Achieving the Performance Edge
The message is rampant throughout reports and news items: Productivity is Low.
Leaders are under pressure to increase team performance, and may feel frustrated by how little progress they are making.
The tools are improving.
The data is richer.
And yet, performance gains seem incremental at best.
The assumption, which looks promising on paper: better tools lead to better performance.
And while this thinking is correct as far as it goes, it is incomplete.
The question isn’t how do we get more out of what we have – our teams and tech?
It’s what creates a true performance edge in today’s environment?
The performance edge in 2026 will not come from technology alone.
It will come from human-centred leadership* within purpose-driven cultures** that utilize technology in order to amplify the work of its people.
“human-centred leadership* within purpose-driven cultures** that utilize technology in order to amplify the work of its people. . . .
this triad raises the bar for leadership.”
And this triad raises the bar for leadership.
The pattern is familiar across organizations:
Leaders invest in new technology to increase and accelerate output.
Teams are expected to comply.
And that seems promising, to begin with.
Until the next challenge surfaces, pressure increases, and teams revert to what they know worked before.
And the performance edge doesn’t materialize.
Why?
Because performance isn’t driven by tools—it’s driven by the individuals on the team: how they think, decide, work with each other, and contribute inside the system. It’s how they work when the challenges surface and pressure increases.
2026 leadership trends are clear:
Organizations that excel will be those that embrace technological capabilities while amplifying human capability.
You have capable people and strong tools:
Where is performance being constrained in your teams? Where would you even look to find out?
Leaders are asking these questions:
How do we move forward without burning out our people or falling behind technologically?
How do we do more with what we have?
These questions deserve exploration, but the answers will be misleading as they are missing the triad.
A better question might be:
How do we enable our people to excel and to reach our objectives faster, with better quality?
That might indeed require new technology. . .
What would the leadership in your organization need to increase productivity and achieve that performance edge?
*Human-centred leadership prioritizes team member well-being, growth and empowerment while enhancing performance.
**Purpose-driven cultures attract and retain top talent when they connect the daily work to the larger organizational intent; helping team members understand how their work contributes to the organizational objectives; why their work matters.