How to Help Teams Shift Gears and Lift Performance
- Nick Leach
- Oct 14
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 15
Every team hits a plateau. Momentum slows. Energy fades. What once felt exciting becomes routine.
It’s not because people have changed, it’s because the gear they’re in no longer matches the challenge ahead.
High-performing teams, like high-performing engines, need to know when to shift gears.
⚙️ Gear 1: Awareness
The first step is noticing the signs, meetings feel repetitive, innovation stalls, and enthusiasm dips.
If you keep pushing harder in the same gear, you just burn the engine.
Ask yourself:
Do we still feel stretched?
Are we reacting or driving?
Are we still clear on why we do what we do?
Awareness is the clutch that allows you to shift.
🎯 Gear 2: Alignment
Before accelerating, get the team re-aligned.
In Leading on Purpose, I wrote that a purpose is only powerful when it’s put into action.Teams that reconnect to why they exist and who they serve reignite their motivation.
Realign by:✅ Re-visiting your purpose statement✅ Linking decisions back to purpose✅ Celebrating progress that reflects purpose, not just profit
When purpose becomes visible again, energy returns.
🤝 Gear 3: Trust
Trust is the transmission that connects intent to action. Without it, gears slip.
Increase transparency. Encourage debate. Make it safe to challenge assumptions.
As I share in my book:
“Without trust, there are hidden agendas and politics. With trust, there’s transparency and focus on the customer.”
Trust frees teams to move faster.
⚡ Gear 4: Momentum
Momentum doesn’t happen by chance; it’s engineered.
Set clear milestones
Celebrate visible wins
Keep communication tight and consistent
The best leaders don’t just set direction; they manage energy.
🔁 Gear 5: Renewal
Every high-performing team eventually needs a reset.
Adopt a journey mindset; progress over perfection. Reflect, refine, and recommit to purpose.
Great teams aren’t built on one big win; they’re sustained through renewal.
💬 Final Thought
Helping your team change gears isn’t about pushing harder — it’s about reconnecting them to purpose, trust, and rhythm.
Because in the end, performance isn’t about speed. It’s about knowing when to shift.
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