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Thunderbird collaborates with Tignum to help business leaders become sustainable high performers
With the world economy in crisis and leaders everywhere pushed to their limits with higher demands and fewer resources, the ability for managers and executives to perform at their highest capacity consistently and over the long-term without burnout and fatigue has never been more important to individuals and their companies.
Yet, statistics show that 30 to 50 percent of the global workforce is experiencing stress or burnout, and in the United States alone, it is estimated that occupational stress costs employers in excess of $200 billion per year. An additional $150 billion annually is lost due to “presenteeisim – employees who are at work, but not really present – according to Scott Peltin, founder and chief performance officer at Tignum, a global Phoenix-based consulting firm that provides sustainable high performance training to companies and individuals worldwide.
“This is not just a financial recession, it’s a recession of human potential,” Peltin says. “Every day in organizations all over the world, men and women are going to work and using only a fraction of their full potential. They haven’t consciously chosen to do this but they have unconsciously done so by their habits.”
Beginning this fall, Thunderbird School of Global Management will be collaborating with Tignum’s Institute for Sustainable High Performance to incorporate personal high-performance strategies into the school’s own workforce and educational experiences in order to ensure its employees, graduates and executive education clients not only garner the business and cultural skills needed to run sustainable organizations, but also the personal capacity to maintain their own long-term performance and competitive edge.
By emphasizing four pillars of sustainable high performance – mindset, nutrition, movement and recovery – Tignum trains individuals on how to boost their energy, resilience, brain performance and leadership capacity to build a strong foundation for superior business performance in difficult times.
Peltin said the four pillars work together to create synergy, and the end result is something broader than a traditional health and wellness program. “We are not just talking about being healthy. Being healthy is not enough,” Peltin says. “This is about performance – healthy is a side effect.”
The Tignum programs focus on organizational behavior, leadership, brain performance, performance mindset, performance nutrition, performance movement, performance recovery, high-performance medicine and innovation management.
“Incorporating sustainable personal leadership training with Thunderbird’s No. 1-ranked global business education furthers the school’s mission to produce global leaders who make a lasting impact in the world by creating sustainable value for their companies and communities,” says Thunderbird President, Ángel Cabrera. “In order for individuals to create lasting value, it is imperative they be equipped with strong global business skills combined with a socially responsible and global mindset and the capacity for their own sustainable high performance.”
Companies will be competing to get these people because they will be more creative, innovative, productive and passionate, Peltin says. “Do you want to hire a knowledgeable business leader or one who is knowledgeable as well as high-performing, sustainable, focused and prepared to bring his/her best to every single challenge they face. This is what companies will need to win.”
Peltin, a retired Phoenix-based U.S. Fire Service battalion chief, will introduce the sustainable high performance training to Thunderbird faculty and staff during a kickoff event Aug. 18. He will return to campus during Foundations week, a week of orientation Aug. 21-28, to make similar presentations to new full-time students. Afterward, Thunderbird will integrate the program into campus life through follow-up workshops and an on-campus communication campaign. The goal will be to help participants overcome the self-defeating habits that lead to burnout by building a solid foundation that can sustain high performance throughout their careers.
Thunderbird and Tignum are also working to develop a sustainable high performance program for corporate clients who come to the school for executive education. “At Thunderbird, we don’t simply want to impact our clients’ and students’ businesses; we want to impact their lives,” says Beth Stoops, senior vice president of Corporate Learning.
Sustainable High Performance defined: A condition where you are highly motivated, your self-esteem is strong, your excitement to handle challenges is evident and your physical energy is abundant. People perceive you as present, grounded, responsive and focused. You implement sound judgment and innovative solutions, maximizing your impact on your team, company, brand and the world. Sustainable high performance is showing up consistently with your best game on.