of global warming and the aversion of an environmental crisis but it doesn't necessarily address the inconvenient truth about humans.

Most human beings have extremely poor habits when it comes to their own sustainability. They count on medical discoveries to keep themselves alive longer but they do nothing to improve the quality of the years they have. Even worse, the demands of the business world are growing and this is exponentially increasing the stress that most people are under. When you combine the fact that we are eating more processed foods, moving less, getting more unhealthy, and under more stress you have the perfect recipe for a disaster (maybe even worse than global warming).

Interestingly enough, some of the solutions for global warming are equally beneficial for our own sustainability. If we consumed less food (especially processed and artificial foods) and eat more locally grown organic foods we would reduce the fuel used for transporting foods, we would reduce the need for packaging, we would reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides, we would produce less pollution, and we would produce more local jobs. But we would also improve our energy levels, enhance our resilience, improve our brain performance, expand our capacity to perform at a high level both at work and away from work. Similarly, if we moved our bodies more by walking, riding our bikes, taking the stairs rather than the elevator, etc. we would use less energy, create less energy, burn more calories, improve our health and become more productive.

We live in a time where expectations for performance are low. We have grown to accept mediocrity from the average person because they don't have the energy, focus, passion or capacity to consistently perform at a high level. This is a crisis. But it's also a huge opportunity.

For those that make their own sustainable high performance a priority they will be rewarded with  a plethora of options. Companies will be competing to get these people because they will be more creative, innovative, productive, and passionate. This is what companies will need to win.

So how can students begin now to invest in their own Sustainable High Performance habits? First, develop a high performance Mindset. That means become solution oriented rather than problem oriented. Quit buying into the drama of rumors and worst case scenarios and start challenging everything to find the truth. Stop settling for imitations and start creating innovations. Be new, be fresh, be passionate and be willing to take a risk. Second, begin eating in a high performance way. Your brain needs the right nutrients to perform its best. You need to keep your blood sugar steady and you need to be sure you are well hydrated. Stop using caffeine as the drug of choice to stay awake and instead use natural organic nutrient dense food to become alive. Stop skipping meals, especially breakfast, and start thinking about what your eating and the way it makes you feel. Eat better, eat more often,  but eat less at each meal. Get rid of sugar whenever possible and eliminate high fructose corn syrup from your diet now - its killing you. Third, move more and sit less. Swear off elevators, escalators, and people movers. You were born with a people mover - your legs. Your body was built to move. When you don't move regularly you are dying - period. Movement creates energy so skip the latte and try the stairs. Exercise is great but you can do less than you think if you just do it every day. Pick something you love like yoga, walking, riding your bike, or a recreational sport. Start looking at your body as something you are going to need for a long time (because you will). Treat it like you own it rather than like you’re just renting it. Finally, be sure to strategically plan for your own rest and recovery. Sleep isn't a luxury its a necessity. During sleep your hormones get balance, your brain gets renewed, your cells regenerate and your immune system gets strong. Learn to breath because breath connects your mind and your body and is the difference between being alive and being dead (if you don't believe me stop breathing and see what happens). Take some time to do nothing. Take powernaps every day (no more than 20 minutes). Plan breaks. Laugh often. All of these things help you recover.

If you do these things savagely well you will have more energy, a better resilience, a high performing brain, and an enhanced capacity. You will feel better, perform better, love better and live better. More importantly, you will be the cream of the crop, the golden nugget, and the most sought after commodity in the future. If you don't believe me, look around. That is what you're competing with and they don't look sustainable to me.

By Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Today Rafael Nadal won his 5th straight Monte Carlo Masters on Clay. It was an incredible match where once again he was too tough, too focused, too smart and too prepared. In order to pull this super human feat off though he had to win 4 matches in 3 days against 2 other top 4 players.
Rafa’s play reminded me of what today’s business leaders must do. They have to play their best against the best competition even when they're tired. They have to bring their A game to work everyday and they have quickly adapt to the many challenges they see daily and weekly. So as I watched this match (and the post match ceremony) I wondered if there were any Rafa lesson’s that you apply to your performance (at work and away from it).
1.    Before every point Rafa makes sure that his mind is focused and that he has a plan. He never steps up to serve without laser like focus. You can do the same. Before every meeting, every presentation, every must-win event (and most events today are must-win) you can set your intentions and set your energy level and your focus where it needs to be (see previous blog What you focus on grows.)
2.    Rafa comes to every tournament exceptionally well prepared. He is meticulous in the way he manages his Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery. He understands that in tough competition in tough times you can’t leave anything to chance. You can do the same. Pay attention to the details. Do simple things savagely well. Take care of your most important asset – YOU.
3.    Rafa does a fantastic job of compartmentalizing. That is, he never lets a previous point or shot influence his current point or shot. He doesn’t let an outside element that he can’t control leak into his mindset to poison his game. He takes each thing and puts it into its box and deals with it appropriately (actually he deals with it exceptionally). You can do this too. You finish one meeting, its done. Go back to your office, review what went well, fix what didn’t go well and move on. You have an argument with one customer, one co-worker, or your spouse – compartmentalize it and don’t let it leak into your next conversation. You received some bad news from the market or an internal report, put it into perspective, identify what you need to do (solutions), and move on.
I love watching Rafael Nadal because for a young guy he is a master in his Mindset. I learn so much watching him and you can too. Let me know what you think. Who do you love to watch (doesn’t need to be an athlete) and what do you learn?

By Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Peformance
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

For a keynote we researched and analyzed some performance data from former recessions, like the one in the 80s. We came across data showing how mental and physical fatigue increased and how the number of people resorting to drug and alcohol abuse also escalated significantly. Even now, talking to HR professionals we hear more and more stories on increasing burnout statistics, sick days and people who are fed up with all the changes, unrealistic targets, reduced resources etc.
What resonated the most with us was the fact, that one of the key reasons some companies outperform their competitors, even in down cycles is that they continually innovate. The interesting thing is that innovation must come from somewhere, or more accurately, from somebody. So what does your company do for "somebody" to make sure they can perform at their best in a sustainable way while also being able to innovate? What do you do to continually perform at your best?  What do you do to remind yourself  that high performance does happen by design? What about your team? It all comes back to having a clear understanding of what  YOU at your "best" would actually look and feel like. It's the constant reflection of high performance habits in the areas of performance mindset, performance nutrition, performance movement and performance recovery.
And especially in tough times where these things might drop on the priority list, they need to be on top. It's your core asset - your brain, your body - that navigates you through the daily challenges.  As Tom Peters mentioned in an article a couple of weeks ago: "Take care of yourself more than ever."

