David Clancy - How To Assess & Design High-Performance Cultures

Episode 172: In this episode of the Inform Performance podcast, Andy McDonald speaks with David Clancy, a highly accomplished Chartered Physiotherapist with extensive experience across clinical, consultation, pitch-side, and research settings. David has worked with high-performance cultures and both professional athlete and non-athlete populations, employing evidence-based practices. He also maintains strong international research connections in both industry and academia. The discussion dives into the essential skills for building effective high performance teams how he supports high performance cultures. 

✏️Topics Discussed:
▪️ Learning and Development in Teams
▪️ The Essential Skills Book and Event
▪️ Collaboration and Humility in High Performance
▪️ The Role of Technology in Sports Medicine
▪️ Future Trends in Sports Performance

Key Points

• The focus in sports medicine has evolved from direct athlete treatment to improving overall team performance. This shift encompasses education, building awareness, and personal development for practitioners within a team. The emphasis is now on creating a holistic environment that supports athletes indirectly by enhancing the capabilities of the support staff1 .  
• When consulting with teams, the approach involves a three-step process: understanding their current position, identifying their desired direction, and developing strategies to bridge that gap. This method ensures a tailored approach to each team's unique needs and goals1 .  
• Assessing team stability is crucial when identifying areas for improvement. This involves evaluating team cohesion, recent leadership changes, departmental balance (e.g., medical vs. performance), and staff turnover rates. These factors provide insights into the team's overall health and potential areas of focus for improvement1 .  
• Consultancy work often revolves around helping teams navigate change. This could be due to ownership changes, new management, or a need for leadership in specific departments. The consultant's role is to guide the team through these transitions smoothly and effectively1 .  
• The process typically begins with a comprehensive evaluation of the current personnel, roles, and responsibilities. This assessment is then compared to industry standards, and transferable practices from other leagues or sports are explored. This benchmarking approach helps identify areas where the team can improve or innovate1 .  
• Change management principles and mental models are applied when implementing new strategies or integrating new team members. This includes using frameworks from corporate change management, such as Kotter's model, to ensure smooth transitions and minimize disruption1 .  
• Follow-up and continuous monitoring are essential after hiring new personnel. This includes checking on personal well-being, family adjustment, and professional integration. The goal is to ensure sustainable success and address any issues early on. Regular on-site visits and feedback sessions are part of this process1 .  
• Appraisal tools and benchmarking strategies are used, but they are often customized to meet the specific needs of each team. This bespoke approach ensures that the assessment and improvement strategies are relevant and effective for the unique context of each organization1 .  
• Building and maintaining trust and relationships with clients is crucial. This involves personalized communication, long-term partnerships, and a commitment to ongoing support. The focus is on creating lasting relationships rather than one-off transactions1 .  
• The consultancy approach emphasizes being different rather than just better. This involves providing ongoing support and value to clients beyond the initial recruitment or change implementation process. The goal is to become a trusted partner in the team's long-term success, offering continuous guidance and support

Where you can find David:
•⁠  ⁠David Clancy's Website

•⁠  LinkedIn

•⁠  Instagram

Sponsors
VALD: makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

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