Sustain High Performance

Purdue University evolutionary biologist, William Muir, studied the productivity of chickens, specifically their egg-laying capabilities. He divided chickens into two groups:

• Average Chickens: A group of regular, unselected chickens that were left to live and reproduce naturally over generations
• “Superchickens”: Chickens that were the most productive (laid the most eggs) in their group. These “star performers” were selectively bred to create a group of highly productive chickens

He continued this experiment for multiple generations, leaving the first flock to breed unchecked while in the second group, he only selected the most productive to continue breeding. 

The result?

The first group (average chickens) fared very well. The nine “average” hens were getting along just fine, and their egg production increased with every generation. 

The Superchickens? Six of the nine hens were dead and the three remaining hens were pecked bare. The battle for dominance had destroyed the group.

Muir’s experiment is mirrored in organizations where star performers burn themselves and others out, whereas cohesive teams deliver increasing results over time by caring for and collaborating with each other. Focusing overwhelmingly on star performers often creates a toxic, hyper-competitive culture that undermines collective and sustained success. Yet, most organizations overvalue high-performing individuals while neglecting the importance of teams. 

Recent research by Sapien Labs further demonstrated similar dynamics among humans. The study, covering over 55,000 people across 64 countries, showed that colleague relationships have the highest impact on our capacity to perform – 45% more than having manageable workloads or flexibility.

So why do we continue to chase “top talent”? Why are performance management processes architected to separate “high”, “average”, and “low” performers? Why are rewards and promotion systems designed to elevate individual stars, rather than cultivate healthy, high-performing teams?

Challenging these norms led us to create Samuh. In Sanskrit, Samuh signifies a group coming together for a purpose larger than themselves. Our purpose is to help organizations create conditions where people and toplines thrive.

Scientifically. Measurably. Sustainably.

Not all moments in a team are equal.

Some pass unnoticed.
Others quietly shape everything that follows.

A new person joins.
A decision is announced.
Someone is talked over.
A tough conversation is avoided.
A win goes unacknowledged.
Or a colleague leaves, and no one quite knows what to say.

We worked with a company where there was no real practice for endings. People just… disappeared. One day they were there, the next day, replaced. No message, no closure, no context. The result? A silent sense of unease.

People whispered.
“Did they quit? Were they pushed out? Will this happen to me?”
It started to feel like “we don’t talk about Bruno.” (nod to Encanto, the animation)

What helped wasn’t dramatic. Just a simple practice:
A short farewell email sent out by the manager. Acknowledgment of contributions. An open invitation for the team to share their good wishes.

The shift was immediate: less shame, fewer rumors, more dignity.
People leaving felt respected. People staying felt safer.
People arriving were no longer met with subtle resentment.

These are the moments that shape teams.

According to Sapien Labs’ research, the strongest predictor of performance is the quality of colleague relationships, more than even workload or flexibility.

But those relationships aren’t abstract.
They are built, or eroded, in how we handle small, meaningful moments like these.

At Samuh, we help leadership teams work intentionally with these moments of tension, transition, and potential. We draw from science and practice in fields such as Theory U, Liberating Structures, Systemic Leadership, Coaching Constellations, design thinking.

We’re curious: How does your team handle endings?

What if I told you that the biggest driver of performance in your organization isn’t strategy, structure, or even individual talent? Though each of them matter. It’s  relationships.

Not just the ones at home—but the ones among your people.

Our research shows that colleague relationships impact performance 45% more than manageable workloads or flexibility.

Yet, in most boardrooms, they remain a blind spot.

Before you roll your eyes—I am not waving the flag for 70-hour weeks. Nor am I an activist for return-to-office mandates.

When workplace relationships are strong and trusted, people outperform. They collaborate, adapt, and innovate faster than any playbook could predict. When those relationships break down, capacity collapses—just like in life.

That’s why, amid transformation fatigue and endless change agendas, the real unlock lies in ritualizing high performance practices in your teams.

 Not another top-down initiative.

It’s why we created Samuh—to help organizations scale high-performance team cultures that thrive under pressure. Not with buzzwords, but with science – measurably and sustainably.

If you are sensing that it’s time to explore the levers that actually move the needle, let’s talk.

“You can either tell me what to do, or you can tell me how to do it. But you  can’t tell me both, Sir” recounted my friend Nate Boaz, citing the words of  a soldier during his days in the defense forces. Nate has a distinct take on  life and leadership, having served in war torn regions during his years with  

the U.S. Marine Corps, before making an uncharacteristic pivot into the  world of Human Resources via a career in strategy consulting. Nate and I  were peers on the HR leadership team, and these debates were integral to  our work in crafting people practices for Accenture. So it was not  surprising that these words have stayed with me years later. 

Our large scale research on mind health in Sapien Labs bears out that  Autonomy is a crucial factor for performance. Yet it is treated by some  suspicion within organizations. Tune in to learn more.

A quick Google search on “habits” returns over 3.6 billion results. From  articles to videos to podcasts to books, there is a plethora of information,  and our desire for forming good habits knows no bounds as we constantly  seek help from peers, coaches and trainers.  

Yet, there seems to be a chasm between our intention to form habits and  our ability to make them stick. Most research suggests that no more than  8%-12% of New Year’s resolutions are successful. Having dealt with  serious health challenges, I too have grappled with forming healthy habits.  Since my career was all about enabling people and teams perform at high  levels, I have explored habits from an organizational lens too.  

Turns out that one oft ignored aspect of habit formation holds the key to  making them stick – our environment. Watch on to learn more… 

As a Human Resources leader, I have dedicated my three decade career to  exploring human potential and fostering high performance in individuals  and teams. In the early years, it appeared that performance was driven by  education and relentless hard work. However, as complexity and scale  increased, effective collaboration emerged as a crucial factor. Serving as  the Chief Learning Officer at Accenture, I recognized that learning and  performance were inextricably linked, and a scientific approach to learning  led to superior organizational outcomes. Later, when tasked with  overhauling an outdated performance management system, it became  evident that focus, leveraging strengths, fostering a strong team culture,  and cultivating honest conversations were the cornerstones of high  performance.  

In recent times, I have had the privilege of collaborating with world-class  scientists, organizational experts and high performance coaches. This  video shares insights into the foundational element that underpins  sustained high performance – a crucial topic for leaders as they navigate  unprecedented challenges.