By Jogi Rippel, CEO and Founder

At Tignum we are all about high performance. Seems like every time we work with a client the topic of meetings and what a waste of time they are comes up. We have brain stormed this topic many times and Seth’s list is a great one (see his full article here) .  A great question that once came up was, Why are meetings scheduled for 1 hour? The answer, we decided, was because that’s how the calendars are broken up in our outlook. The suggestion was to make all meetings 45 minutes. This would create a sense of urgency and more important leave 15 minutes to debrief from one meeting and prepare for the next. This brings up a short list of things that we at Tignum would definitely add to Seth’s great list to make meetings more productive.
1.    Show up ready – this means not only preparing your content but preparing yourself.
This means doing some mental rehearsal, setting some intentions for outcomes, getting yourself into the right state, dialing in your focus, and mentally preparing for all the what ifs. It means doing some movement to energize yourself and to turn on your right brain so you can be innovative and not just another in the box participant. It also means feeding your brain with a high performance snack filled with protein, B vitamins, complex carbohydrates and omega-3 essential fats. This will prevent brain fog, improve your concentration, keep your blood glucose steady, avoid mood swings and make your brain fire on all cylinders (a minimal requirement for any high output meeting).
2.    Be a high performer in the meeting.
This means starting by sitting with good posture at all times. If you don’t think this matters just sit for 60 seconds slouched over like you usually do and see how you feel, how you think and how you concentrate. It means staying hydrated by drinking water instead of sugary drinks or coffee. The brain is made up of 80% water and if you want it to function properly you have to keep it hydrated. It also means keeping the right Mindset by reframing negative non-productive statements, challenging bullshit stories that are full of drama and feed hysteria, and creating solutions rather than excuses.
3.    Set up a meeting culture of high performance by managing the team mindset, providing high performance snacks, and energizing the group with movement.
This means planning and setting expectations, which Seth definitely touched on. But to expand it a little, fill the room with water for everyone, provide high performance snacks not sugar filled partially hydrogenated sleeping pills (doughnuts and cookies). Get the group up moving every chance you can – do walking meetings, take frequent breaks (water helps with this), or just have everyone stretch and do a posture check. This also means challenging the team mindset by keeping each other accountable to stay focused, creative, optimistic and solution oriented.
We could go on forever on this but then it would be just like your last meeting.

By Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

So often people see TIGNUM as something they should do on their own, something they should do when there is enough “extra” time, something that will make them healthy. What they fail to recognize is that everything we talk about at TIGNUM is designed to help our clients perform their best during the most demanding times.

One of the most rewarding clients we have worked with have been the Unilever Audit teams. These teams travel all over the world and perform internal audits on business groups or small companies that make up the Global Unilever business. These audits are psychologically, physically, emotionally and professionally challenging. They require that a team travel to a location, spend 4 to 6 weeks of intense work, and live away from home in a hotel. It is very stressful and it challenges any routine of normalcy.

This year we completed taking every single member of the Unilever Global Audit team through the TIGNUM program. This gives us a rare opportunity because the team can implement their TIGNUM Sustainable High Performance strategies together. As I’ve always said in the fire service, “No one ever goes into a fire unhealthy and comes out healthier.” The truth is that every crisis or major challenge takes a little away from you. This is why you have to be at your best before it hits, take care of yourself during the event, and recover adequately after it’s over so you’re ready for the next challenge.

After a recent audit in Vietnam, one of our clients emailed me sharing the power of the TIGNUM Sustainable High Performance strategies on his team. This is his note to me.

“It's the first time I've experienced an Audit where the whole team fully embraced the TIGNUM mindset. At the outset the team members agreed to volunteer as Champions to lead the various TIGNUM Pillars (Mindset, Movement, Nutrition, Recovery). From amongst our activities we held daily movement sessions, set aside an area for Power naps, nutritious snacks, etc - all sustained throughout the Audit. It worked. It made for a positive and effective team. In my view, it had an impact on making this a less stressful and successful Audit.“

There is nothing new here, but its clear that sustaining this mindset has an impact on our abilities at an individual and social level....having one motivated person in a team is great, but when everyone is firing on all cylinders it sure does make a difference”

So often it’s difficult for people to see the power of integrating Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery strategies. They fall into the trap of just thinking it’s a health issue. Clearly this demonstrates this is about performance – yours and the teams. What more can you do to help your team become Sustainable High Performers?

By Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Recently I went to a great Melissa Etheridge concert. For those of you who have attended one of our programs you are familiar with her song “The Inconvenient Truth”. This song is a great reflection song about facing the truth within ourselves, even when it may be inconvenient. I love her songs because they always make me think and feel something significant. This is exactly what happened when I heard one of her new songs “What About Tomorrow”.
This song really resonated with me because this is the essence of what Sustainable High Performance is to me, and TIGNUM. Sure you may perform at a high level today but what about tomorrow? Do you have the habits, strategies, and actions necessary to do it again tomorrow? And the next day?  Are you a Sustainable High Performer or are you just a Blind High Performer (someone who is living on fragile credit)?

As we age we get new experiences, new knowledge, and new opportunities. Unfortunately though, many people have such bad Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery habits that they never get to take advantage of these new opportunities. They never planned for “Tomorrow”. We need to have the energy, capacity and passion to make “Tomorrow” really special.

Sustainable High Performance doesn’t happen by chance it happens by choice. The choices you make today will truly impact “What Happens Tomorrow”. What will your legacy be? What are your Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery habits? What happens tomorrow depends on them.

By Scott Peltin,  Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Yesterday I saw a report that predicted employment trends for the next 12 years. In light of the current turmoil of the market I found these trends especially meaningful. The projected trend is that very few workers will be able to retire at the current acceptable retirement ages of 59 to 64. This will be for several reasons. First, due to the challenges businesses are facing with the Generation Y workforce, older executives will be asked to continue working to provide leadership and experience. Second, with the market sensitivity and the growing debt of many nations, it is unlikely that the current government retirement benefit plans will remain healthy enough to support our current retirement ages. Finally, with the progress of modern medicine, the life expectancy is growing longer and longer. Unfortunately, with the rising levels of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease this may not mean a longer high quality life.

These projections really interested me because one of the things that we try to do at TIGNUM is to help our clients Think Different about their future. We challenge them to plan for their own performance, sustainability and vitality just as they customarily do for their financial health. We say, open your mind, become more aware of your potential to be better tomorrow, and make the changes now so you can enjoy the benefits. Unfortunately, so many people wait for a crisis to really change their habits. With the new trends the need for strong Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery habits has never been greater- and these four pillars are key to becoming a Sustainable High Performer.

by Jogi Rippel, Founder and CEO

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

I wanted to share this research article that discusses the impact of Laughter. A Japanese study looked at the effect of laughter on diabetes patients. The researchers were measuring the effects of laughter on blood sugar levels and immune cell function. The study intervention was carried out over two days.

First day they were exposed to comic videos and during the laughter, blood samples were taken 3 different time periods to measure blood glucose levels and immune cell response. The next day was the control day and no humor introduced but the same blood parameters were measured. Results revealed that after the period of laughter on the first day, the blood glucose levels over the course of 4 hours (even with a meal) were better controlled and steady then the day without laughter. The researchers also reported that on the first day, the increase in Natural Killer cells suggested that laughter also could have an impact on the immune system.

In the Tignum recovery module, we discuss how laughter can help offer recovery and rejuvenation to positively impact performance and sustainability. I always find that I get excited when we can have clinical evidence that is measurable that links the Tignum strategies to optimal health and performance.  By employing laughter as a recovery tool, you can steady blood sugar and positively impact your immune system-both important for sustainability and peak performance (mentally and physically).

The Japanese doctors that conducted the study concluded their results add to the growing body of evidence pointing to the healing effects of laughter. I think I will go read the comics in the local newspaper to help me keep my Sustainable High Performer mindset! Hope you do as well.

By Patti Milligan, Director of Nutrition

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

I just finished reading an interesting book called Think Better by Tim Hurson. It's all about how to become more innovative by improving productive thinking. While I was reading this book it really made me think. I started thinking about what motivated me to think about TIGNUM. Sure there was the motivation of my father being sick but clearly, from the beginning, there was more. That "more" for me was the irony that so many people thought that "thinking differently' just happened. This amazed me and started me down the path to really look at how to help top executives learn to be more innovative, more creative, but most of all better thinkers so they could perform better for longer.

When I met Scott, and we talked about the importance for firefighters to do this under the most stressful situations, I knew we were onto something. Today I realized that the world, and most of our clients, are in one of these "stressful situations". There are huge global challenges, huge business challenges, and huge personal challenges and yet the need for clear, creative, innovative and better thinking has never been higher. Unfortunately, most of the CEO's and other top executives I meet, still think this happens by chance. They think you either have it or you don't.

