In this episode, Craig sits down with Lara Carty, former Team GB athlete, PhD in psychology, and seasoned financial services leader, to explore how organizations can unlock true performance through people and culture. With over 20 years of experience across the sell-side, buy-side, and now as founder of her own performance coaching consultancy, Lara brings a unique perspective on the intersection of psychology, business, and high performance.

Lara shares her journey from elite sport to psychology to leading people functions in global financial institutions. She dives into why performance reviews are often broken, how organizations lose talent by failing to see people as individuals, and what companies can do to create cultures that attract, retain, and empower their top performers.

Whether you’re a leader, recruiter, or professional striving to unlock your full potential, this episode offers deep insights into performance, motivation, and the future of people strategy.

🎙 Key Topics:

🔹 How elite sport shaped Lara’s views on performance and feedback
 🔹 Why most performance management systems miss the mark
 🔹 The challenges of scale in large corporates vs. smaller environments
 🔹 What truly motivates people to stay, grow, and succeed
 🔹 Practical steps for leaders to create high-performance cultures

Show Notes & Timestamps

[00:00] Opening & Introduction

• Craig introduces Lara and her background in psychology, financial services, and Team GB athletics.

[03:00] From Sports to Psychology to Financial Services

• How Lara’s experience in high-performance sport sparked her interest in psychology.
• The importance of feedback and mindset in performance.

[06:00] The Reality of Corporate Performance Reviews

• Why traditional performance management often fails employees.
• How Lara’s early experiences highlighted the flaws in large organizations’ people practices.

[11:00] Scaling People Strategies vs. Individual Needs

• The tension between scale and personalization in large corporates.
• Why “one-size-fits-all” approaches don’t work.

[15:00] Shifting to the Buy-Side and Smaller Environments

• Why Lara made the transition from sell-side to buy-side.
• The difference in creativity, speed, and impact.

[20:00] What Motivates Top Talent

• The importance of mastery and proximity to the end user.
• Why some people thrive in smaller environments while others succeed in large corporates.

[27:00] The Role of Companies vs. Individuals

• Who is responsible for performance: the company or the individual?
• How high performers use “performance data” to grow.

[32:00] Building Effective Talent Functions

• Lara’s advice to CEOs on rethinking talent acquisition and people practices.
• Why defining “what good looks like” is essential before building processes.

[45:00] Final Thoughts & Takeaways

• The future of performance, culture, and leadership.
• Why organizations must move beyond box-ticking to truly unlock potential.