Building and Driving High Performance

Last month, we hosted our second Executive Leadership Programme (ELP) session of 2025, delivered in partnership with the University of Edinburgh Business School and FWB. The session, titled “Building and Driving High Performance”, explored the science, psychology, and practice of team effectiveness – from neuroscience and stress management to leadership under pressure and strategic team selection.

Chaired by Prof. Susan Murphy, Chair in Leadership Development at the University of Edinburgh Business School, and Judy Wagner, Co-Founder of FWB, the evening featured a compelling keynote from Clive Miles, HR Director at Barclays UK Everyday Money Management and Life Moments.

The Science of Team Effectiveness

Prof. Susan Murphy opened the evening by unpacking the neuroscience behind high-performing teams. Drawing on decades of research, she highlighted the essential ingredients of trust, psychological safety, and cognitive diversity for team success.

“Effective teams aren’t just about hitting KPIs,” she said. “They’re about feeling good, building trust, and leveraging the different ways people think.”

Susan encouraged delegates to reflect on their own team experiences, both positive and challenging, and introduced key concepts such as:

• Psychological safety: the ability to speak up, take risks, and ask for help without fear.
• Cognitive diversity: embracing different perspectives to foster innovation.
• Neurochemistry of collaboration: how oxytocin, mirror neurons, and social bonding enhance team cohesion.

She also explored how stress impacts performance, urging leaders to balance pressure with support and to create rituals that help teams decompress and stay resilient.

Leadership in Action

Clive Miles brought the theory to life with powerful stories from his time in banking and the military. From leading teams through a major outage at Barclays to commanding operations in Afghanistan, Clive illustrated how adaptive leadership, psychological safety, and clarity of purpose are critical in high-stakes environments.

One standout moment came during a crisis at Barclays, when a junior team member challenged the prevailing view in a high-pressure meeting. The CEO’s openness to that challenge changed the course of action – a testament to the power of inclusive leadership.

“The best leaders create environments where everyone can speak up,” Clive said. “It’s not about hierarchy – it’s about trust, humility, and clarity.”

He also shared lessons from military operations, including the importance of rehearsals, scenario planning, and knowing your team’s personal motivations. His stories underscored the value of empathy, vulnerability, and alignment in building resilient, high-performing teams.

From Selection to Strategy

The evening concluded with a dynamic boardroom simulation, where delegates tackled two scenarios:

• Selecting talent for a new division: Participants explored how to define essential skills, assess cultural fit vs. cultural add, and use techniques like psychometric testing, situational interviews, and team simulations.
• Resetting a leadership team after a crisis: Delegates considered how to rebuild trust, re-establish purpose, and lead with transparency and boldness in the wake of reputational damage.

The discussions were rich with insight, challenge, and collaboration — reflecting the depth of experience in the room and the value of peer learning.

As Judy Wagner reminded participants, the ELP is a space to stretch, reflect, and grow. “You can’t implement strategy without strong leadership and a united team,” she said. “This programme is about building both.”

If you are interested in joining our 2026 cohort, please email us at elp@fwbltd.com.

Jointly run by FWB and the University of Edinburgh Business School (UEBS), the Executive Leadership Programme is designed to enable the next generation of leaders across multiple ownership classes or organisations within a broad range of private, public and non-profit sectors.