My experience, through TIGNUM, has taught me that nothing can be further from the truth. Everything can be taught! The tipping point is that just because you Learn it doesn't mean you'll Do it. Doing it is really the key and that's what Scott showed me that firefighters do best. They practice their performance mindset on the small calls, doing the simple things, so that when they need them the most they will be second nature. This is the same approach we have taken with teaching our Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery habits. We ask our clients to practice them everyday so when the pressure really hits, on those really stressful days (which seem to be coming way more frequently), these habits that make them Sustainable High Performers, will be second nature.

When I hear a client say that they didn't have time to use our high performance strategies I immediately know that here is a client that is leaving their performance and their sustainability, and unfortunately their company's performance to chance. I can't remember who said that desperate times require desperate measures but at Tignum we believe that's a recipe for a disaster. Desperate times (e.g. tough markets, smaller margins, tight competition, high stress, high workloads, etc.) require good habits - Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery habits!

By Jogi Rippel, CEO

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

I hope this blog finds you happy and relaxed after a nice summer holiday. Unfortunately, the story I hear all too often is not one of returning to work refreshed and rejuvenated, but rather one of shock, despair, and a gasp for air. Why does this happen? How can 7 days, 14 days, or even longer of vacation leave you feeling inadequate within 2 hours of returning to work?

The answer is simple but often overlooked. It’s a matter of not preparing your mindset for the change of scenery and demands. It’s basically bringing a knife to a gun fight and this is why it can be so unnerving.

As a Sustainable High Performer, the next time you take a vacation try doing a little gear shifting before you head back into the jungle. The night before you go back to work take 30 minutes and begin planning for your transition. What will be in your inbox? Who will be waiting to meet with you? What tasks will be the most critical for you to tackle? Spend some time doing some mental preparation for what’s ahead, how you will meet the challenges, where you will get your recovery breaks, where you will need to be really sharp, and what you plan on accomplishing (realistically).

When you go back to work ill prepared you not only leave high performance to chance, you also throw away the money and time you spent rejuvenating yourself. The next time you take a holiday (even a 3 day weekend), spend 30 minutes getting into your performance mindset before you head back to work. You just may find the challenges that wait for you stimulating.

By Scott Peltin,  Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

A question I often get is: "How can I use some of the TIGNUM recovery strategies when I'm in the middle of a meeting and I feel the pressure growing?" . This is a great question because clearly you need to stay 100% present during these challenging moments. This may not seem like the appropriate time to put on your ipod, close your eyes, and break into some alternate nostril breathing.

If you really think of the essence of this very common question it is: How do I prevent feeling overwhelmed in the moment that I need to really be a Sustainable High Performer? My answer to this is: "Preparation is everything!".  As Scott often says, he's never seen a firefighter who went into a fire unhealthy and unprepared come out of the fire healthy and prepared. The fact is that the challenges we face chip away at us, unless we are prepared to handle them.

So how do you prepare yourself to be a high performer when you really need it? You practice your Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery strategies even when you don't think you need them. Everyday you get several often unnoticed opportunities to practice your high performance strategies such as mental imagery, oscillation, eating for brain performance, or moving to increase your creativity and focus. These strategies, and the many others you learned in the TIGNUM program, are cumulative and they strengthen your resolve and resilience for when you need it. Even more important they ensure you will be a high performer even when you find yourself in that pressure cooker.

By André Hartwich, Performance Coach

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

I recently read a great article about the power of a strong mindset in race car drivers. At 200 mph/322 kmh (just slightly under the current speed of business), the unprepared brain will trigger a panicky jolt of energy, that floods the body with adrenalin and cortisol. When Patrick Jacobs coached Indianapolis 500 winner, Gil De Ferran, he coached him to resist that primal instinct with controlled breathing techniques learned through Prana Yoga. This clearly shows that with practice, breathing can help anyone handle stress, and perform their best, even under the greatest amounts of pressure.

If these techniques can be used at 200 mph/322 kmh they can also be used by Sustainable High Performers during a meeting, during a negotiation, or anytime you need high performance.

By Adrianne Bowden, Tignum Coach

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

You all knew I would have to talk about the Olympics since we are right in the middle of them and there are so many amazing stories. I don't even know where to start, because I love stories, but I think the Dara Torres story really resonates with all of us that have jumped past 40 years old.

Dara Torres was the oldest swimmer to medal when she was 33. But of course that was two Olympics ago because now she's 41. Like many of us she is a parent now (with all the extra demands that come with that), and like many of us she has realized that she doesn't bounce back like she did at her first international race when she was 14. This weekend Dara won a silver medal, missing the gold by only .01 seconds. What was her secret to perform at such a high level, at the age of 41, against the greatest swimmers in the world?

After many injuries and set backs, Dara realized that it wasn't just how hard or how often she trained. She realized that it was how well she recovered that really made the difference. Training only 1/2 as much as she did in the past, focusing more on stretching and other restorative modalities, and keeping a mindset that it's quality of movement that matters not just quantity launched her the medal stand. In addition, watch her before her races, after her races and in her interviews - she's always taking advantage of her best relaxation tool - her smile! She is a great model for Sustainable High Performers!

By Scott Peltin,  Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Every once in a while I hear a CEO or team leader make a comment that sounds something like this: “My team is really burned out, they are pushing hard trying to do more with less. I really wish I could take them through the TIGNUM program so they could learn new strategies for sustainable high performance. I wish I could stop their speed train for the 2 days so they could recharge and see how important they are to me and the business. Unfortunately, I have to make my numbers this quarter or else, so I can’t take the time or spend the money on the team and their Sustainable High Performance right now. Maybe next quarter.”

I can totally appreciate the pressures of business, especially in these tough times. But I have to be brutally honest (a quality I’m not good at hiding). Does it make sense to drive your car and then put oil in it? Does it make sense to play all your soccer games and then go back and have preseason practice? Does it make sense to race a top Formula One race car on old bald warn out tires? Can you imagine if Tiger Woods would not have invested in reinventing his swing 5 times over his career? We wouldn’t have been blessed with his 14th Masters at the US Open – a win that will forever live in the record books as one of the best. In fact, he may have never won a second masters. In Good to Great, Jim Collins, talked about getting the right people on the bus (a morphism for team). I think that’s only half the battle. You have to get the right people on the bus and then you need to make sure they have the energy, vitality, capacity, and health to get you to where you need to go.

At TIGNUM we say over and over again that our client’s performance (and their company’s performance) is built on the foundation of personal energy and performance. And this is held together by each member’s mindset, nutrition, movement and recovery habits. Can you imagine building a house on soft dirt and then saying you will come back later and put in the foundation when you have more time and maybe  more money? In my opinion you can wait till next quarter, or next year, or in your next job, to get your team the necessary mindset, nutrition, movement and recovery strategies they need – but you would have paid many times over for waiting.

by Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

In his book "A Whole New Mind", Daniel Pink brilliantly describes the transition we are facing today: from information age to conceptual age. Information is available to everyone on the globe with a mouse click. Consequently, what matters most in the years to come are what Pink calls six senses, from the realms of high touch and high care: right brain abilities. How we tell stories, make meaning, and create contexts; how we connect to and care for others; and how we play. He gives beautiful ways to exercise the right brain - a part of ourselves that is or at least was often fairly asleep, yours truly included. Medical school and being a research physician did not really encourage me to engage the creative, symphonic side of myself. We need both hemispheres equally, not just one.

However: what's missing from this book, and from much related that we see come across our desks at Tignum, is how do we actually engage the right hemisphere? How do we switch to that mode? That's what play - improvisation, playing sports or Tai Chi - and recovery are tremendous at.

