High-performing organisations aren’t built on strategy alone – they’re built on leadership teams that stay curious, connected and calm. That’s the core message from organisational psychologist, author and leadership expert Stephanie Bown, who has spent 20+ years helping founders, startups, scale-ups and market disruptors embed high-performance habits and culture.

Stephanie works with leaders to strengthen trust, alignment, and performance through science-backed behavioural systems like the LSI. Stephanie explains how strategy, culture, and leadership interlock to create enduring success, why developing mid-level leaders is critical for growth, and how silence in meetings can be the first warning sign that a culture is beginning to drift.

Takeaways 

• High-performing organisations thrive when leadership teams stay curious, connected and calm under pressure.
• Culture, strategy and leadership must operate as one interconnected system for real performance.
• Silence in meetings is often the first signal that trust is breaking down.
• Great leaders grow their people instead of doing the work themselves.
• A culture drifts when honesty is replaced by politeness or avoidance.
• Systems create habits, and habits determine whether performance endures or fades.
• High-performing teams are independent thinkers who build collective capacity together.
• Better businesses focus on sustainability, trust and alignment – not just growth for growth’s sake.

Follow Stephanie Bown
https://stephaniebown.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniebown1/ 
https://www.instagram.com/stephiefromthebay/# 

Books on this episode
Curious, Connected and Calm by Stephanie Bown https://amzn.asia/d/craeCTh
Purpose, Passion and Performance by Stephanie Bown https://amzn.asia/d/2nK6u2A
Fierce Conversations: Achieving success in work and in life, one conversation at a time by Susan Scott https://amzn.to/47ul0qu 

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Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO 
Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. 
Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. 
Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life) 

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