Improving High Performance Without Burnout
Leaders are almost always under pressure to deliver organisational result.
But too often, that focus overshadows what truly drives sustainable high performance: human performance.
Not everyone needs to train to run up a mountain like a goat. But here’s the thing about sustainable high performance — especially in the workplace: it isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about understanding human capacity — your own, and that of your people — and creating the time and space to work on it. When you do that, you maintain high standards without the constant risk of sickness, fatigue, or burnout.
Creating a culture where you and your colleagues can stay on top of your game — physically, mentally, and emotionally — is the most reliable return on investment you’ll ever make in leadership.
In 2024, the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) revealed that:
The hidden annual cost of employee sickness has increased by £30 billion since 2018
UK workers are among the least likely to take sick days, and most likely to work through illness
£25 billion extra ‘hidden cost’ to businesses from lower productivity among people working through sickness, with just £5 billion down to rising sick days
So, I’m on a mission to help HR leaders and their leadership colleagues improve high performance without burnout.
In my years of experience working as an HR leader, in the military and as an athlete, I know that combining
Performance psychology
Recovery strategies
Practical leadership
People and teams perform at their best without burning out.
What qualifies me to help you?
I’ve worked as an HR and Business Operations Director, created several business ventures from start up, and before that trained and operated in an eliete unit in our british armed forces, all spanning over 30 years. During that time I’ve witnessed and expereinced frst-hand challenges that leaders face day in, day out. Burnout, presenteeism, and the overwhelming pressure to deliver all at the expense of our physical and mental health exacerbate the situation.
With hands-on experience and measurable results, I partner with HR leaders and their exectuive and operational teams to build resilience, sustainable, high-performing people inorder to create stability with a Top Gun edge.
This isn’t corporate wellness fluff. It’s a pragmatic approach to the very real constraints that leaders and teams face based on my own personal and professional expertise.
What I deliver
Bespoke on-site sessions tailored to your leadership context
Evidence-based tools your teams can implement immediately
Common language & rituals that align wellbeing with performance
Clear, trackable outcomes (reduced burnout risk, higher engagement, better focus, fewer sick days)
Ideal for: Senior leadership off-sites, People Manager development, culture reset programmes, and change-heavy periods.
Popular formats:
Keynote (45–60 mins): Inspire and align around sustainable performance
Masterclass (90–120 mins): Practical tools + live application
Leadership Workshop (Half/Full Day): Deep dive, diagnostics, action plans
Programme Series (4–8 weeks): Embed habits and leadership behaviours
My methodology
The 7 Essential Habits Framework™
A practical, evidence-based approach you and your leaders can use immediately.
Complete the form to recieve your free guide . . .
Why choose me?
Experience at the intersection of resilience and performance:
Former Elite Military Serviceman
Endurance Athlete
Ex HR Director
Clinical Sports Therapist
Performance Psychology specialist
I’ve led in high-stakes environments, sat in your HR seat, and worked hands-on with human physiology and behaviour change. That blend means your leaders get strategies that are credible, doable, and measurable.
“When I met Simon, he became my line manager in a large company that I felt desperate to leave, it had grown quickly and had become impersonal and toxic. I was just overloaded, felt low and stopped running and cycling to focus on a workload I couldn’t manage. Within 2 weeks his approach had made it a different place to work, being positive became easy and I started to enjoy work, running and cycling again even. It amazes me about how much difference one person can make in such a short space of time”. John B.
What changes after the session?
Leaders stop accidental overload by designing capacity into plans
Teams adopt shared recovery rituals (cadence, breaks, boundaries)
Meetings and workflows get leaner, attention becomes protected
Individuals gain simple, sticky habits that compound over time
HR can track leading indicators of burnout risk, not just lagging ones
Suggested metrics: engagement pulse on energy/focus, short fatigue index, meeting load, calendar fragmentation, sickness absence, and manager 1:1 quality.
Packages on offer
Sample agenda (Half Day)
Reset the model: Human capacity vs. output; invisible load audit
7 Habits in practice: Live tools and team applications
Workflow redesign: Meetings, comms, and focus protocols
Recovery architecture: Micro (daily) + macro (weekly/quarterly)
Action planning: Team playbook + 30-day habit sprint
FAQs
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No. It’s performance engineering for humans; grounded in physiology, psychology and leadership practice.
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Especially then. We design capacity buffers and recovery rhythms to prevent crunch times from becoming chronic.
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Both. I can deliver on-site at your office or virtually across regions.
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We agree simple, leading indicators upfront (energy/focus, meeting load, absence) and review at 30/60/90 days.
Bring this to your leadership team
If you’re looking to address burnout, build resilience in senior teams, or create a more sustainable path to high performance, the 7 Essential Habits Framework bridges wellbeing strategy with real business outcomes.
Let’s continue the conversation
Interested in a bespoke session for your organisation?
Book a discovery call
Request a proposal and sample agenda
Discuss on-site dates and outcomes
Get in touch
Simon Harrison — bridging wellbeing, performance psychology, and practical leadership.
Email: simon@rawpowerltd.co.uk
Mobile: +44 7967451950
Available across the UK & Europe. CPD-friendly. Content tailored to your sector and leadership maturity.