Sitting all day in our left hemispheres, festooned in logical, analytical thinking, we forget how easy and important it is to switch over to the right, and engage both parts of ourselves. Jill Bolte Taylor, an eminent neuro-scientist who suffered a very severe stroke to her left hemisphere several years ago, puts it beautifully in this quote, from an article she wrote two years after her stroke:

"I have shifted away from being a super analytical, confident risk taker who relied on the analytical skills housed in my brain's left hemisphere. Instead I experienced a fascinating and pleasurable shift in my perspective. When my left hemisphere shut down, my right hemisphere became dominant. Now, after many months of healing, I am much more mellow and secure in my understanding of who I am and what I want to accomplish with the finite time I have."

Watch her presentation at TED: (http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229.) Seeing her speak is a profoundly moving experience. The talk lasts 18 minutes; they are well worth your time and will no doubt help inspire your on your journey to becoming a Sustainable High Performer.

By Alex Putz, Performance Coach

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Today I had a great coaching call with one of my clients from IBM, Michelle Unger (Vice President of Information Management IOT). She just came off of a killer week and a great example of high performance. Michelle just organized the largest ever IBM Information on Demand conference in Europe. As usual, she was probably met with skepticism and doubt about the investment of time and money from IBM. Great accomplishments are often met with great resistance. This was a conference to share the passion of IBM their information on demand platform and products.

Michelle was gleaming about how well the event went. (You can check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5cJYn1GHeY). Most of all she was gleaming about how she used the TIGNUM Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery strategies to make her peak performance a choice rather than leaving it to chance. She stayed hydrated, focused on her thoughts and controlled the controllable. She saw every challenge as a great opportunity to excel and as we always discuss she saw that Champions take Chances, and Pressure is a Privilege (one of my favorite Billy Jean King sayings). Michelle did some breathing techniques and as you can imagine, sprinted to put out lots of event fires. Even better, at the end – she took a few moments to celebrate her accomplishment and replay all the things she (and her team) did well.

We often use athletic experiences to make our strategies more tangible, but this is a great business example. Most important it will certainly lead to IBM profitability, happy customers, and a greater likelihood of other Sustainable High Performers emerging, after the great example Michelle gave.

by Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Recently we were doing a program with a client and some great questions came up. We were having a leadership discussion about ways to take the TIGNUM strategies in Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery to the entire work team. The question we asked was, “How can you, as leaders in your organization, impact the sustainable performance of your company (or atleast your direct section)?” The group, as always, was sent out to discuss it in small teams and then to present their thoughts and ideas.

During our discussion the following questions came up: Why do companies provide (at a significant expense) smoking rooms for workers but not recovery rooms? Why is it okay for a person to take as many smoking breaks as they want during the day, but if someone wants to take a power nap or go for a walk for a break the company culture sees that as a negative? Why do some companies (they make ice cream) provide all the free ice cream you want eat but it’s a stretch to get more than one apple a week?  What would happen if every boss sent out a memo that said, Weekends are for recovery – no email allowed? Would these small changes to the workplace help you become a Sustainable High Performer?

These questions all led to some great discussions and although the answers aren’t always easy to come to it does remind me of one thing. When we Think Different and ask different questions we will eventually come up with some Sustainable High Performance answers.

by Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

I came across an article from Time Magazine on stress and it started with the following text:

"Take a deep breath. Now exhale slowly. You're probably not aware of it, but your heart has just slowed down a bit. Not to worry; it will speed up again when you inhale. This regular-irregular beat is a sign of a healthy interaction between heart and head. Each time you exhale, your brain sends a signal down the vagus nerve to slow the cardiac muscle. With each inhale, the signal gets weaker and your heart revs up. Inhale, beat faster. Exhale, beat slower. It's an ancient rhythm that helps your heart last a lifetime. And it leads to lesson No. 1 in how to manage stress and avoid burnout."

It is important to note that modern medicine has finally acknowledged what the yogis have known for thousands of years, that the breath is intimately connected to the autonomic nervous system and the mind and that it is an invaluable tool to maintain good physical and mental health.

I find it great that more and more of this information is streaming into the public domain supported by the scientific community so that more of us acknowledge and learn to how to use these highly effective and non invasive techniques to help us become Sustainable High Performers and to create overall health and well-being while helping us deal with the demands of current day life.

Conscious diaphragmatic breathing, for example, is extremely relaxing to the autonomic nervous system and deeply calms the mind. This is the most natural and efficient way of breathing and fortunately people can learn to breathe in new ways because the breath is the only involuntary function we also have volitional control over.

By André Hartwich, Performance Coach

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

A very effective sleep inducing technique I have been exposed to recently is an eye exercise. When you are having trouble falling asleep try the following procedure:

1. Move your eyes very slowly in a vertical line starting by looking up and then gradually working your way downwards seeing everything in that vertical line. Once you are looking al the way down you work your way up again. Do this a few times.

2. Repeat the exercise above but in a horizontal line. Begin by looking all the way to your left and then slowly move your gaze towards the right paying attention to everything in that line of sight. Once looking all the way to the right you start to move your gaze towards the left again. Repeat a few times.

3. Same exercise in a diagonal line. First a few times from top left to bottom right and back. Then a few times top right to bottom left and back.

4. Move your gaze slowly observing everything in sight clockwise a few times. Repeat the exercise with moving your eyes counter clockwise.

5. Close your eyes

Another helpful technique is to slow down the breath. Especially the exhale as people fall asleep on exhale! Sleep is a crucial aspect of becoming a Sustainable High Performer. So, Think Tignum, Think Sleep.

by André Hartwich, Performance Coach

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

From SURVIVE.ABILITY to PERFORM.ABILITY

This week we wanted to share a short presentation we gave at a client event in London. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.


By Jogi Rippel, CEO, Founder
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

The Moment You've All Been Waiting For

Even When You Know Better, Sleep Deprivation Sneaks Up On You

One of the reasons I'm so passionate about Tignum is that I live in the business world and I am constantly reminded of the need for our sustainable high performance strategies.

Two weeks ago we got a new family member. That's right, a 10 week old Labrador puppy named Alana. After two weeks of getting up every three hours to watch her empty her  bladder and to play "bite the toes,"  I decided to conduct my own research study on the effects of sleep deprivation. Below are my preliminary findings:
1. After 3 nights I began to crave sugar and wanted chocolate throughout the day.
2. After 5 nights I lost my motivation to do my morning movement (replaced of course with the broken promise that I would do something after work).
3. After 6 nights I found it difficult to focus and concentrate during meetings or while reading. I also found myself easily irritated (especially by puppies who were born with too small of a bladder to hold it all night).
4. After 1 week I had brain fog. If I were traveling I would swear I had jet lag.
5. Now after just 10 days of reducing my sleep by 20% I am over-eating, craving carbohydrates, performing at a fraction of my potential and feeling apathetic.

This week I entered phase two of my study. I started implementing the strategies that we teach. I've prioritized my to do list and I'm putting my attention, focus and energy into the things that are most important. I'm taking a 20 minute power nap every day after lunch. I'm avoiding sugar and caffeine and instead drinking lots of water and infusing more protein into all of my meals and snacks. I have shifted my movement goals from trying to beat Scott in tennis to just trying to maintain my current level. This means 15 minutes of daily prep in the morning and a nice walk after dinner (with Alana of course).

What are my findings? This stuff works. I am still suffering from not getting enough sleep at night but I am not only functioning, I'm performing at a high level again. I have regained control over the things that I can control and I'm doing what I can to maximize my energy. Better yet, I am now thoroughly enjoying the experience of having a new puppy (like having my shoelaces chewed out, having my neighbors complain about her barking, and getting licked to death every time I sit on the floor).

