Most professionals do not fail because they lack ambition. They fail because the work required to reach the goal does not match the person they have become.
Josue Louis has seen that gap at the highest level of performance. A world record holder in the indoor 60m hurdles, two-time World Champion, four-time World Indoor medallist and member of Haiti’s 2012 Olympic team, he now applies the lessons of elite sport to leadership, execution and workplace performance.
His argument is – knowing what to do is rarely enough. Leaders and high performers also need the adaptability, habits and self-awareness to act when pressure rises.
In this exclusive interview with the London Keynote Speakers Agency, Josue explains why skilled professionals lose momentum, where ambition breaks down into inaction, and how leaders can help teams become capable of delivering what they set out to achieve.
Question 1. Why do skilled professionals sometimes struggle to turn clear priorities into consistent action?
Josue Louis: “I think there’s a misalignment between the understanding of, “This is what I want; however, this is also what I need to do in order for me to get it.” That misalignment can also come from a lack of adaptability.
“It can come from feeling that I’ve accomplished everything in my life through this single route or through this single avenue, and not realising that there are many different ways to skin a cat. There’s an opportunity for you to dive into a different purview.
“I think that’s what’s lacking. There’s an opportunity for executives and high performers to realise that they’re constantly growing. And in that constant growth comes a plethora of knowledge that’s only available if they are actually open to receiving it.”
Question 2. Where do high performers usually lose momentum between setting a goal and doing the work required to reach it?
Josue Louis: “I think what actually breaks down is, again, going back to alignment, but more or less the actions.
“You can say all day, “I want to train for Hyrox,” or, “I want to train for the next Olympic Games.” However, if you’re not waking up in the morning and you’re not connecting yourself with the specific coaches or nutritionists to support you in getting there, then there’s a misalignment.
“You’re stating that you want to do something at such a high level. However, you’re not applying yourself to the necessary things or the necessary actions that require you to step into that space.
“I think there’s that misalignment. It’s the, “I want something and I think the universe is just going to give it to me,” as opposed to, “Okay, I want something or I’m declaring that I’m going to be something. Now, let’s break it down and see what are the specific steps, what are the specific things that I get to do in order for me to actually see that come to life.””
Question 3. Why does adaptability matter so much for leaders managing people under pressure?
Josue Louis: “Adaptability. I believe that once leaders understand that the world is constantly changing around them, that each individual they’re working with is a specific being, and they are able to identify with that being and speak to that individual’s identity, I think that’s what the gap is.
“I also think that’s what’s going to support them in expanding not only their teams, but also expanding themselves. It creates the opportunity for them to be better leaders, not just for their team but also for themselves, because in doing that, they’re able to actually take feedback for themselves.
“Then they’re actually able to see where they can also grow, and in that growth, their team will grow around them. So I think that’s truly the biggest part, where leaders can take on ownership and adaptability so that they’re able to see that amongst their peers and also in their workspace.”
Question 4. How can leaders help their teams move beyond goal-setting and build the habits needed to deliver?
Josue Louis: “Becoming who your goals require really just comes to identifying what your goal is.
“More specifically, also understanding what the goal of your team is. And then from there, identifying the things that we get to put into place so that each individual, as well as themselves, is actually raising themselves to that next standard so that they can see that come to life.
“Again, it’s really taking it on first. Putting the mirror on themselves first. Identifying who they get to be. What are the necessary steps that they get to take in order for them to actually be that for their team and to be that master leader for their team?
“And then from there, providing their team with those tools so that they can then see success.”
This exclusive interview with Josue Louis was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency.
