Capable people exist in almost every company — yet many never fully show up the way leaders expect.

In this Preface episode of Leadership in 5, James Mayhew introduces the core idea behind the High Performers project: high performance isn’t something you simply hire for. It’s something leadership behavior and environment either invite out — or quietly suppress.

This episode reframes how founders think about performance, engagement, and responsibility, setting the foundation for a deeper exploration of how capable people either multiply or withdraw inside real teams.

Episode 63 – Why High Performers Don’t Always Show Up the Way You Expected

High Performers – Preface

There are capable people sitting in most companies right now who could be doing far more than they are — and it’s usually not because they lack talent.

In this Preface episode, James Mayhew introduces a different way of understanding high performance. Not as something rare or fixed, but as something shaped by leadership behavior and the environment people work in.

You’ll hear why performance often narrows quietly, why nothing has to “go wrong” for engagement to erode, and why responsibility for high performance sits closer to leadership systems than most founders realize.

You’ll Learn:

1. Why capable people can stay productive while slowly disengaging
2. How performance gets shaped long before it shows up as behavior
3. Why environment matters more than intent
4. The difference between getting work done and getting people fully engaged
5. What this podcast is really here to examine — without blame or motivation

Reflection Question:

Where might capable people be doing solid work — but holding back more of themselves than you realize?

1. The Next Question Guide → NextQuestionGuide.com
2. LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/jamesmayhew
3. Website → JamesMayhew.com