Last night I ended the study and my wife agreed to get up with Alana. I was so excited to begin studying her reaction to sleep deprivation. Of course, Alana slept all night last night and my wife woke up fully refreshed. Now I'm studying my self talk around how jealous I am of my wife. I'll share that study with you in a future blog.

The key here for all you business men and women is that even if you can't control your sleep (due to kids, deadlines, long hours, travel or even puppies) at least you can implement some high performance strategies to reduce the detrimental impact. If you guys have any other strategies that you have found in your research please share them with us.

By Jogi Rippel, Founder, CEO
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Human Sustainability

Recently I was asked to present to a group of college students the topic of sustainable living from a Tignum perspective. I knew that they were very familiar with the idea of sustainability from an environmental perspective so I wanted to stimulate them to think about sustainability from a human perspective. I apologize for this being so long but I thought it may provide some great nuggets for you too. Below is my rant:

In today's media the rave is definitely sustainability. Since Al Gore produced the inconvenient truth businesses, and individuals have been challenged on how they can reduce their energy consumption, reduce their carbon emissions, recycle more, consume less, and become more environmentally sustainable. Almost every company has a strategic plan on how to make their brand more "green". This is great for the reduction of global warming and the aversion of an environmental crisis but it doesn't necessarily address the inconvenient truth about humans.

Most human beings have extremely poor habits when it comes to their own sustainability. They count on medical discoveries to keep themselves alive longer but they do nothing to improve the quality of the years they have. Even worse, the demands of the business world are growing and this is exponentially increasing the stress that most people are under. When you combine the fact that we are eating more processed foods, moving less, getting more unhealthy, and under more stress you have the perfect recipe for a disaster (maybe even worse than global warming).

Interestingly enough, some of the solutions for global warming are equally beneficial for our own sustainability. If we consumed less food (especially processed and artificial foods) and eat more locally grown organic foods we would reduce the fuel used for transporting foods, we would reduce the need for packaging, we would reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides, we would produce less pollution, and we would produce more local jobs. But we would also improve our energy levels, enhance our resilience, improve our brain performance, expand our capacity to perform at a high level both at work and away from work. Similarly, if we moved our bodies more by walking, riding our bikes, taking the stairs rather than the elevator, etc. we would use less energy, create less energy, burn more calories, improve our health and become more productive.

We live in a time where expectations for performance are low. We have grown to accept mediocrity from the average person because they don't have the energy, focus, passion or capacity to consistently perform at a high level. This is a crisis. But it's also a huge opportunity.

For those that make their own sustainable high performance a priority they will be rewarded with  a plethora of options. Companies will be competing to get these people because they will be more creative, innovative, productive, and passionate. This is what companies will need to win.

So how can students begin now to invest in their own Sustainable High Performance habits? First, develop a high performance Mindset. That means become solution oriented rather than problem oriented. Quit buying into the drama of rumors and worst case scenarios and start challenging everything to find the truth. Stop settling for imitations and start creating innovations. Be new, be fresh, be passionate and be willing to take a risk. Second, begin eating in a high performance way. Your brain needs the right nutrients to perform its best. You need to keep your blood sugar steady and you need to be sure you are well hydrated. Stop using caffeine as the drug of choice to stay awake and instead use natural organic nutrient dense food to become alive. Stop skipping meals, especially breakfast, and start thinking about what your eating and the way it makes you feel. Eat better, eat more often,  but eat less at each meal. Get rid of sugar whenever possible and eliminate high fructose corn syrup from your diet now - its killing you. Third, move more and sit less. Swear off elevators, escalators, and people movers. You were born with a people mover - your legs. Your body was built to move. When you don't move regularly you are dying - period. Movement creates energy so skip the latte and try the stairs. Exercise is great but you can do less than you think if you just do it every day. Pick something you love like yoga, walking, riding your bike, or a recreational sport. Start looking at your body as something you are going to need for a long time (because you will). Treat it like you own it rather than like you’re just renting it. Finally, be sure to strategically plan for your own rest and recovery. Sleep isn't a luxury its a necessity. During sleep your hormones get balance, your brain gets renewed, your cells regenerate and your immune system gets strong. Learn to breath because breath connects your mind and your body and is the difference between being alive and being dead (if you don't believe me stop breathing and see what happens). Take some time to do nothing. Take powernaps every day (no more than 20 minutes). Plan breaks. Laugh often. All of these things help you recover.

If you do these things savagely well you will have more energy, a better resilience, a high performing brain, and an enhanced capacity. You will feel better, perform better, love better and live better. More importantly, you will be the cream of the crop, the golden nugget, and the most sought after commodity in the future. If you don't believe me, look around. That is what you're competing with and they don't look sustainable to me.

By Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Compartmentalize like Nadal

Today Rafael Nadal won his 5th straight Monte Carlo Masters on Clay. It was an incredible match where once again he was too tough, too focused, too smart and too prepared. In order to pull this super human feat off though he had to win 4 matches in 3 days against 2 other top 4 players.
Rafa’s play reminded me of what today’s business leaders must do. They have to play their best against the best competition even when they're tired. They have to bring their A game to work everyday and they have quickly adapt to the many challenges they see daily and weekly. So as I watched this match (and the post match ceremony) I wondered if there were any Rafa lesson’s that you apply to your performance (at work and away from it).
1.    Before every point Rafa makes sure that his mind is focused and that he has a plan. He never steps up to serve without laser like focus. You can do the same. Before every meeting, every presentation, every must-win event (and most events today are must-win) you can set your intentions and set your energy level and your focus where it needs to be (see previous blog What you focus on grows.)
2.    Rafa comes to every tournament exceptionally well prepared. He is meticulous in the way he manages his Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery. He understands that in tough competition in tough times you can’t leave anything to chance. You can do the same. Pay attention to the details. Do simple things savagely well. Take care of your most important asset – YOU.
3.    Rafa does a fantastic job of compartmentalizing. That is, he never lets a previous point or shot influence his current point or shot. He doesn’t let an outside element that he can’t control leak into his mindset to poison his game. He takes each thing and puts it into its box and deals with it appropriately (actually he deals with it exceptionally). You can do this too. You finish one meeting, its done. Go back to your office, review what went well, fix what didn’t go well and move on. You have an argument with one customer, one co-worker, or your spouse – compartmentalize it and don’t let it leak into your next conversation. You received some bad news from the market or an internal report, put it into perspective, identify what you need to do (solutions), and move on.
I love watching Rafael Nadal because for a young guy he is a master in his Mindset. I learn so much watching him and you can too. Let me know what you think. Who do you love to watch (doesn’t need to be an athlete) and what do you learn?

By Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Peformance
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

What Can We Learn From Former Recessions?

For a keynote we researched and analyzed some performance data from former recessions, like the one in the 80s. We came across data showing how mental and physical fatigue increased and how the number of people resorting to drug and alcohol abuse also escalated significantly. Even now, talking to HR professionals we hear more and more stories on increasing burnout statistics, sick days and people who are fed up with all the changes, unrealistic targets, reduced resources etc.
What resonated the most with us was the fact, that one of the key reasons some companies outperform their competitors, even in down cycles is that they continually innovate. The interesting thing is that innovation must come from somewhere, or more accurately, from somebody. So what does your company do for "somebody" to make sure they can perform at their best in a sustainable way while also being able to innovate? What do you do to continually perform at your best?  What do you do to remind yourself  that high performance does happen by design? What about your team? It all comes back to having a clear understanding of what  YOU at your "best" would actually look and feel like. It's the constant reflection of high performance habits in the areas of performance mindset, performance nutrition, performance movement and performance recovery.
And especially in tough times where these things might drop on the priority list, they need to be on top. It's your core asset - your brain, your body - that navigates you through the daily challenges.  As Tom Peters mentioned in an article a couple of weeks ago: "Take care of yourself more than ever."

By Jogi Rippel, CEO and Founder

The Tignum answer to the Never Ending Meeting Problem

At Tignum we are all about high performance. Seems like every time we work with a client the topic of meetings and what a waste of time they are comes up. We have brain stormed this topic many times and Seth’s list is a great one (see his full article here) .  A great question that once came up was, Why are meetings scheduled for 1 hour? The answer, we decided, was because that’s how the calendars are broken up in our outlook. The suggestion was to make all meetings 45 minutes. This would create a sense of urgency and more important leave 15 minutes to debrief from one meeting and prepare for the next. This brings up a short list of things that we at Tignum would definitely add to Seth’s great list to make meetings more productive.
1.    Show up ready – this means not only preparing your content but preparing yourself.
This means doing some mental rehearsal, setting some intentions for outcomes, getting yourself into the right state, dialing in your focus, and mentally preparing for all the what ifs. It means doing some movement to energize yourself and to turn on your right brain so you can be innovative and not just another in the box participant. It also means feeding your brain with a high performance snack filled with protein, B vitamins, complex carbohydrates and omega-3 essential fats. This will prevent brain fog, improve your concentration, keep your blood glucose steady, avoid mood swings and make your brain fire on all cylinders (a minimal requirement for any high output meeting).
2.    Be a high performer in the meeting.
This means starting by sitting with good posture at all times. If you don’t think this matters just sit for 60 seconds slouched over like you usually do and see how you feel, how you think and how you concentrate. It means staying hydrated by drinking water instead of sugary drinks or coffee. The brain is made up of 80% water and if you want it to function properly you have to keep it hydrated. It also means keeping the right Mindset by reframing negative non-productive statements, challenging bullshit stories that are full of drama and feed hysteria, and creating solutions rather than excuses.
3.    Set up a meeting culture of high performance by managing the team mindset, providing high performance snacks, and energizing the group with movement.
This means planning and setting expectations, which Seth definitely touched on. But to expand it a little, fill the room with water for everyone, provide high performance snacks not sugar filled partially hydrogenated sleeping pills (doughnuts and cookies). Get the group up moving every chance you can – do walking meetings, take frequent breaks (water helps with this), or just have everyone stretch and do a posture check. This also means challenging the team mindset by keeping each other accountable to stay focused, creative, optimistic and solution oriented.
We could go on forever on this but then it would be just like your last meeting.

By Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

The Team Approach

So often people see TIGNUM as something they should do on their own, something they should do when there is enough “extra” time, something that will make them healthy. What they fail to recognize is that everything we talk about at TIGNUM is designed to help our clients perform their best during the most demanding times.

One of the most rewarding clients we have worked with have been the Unilever Audit teams. These teams travel all over the world and perform internal audits on business groups or small companies that make up the Global Unilever business. These audits are psychologically, physically, emotionally and professionally challenging. They require that a team travel to a location, spend 4 to 6 weeks of intense work, and live away from home in a hotel. It is very stressful and it challenges any routine of normalcy.

This year we completed taking every single member of the Unilever Global Audit team through the TIGNUM program. This gives us a rare opportunity because the team can implement their TIGNUM Sustainable High Performance strategies together. As I’ve always said in the fire service, “No one ever goes into a fire unhealthy and comes out healthier.” The truth is that every crisis or major challenge takes a little away from you. This is why you have to be at your best before it hits, take care of yourself during the event, and recover adequately after it’s over so you’re ready for the next challenge.

After a recent audit in Vietnam, one of our clients emailed me sharing the power of the TIGNUM Sustainable High Performance strategies on his team. This is his note to me.

“It's the first time I've experienced an Audit where the whole team fully embraced the TIGNUM mindset. At the outset the team members agreed to volunteer as Champions to lead the various TIGNUM Pillars (Mindset, Movement, Nutrition, Recovery). From amongst our activities we held daily movement sessions, set aside an area for Power naps, nutritious snacks, etc - all sustained throughout the Audit. It worked. It made for a positive and effective team. In my view, it had an impact on making this a less stressful and successful Audit.“

There is nothing new here, but its clear that sustaining this mindset has an impact on our abilities at an individual and social level....having one motivated person in a team is great, but when everyone is firing on all cylinders it sure does make a difference”

So often it’s difficult for people to see the power of integrating Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery strategies. They fall into the trap of just thinking it’s a health issue. Clearly this demonstrates this is about performance – yours and the teams. What more can you do to help your team become Sustainable High Performers?

By Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

What About Tomorrow

Recently I went to a great Melissa Etheridge concert. For those of you who have attended one of our programs you are familiar with her song “The Inconvenient Truth”. This song is a great reflection song about facing the truth within ourselves, even when it may be inconvenient. I love her songs because they always make me think and feel something significant. This is exactly what happened when I heard one of her new songs “What About Tomorrow”.
This song really resonated with me because this is the essence of what Sustainable High Performance is to me, and TIGNUM. Sure you may perform at a high level today but what about tomorrow? Do you have the habits, strategies, and actions necessary to do it again tomorrow? And the next day?  Are you a Sustainable High Performer or are you just a Blind High Performer (someone who is living on fragile credit)?

As we age we get new experiences, new knowledge, and new opportunities. Unfortunately though, many people have such bad Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery habits that they never get to take advantage of these new opportunities. They never planned for “Tomorrow”. We need to have the energy, capacity and passion to make “Tomorrow” really special.

Sustainable High Performance doesn’t happen by chance it happens by choice. The choices you make today will truly impact “What Happens Tomorrow”. What will your legacy be? What are your Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery habits? What happens tomorrow depends on them.

By Scott Peltin,  Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Employment Trends Make Sustainable High Performance Even More Important

Yesterday I saw a report that predicted employment trends for the next 12 years. In light of the current turmoil of the market I found these trends especially meaningful. The projected trend is that very few workers will be able to retire at the current acceptable retirement ages of 59 to 64. This will be for several reasons. First, due to the challenges businesses are facing with the Generation Y workforce, older executives will be asked to continue working to provide leadership and experience. Second, with the market sensitivity and the growing debt of many nations, it is unlikely that the current government retirement benefit plans will remain healthy enough to support our current retirement ages. Finally, with the progress of modern medicine, the life expectancy is growing longer and longer. Unfortunately, with the rising levels of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease this may not mean a longer high quality life.

These projections really interested me because one of the things that we try to do at TIGNUM is to help our clients Think Different about their future. We challenge them to plan for their own performance, sustainability and vitality just as they customarily do for their financial health. We say, open your mind, become more aware of your potential to be better tomorrow, and make the changes now so you can enjoy the benefits. Unfortunately, so many people wait for a crisis to really change their habits. With the new trends the need for strong Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery habits has never been greater- and these four pillars are key to becoming a Sustainable High Performer.

by Jogi Rippel, Founder and CEO

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

One of Tignum’s Recovery Tools Linked to a Key Tignum Nutrition Level!

I wanted to share this research article that discusses the impact of Laughter. A Japanese study looked at the effect of laughter on diabetes patients. The researchers were measuring the effects of laughter on blood sugar levels and immune cell function. The study intervention was carried out over two days.

First day they were exposed to comic videos and during the laughter, blood samples were taken 3 different time periods to measure blood glucose levels and immune cell response. The next day was the control day and no humor introduced but the same blood parameters were measured. Results revealed that after the period of laughter on the first day, the blood glucose levels over the course of 4 hours (even with a meal) were better controlled and steady then the day without laughter. The researchers also reported that on the first day, the increase in Natural Killer cells suggested that laughter also could have an impact on the immune system.

In the Tignum recovery module, we discuss how laughter can help offer recovery and rejuvenation to positively impact performance and sustainability. I always find that I get excited when we can have clinical evidence that is measurable that links the Tignum strategies to optimal health and performance.  By employing laughter as a recovery tool, you can steady blood sugar and positively impact your immune system-both important for sustainability and peak performance (mentally and physically).

The Japanese doctors that conducted the study concluded their results add to the growing body of evidence pointing to the healing effects of laughter. I think I will go read the comics in the local newspaper to help me keep my Sustainable High Performer mindset! Hope you do as well.

By Patti Milligan, Director of Nutrition

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Think Better

I just finished reading an interesting book called Think Better by Tim Hurson. It's all about how to become more innovative by improving productive thinking. While I was reading this book it really made me think. I started thinking about what motivated me to think about TIGNUM. Sure there was the motivation of my father being sick but clearly, from the beginning, there was more. That "more" for me was the irony that so many people thought that "thinking differently' just happened. This amazed me and started me down the path to really look at how to help top executives learn to be more innovative, more creative, but most of all better thinkers so they could perform better for longer.

When I met Scott, and we talked about the importance for firefighters to do this under the most stressful situations, I knew we were onto something. Today I realized that the world, and most of our clients, are in one of these "stressful situations". There are huge global challenges, huge business challenges, and huge personal challenges and yet the need for clear, creative, innovative and better thinking has never been higher. Unfortunately, most of the CEO's and other top executives I meet, still think this happens by chance. They think you either have it or you don't.

My experience, through TIGNUM, has taught me that nothing can be further from the truth. Everything can be taught! The tipping point is that just because you Learn it doesn't mean you'll Do it. Doing it is really the key and that's what Scott showed me that firefighters do best. They practice their performance mindset on the small calls, doing the simple things, so that when they need them the most they will be second nature. This is the same approach we have taken with teaching our Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery habits. We ask our clients to practice them everyday so when the pressure really hits, on those really stressful days (which seem to be coming way more frequently), these habits that make them Sustainable High Performers, will be second nature.

When I hear a client say that they didn't have time to use our high performance strategies I immediately know that here is a client that is leaving their performance and their sustainability, and unfortunately their company's performance to chance. I can't remember who said that desperate times require desperate measures but at Tignum we believe that's a recipe for a disaster. Desperate times (e.g. tough markets, smaller margins, tight competition, high stress, high workloads, etc.) require good habits - Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery habits!

By Jogi Rippel, CEO

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Feeling Empty After Vacation

I hope this blog finds you happy and relaxed after a nice summer holiday. Unfortunately, the story I hear all too often is not one of returning to work refreshed and rejuvenated, but rather one of shock, despair, and a gasp for air. Why does this happen? How can 7 days, 14 days, or even longer of vacation leave you feeling inadequate within 2 hours of returning to work?

The answer is simple but often overlooked. It’s a matter of not preparing your mindset for the change of scenery and demands. It’s basically bringing a knife to a gun fight and this is why it can be so unnerving.

As a Sustainable High Performer, the next time you take a vacation try doing a little gear shifting before you head back into the jungle. The night before you go back to work take 30 minutes and begin planning for your transition. What will be in your inbox? Who will be waiting to meet with you? What tasks will be the most critical for you to tackle? Spend some time doing some mental preparation for what’s ahead, how you will meet the challenges, where you will get your recovery breaks, where you will need to be really sharp, and what you plan on accomplishing (realistically).

When you go back to work ill prepared you not only leave high performance to chance, you also throw away the money and time you spent rejuvenating yourself. The next time you take a holiday (even a 3 day weekend), spend 30 minutes getting into your performance mindset before you head back to work. You just may find the challenges that wait for you stimulating.

By Scott Peltin,  Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Oscillation

A question I often get is: "How can I use some of the TIGNUM recovery strategies when I'm in the middle of a meeting and I feel the pressure growing?" . This is a great question because clearly you need to stay 100% present during these challenging moments. This may not seem like the appropriate time to put on your ipod, close your eyes, and break into some alternate nostril breathing.

If you really think of the essence of this very common question it is: How do I prevent feeling overwhelmed in the moment that I need to really be a Sustainable High Performer? My answer to this is: "Preparation is everything!".  As Scott often says, he's never seen a firefighter who went into a fire unhealthy and unprepared come out of the fire healthy and prepared. The fact is that the challenges we face chip away at us, unless we are prepared to handle them.

So how do you prepare yourself to be a high performer when you really need it? You practice your Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery strategies even when you don't think you need them. Everyday you get several often unnoticed opportunities to practice your high performance strategies such as mental imagery, oscillation, eating for brain performance, or moving to increase your creativity and focus. These strategies, and the many others you learned in the TIGNUM program, are cumulative and they strengthen your resolve and resilience for when you need it. Even more important they ensure you will be a high performer even when you find yourself in that pressure cooker.

By André Hartwich, Performance Coach

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Take a Deep Breath!

I recently read a great article about the power of a strong mindset in race car drivers. At 200 mph/322 kmh (just slightly under the current speed of business), the unprepared brain will trigger a panicky jolt of energy, that floods the body with adrenalin and cortisol. When Patrick Jacobs coached Indianapolis 500 winner, Gil De Ferran, he coached him to resist that primal instinct with controlled breathing techniques learned through Prana Yoga. This clearly shows that with practice, breathing can help anyone handle stress, and perform their best, even under the greatest amounts of pressure.

If these techniques can be used at 200 mph/322 kmh they can also be used by Sustainable High Performers during a meeting, during a negotiation, or anytime you need high performance.

By Adrianne Bowden, Tignum Coach

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Watch Top Athletes at the Olympics - and Learn!

You all knew I would have to talk about the Olympics since we are right in the middle of them and there are so many amazing stories. I don't even know where to start, because I love stories, but I think the Dara Torres story really resonates with all of us that have jumped past 40 years old.

Dara Torres was the oldest swimmer to medal when she was 33. But of course that was two Olympics ago because now she's 41. Like many of us she is a parent now (with all the extra demands that come with that), and like many of us she has realized that she doesn't bounce back like she did at her first international race when she was 14. This weekend Dara won a silver medal, missing the gold by only .01 seconds. What was her secret to perform at such a high level, at the age of 41, against the greatest swimmers in the world?

After many injuries and set backs, Dara realized that it wasn't just how hard or how often she trained. She realized that it was how well she recovered that really made the difference. Training only 1/2 as much as she did in the past, focusing more on stretching and other restorative modalities, and keeping a mindset that it's quality of movement that matters not just quantity launched her the medal stand. In addition, watch her before her races, after her races and in her interviews - she's always taking advantage of her best relaxation tool - her smile! She is a great model for Sustainable High Performers!

By Scott Peltin,  Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Building the Right Foundation for Success: Sustainability

Every once in a while I hear a CEO or team leader make a comment that sounds something like this: “My team is really burned out, they are pushing hard trying to do more with less. I really wish I could take them through the TIGNUM program so they could learn new strategies for sustainable high performance. I wish I could stop their speed train for the 2 days so they could recharge and see how important they are to me and the business. Unfortunately, I have to make my numbers this quarter or else, so I can’t take the time or spend the money on the team and their Sustainable High Performance right now. Maybe next quarter.”

I can totally appreciate the pressures of business, especially in these tough times. But I have to be brutally honest (a quality I’m not good at hiding). Does it make sense to drive your car and then put oil in it? Does it make sense to play all your soccer games and then go back and have preseason practice? Does it make sense to race a top Formula One race car on old bald warn out tires? Can you imagine if Tiger Woods would not have invested in reinventing his swing 5 times over his career? We wouldn’t have been blessed with his 14th Masters at the US Open – a win that will forever live in the record books as one of the best. In fact, he may have never won a second masters. In Good to Great, Jim Collins, talked about getting the right people on the bus (a morphism for team). I think that’s only half the battle. You have to get the right people on the bus and then you need to make sure they have the energy, vitality, capacity, and health to get you to where you need to go.

At TIGNUM we say over and over again that our client’s performance (and their company’s performance) is built on the foundation of personal energy and performance. And this is held together by each member’s mindset, nutrition, movement and recovery habits. Can you imagine building a house on soft dirt and then saying you will come back later and put in the foundation when you have more time and maybe  more money? In my opinion you can wait till next quarter, or next year, or in your next job, to get your team the necessary mindset, nutrition, movement and recovery strategies they need – but you would have paid many times over for waiting.

by Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Fascinating Insights Into The Brain

In his book "A Whole New Mind", Daniel Pink brilliantly describes the transition we are facing today: from information age to conceptual age. Information is available to everyone on the globe with a mouse click. Consequently, what matters most in the years to come are what Pink calls six senses, from the realms of high touch and high care: right brain abilities. How we tell stories, make meaning, and create contexts; how we connect to and care for others; and how we play. He gives beautiful ways to exercise the right brain - a part of ourselves that is or at least was often fairly asleep, yours truly included. Medical school and being a research physician did not really encourage me to engage the creative, symphonic side of myself. We need both hemispheres equally, not just one.

However: what's missing from this book, and from much related that we see come across our desks at Tignum, is how do we actually engage the right hemisphere? How do we switch to that mode? That's what play - improvisation, playing sports or Tai Chi - and recovery are tremendous at.

Sitting all day in our left hemispheres, festooned in logical, analytical thinking, we forget how easy and important it is to switch over to the right, and engage both parts of ourselves. Jill Bolte Taylor, an eminent neuro-scientist who suffered a very severe stroke to her left hemisphere several years ago, puts it beautifully in this quote, from an article she wrote two years after her stroke:

"I have shifted away from being a super analytical, confident risk taker who relied on the analytical skills housed in my brain's left hemisphere. Instead I experienced a fascinating and pleasurable shift in my perspective. When my left hemisphere shut down, my right hemisphere became dominant. Now, after many months of healing, I am much more mellow and secure in my understanding of who I am and what I want to accomplish with the finite time I have."

Watch her presentation at TED: (http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229.) Seeing her speak is a profoundly moving experience. The talk lasts 18 minutes; they are well worth your time and will no doubt help inspire your on your journey to becoming a Sustainable High Performer.

By Alex Putz, Performance Coach

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Strategies that pay off - an IBM case

Today I had a great coaching call with one of my clients from IBM, Michelle Unger (Vice President of Information Management IOT). She just came off of a killer week and a great example of high performance. Michelle just organized the largest ever IBM Information on Demand conference in Europe. As usual, she was probably met with skepticism and doubt about the investment of time and money from IBM. Great accomplishments are often met with great resistance. This was a conference to share the passion of IBM their information on demand platform and products.

Michelle was gleaming about how well the event went. (You can check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5cJYn1GHeY). Most of all she was gleaming about how she used the TIGNUM Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery strategies to make her peak performance a choice rather than leaving it to chance. She stayed hydrated, focused on her thoughts and controlled the controllable. She saw every challenge as a great opportunity to excel and as we always discuss she saw that Champions take Chances, and Pressure is a Privilege (one of my favorite Billy Jean King sayings). Michelle did some breathing techniques and as you can imagine, sprinted to put out lots of event fires. Even better, at the end – she took a few moments to celebrate her accomplishment and replay all the things she (and her team) did well.

We often use athletic experiences to make our strategies more tangible, but this is a great business example. Most important it will certainly lead to IBM profitability, happy customers, and a greater likelihood of other Sustainable High Performers emerging, after the great example Michelle gave.

by Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Recovery Rooms vs. Smoking Rooms

Recently we were doing a program with a client and some great questions came up. We were having a leadership discussion about ways to take the TIGNUM strategies in Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery to the entire work team. The question we asked was, “How can you, as leaders in your organization, impact the sustainable performance of your company (or atleast your direct section)?” The group, as always, was sent out to discuss it in small teams and then to present their thoughts and ideas.

During our discussion the following questions came up: Why do companies provide (at a significant expense) smoking rooms for workers but not recovery rooms? Why is it okay for a person to take as many smoking breaks as they want during the day, but if someone wants to take a power nap or go for a walk for a break the company culture sees that as a negative? Why do some companies (they make ice cream) provide all the free ice cream you want eat but it’s a stretch to get more than one apple a week?  What would happen if every boss sent out a memo that said, Weekends are for recovery – no email allowed? Would these small changes to the workplace help you become a Sustainable High Performer?

These questions all led to some great discussions and although the answers aren’t always easy to come to it does remind me of one thing. When we Think Different and ask different questions we will eventually come up with some Sustainable High Performance answers.

by Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Performance

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Valuing the Breath

I came across an article from Time Magazine on stress and it started with the following text:

"Take a deep breath. Now exhale slowly. You're probably not aware of it, but your heart has just slowed down a bit. Not to worry; it will speed up again when you inhale. This regular-irregular beat is a sign of a healthy interaction between heart and head. Each time you exhale, your brain sends a signal down the vagus nerve to slow the cardiac muscle. With each inhale, the signal gets weaker and your heart revs up. Inhale, beat faster. Exhale, beat slower. It's an ancient rhythm that helps your heart last a lifetime. And it leads to lesson No. 1 in how to manage stress and avoid burnout."

It is important to note that modern medicine has finally acknowledged what the yogis have known for thousands of years, that the breath is intimately connected to the autonomic nervous system and the mind and that it is an invaluable tool to maintain good physical and mental health.

I find it great that more and more of this information is streaming into the public domain supported by the scientific community so that more of us acknowledge and learn to how to use these highly effective and non invasive techniques to help us become Sustainable High Performers and to create overall health and well-being while helping us deal with the demands of current day life.

Conscious diaphragmatic breathing, for example, is extremely relaxing to the autonomic nervous system and deeply calms the mind. This is the most natural and efficient way of breathing and fortunately people can learn to breathe in new ways because the breath is the only involuntary function we also have volitional control over.

By André Hartwich, Performance Coach

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance

Sleep Inducing Techniques

A very effective sleep inducing technique I have been exposed to recently is an eye exercise. When you are having trouble falling asleep try the following procedure:

1. Move your eyes very slowly in a vertical line starting by looking up and then gradually working your way downwards seeing everything in that vertical line. Once you are looking al the way down you work your way up again. Do this a few times.

2. Repeat the exercise above but in a horizontal line. Begin by looking all the way to your left and then slowly move your gaze towards the right paying attention to everything in that line of sight. Once looking all the way to the right you start to move your gaze towards the left again. Repeat a few times.

3. Same exercise in a diagonal line. First a few times from top left to bottom right and back. Then a few times top right to bottom left and back.

4. Move your gaze slowly observing everything in sight clockwise a few times. Repeat the exercise with moving your eyes counter clockwise.

5. Close your eyes

Another helpful technique is to slow down the breath. Especially the exhale as people fall asleep on exhale! Sleep is a crucial aspect of becoming a Sustainable High Performer. So, Think Tignum, Think Sleep.

by André Hartwich, Performance Coach

TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance