The research program aims to take techniques developed and often used in elite sport and teach and apply these in business organisations. The techniques have been well documented in the research and also applied professionally in elite sports settings, including domestic cup and title-winning teams, an international team successfully preparing and competing in a FIFA World Cup, as well as several groups of Olympians.

Several aspects were important in the program’s focus: the inclusion and application of positive and growth mindset principles typically utilised in elite sport; content built using a virtual reality environment with short multimedia elements, making participant understanding easy as well as making the time taken, shorter; consideration given to the environmental context that contributes to uptake and effectiveness, including genuine leader commitment to support the program, suitable timeframes for involvement and completion of tasks, use of organization communication processes and time available reflective practice and feedback.

Several measures were used as predictors of productivity, performance, and well-being. These included references to sickness and absenteeism, staff turnover, promotion, and exceeding goal achievement. Each provided further evidence of the integrated mindset learning program’s impact.

The Integrated Mindset Learning research program was established to transfer and test mindset practices from elite sport into the business environment. Could such activities help managers in the current business environment? In developing the program, attention was focused on activities such as mindset mastery, reflective practice, and resilience activities. These would be delivered using digital tools, taking account of professional scheduling constraints. Aligning elite sport mental conditioning with business skill needs raises a key question on how and whether training can ensure continuing retention and delivery of any performance gains seen.

There is further justification for this in the existing literature, which links workplace burnout and lower engagement due to significant economic effects: it has been suggested that about USD 322 billion in lost economic value worldwide annually, from employee turnover and decreased productivity [1]. If mindset training supports both resilience and sustained motivation, then organisational benefits will outweigh just culture change. This link between personal development and economic performance suggests the need to support investment in programs that target emotional agility, the building of an integrated mindset, adaptability, and resilience among leaders.

The analysis of language sentiment added greater depth to this research, not previously seen. This analysis helped uncover participant micro changes by way of attitudinal tone, which would demonstrate positive attitudes towards aspects such as collaboration. Something not explicitly highlighted in the numerical scores emerging from surveys. Analytically, commitment to the program occurred when participants explicitly noticed behavioural changes that impacted both work performance and important personal needs, often outside the workplace. This is consistent with observations from sport, which identify intrinsic enjoyment and perceived opportunity [2].

Tracking participants’ performance over four months confirmed a positive change in mindset using both the quantitative and qualitative measures. As one example, indicators for the Integrated Mindset Index scores calculated from the interview program indicated that the average percentage improvement across all participants was approximately 40% over the four-month period. A review of the interviews using the IMI showed that one group achieved a higher percentage improvement in mindset than the other. (44% and 33%) This difference may show the impact the business environment can have on an individual’s ability and level of mindset learning. Figure 1 provides a summary of the percentage change in mindset using the Integrated Mindset Index.

Figure 1. Integrated mindset index % change by participant.

Sentiment analysis confirmed similar findings, too. In some instances, improved positivity coincided with the application by participants of resilience strategies learnt from the program content. Analysing monthly interview transcripts for language changes showed more assertive and solution-oriented narratives and reduced conflict-avoidant narratives over time. This showed that participants’ knowledge acquisition and changing attitudes were occurring in response to personal challenges.

Throughout the interview program, an emerging pattern was observed with participants more willing to take on more challenging work with growing confidence in applying the lessons learnt. Some participants noticed themselves applying new mindset strategies. Many commented on having a better understanding due to the way the content was delivered.

This suggests skill transfer took place and was applied under pressure, similar to elite sport contexts, and is in keeping with the intended design rationale.

Participants also indicated that they found the interviews significant in maintaining commitment to the program and beyond. In the final post-research survey, 85% reported that interviews made them feel more responsible for making changes. This demonstrates an important factor in ensuring success in delivering learning programs. Structural factors beyond curriculum content can affect participants’ engagement.

In reviewing changes in mindset, there was a positive shift experienced by the majority of participants. Such things as being more adaptable under pressure, active listening, demonstrating more empathy, and being kinder to colleagues and to themselves saw large improvements. However, not all competency changes demonstrated dramatic improvement. Changes in communication adaptability were seen in 9 out of 20 participants, but typically, communication improvements should take longer because habits can be entrenched, and reframing learning in communication can take a long time [34]. Well-being indicators were slightly better in both groups of participants, together with a reduction in self-reported burnout symptoms.

The decision to track communication sentiment through the participant interviews may have helped these outcomes. Participants saw these conversations as important to ensure their accountability in implementing their learning in everyday life. In particular, they saw the link between learning and achieving professional goals. An important parallel with elite sportspeople. Similarly, the monthly surveys also turned into reflective moments and motivational reinforcement rather than passive data-gathering. This was a regular observation by participants and stakeholders alike.

Similar patterns were also observed in the quantitative data captured. Both groups improved their overall mindset scores. Group A achieved higher levels of improvement across the board, although when comparing each work environment, Group B was experiencing more turbulence at the organisational level. In Group B, three individuals appeared to find the environment particularly challenging, and this played out with their resilience scores slightly dipping in the timeframe. (EARL; BIS/BAS; IWPQ surveys) Leaders from both groups were not surprised by these results, suggesting that those who did experience a dip would have been struggling more without the program. Furthermore, the results would likely have been lower for many others in the group without access to the program. So, in other words, the program stabilised and enhanced the mindset during a very challenging work period (NB. During the program timeline, both organisations agreed not to deliver any other training interventions).

Participant post-program surveys reflected key learning. Changes in adaptive decision-making, more effective collaboration, and a greater willingness to “go the extra mile” were highlighted in particular. So too was achieving a better balance in work-life.

Table 2 provides some of the key changes observed through self-reflection post-implementation. Similar changes were also reported by the participants’ leaders separately.

Table 2. Number of participants shifting to positive responses—top ranking.

The compelling aspect of the research demonstrated that performance improvement results were achieved in just four months. In the post-research survey, participants were asked how a set of practical improvements presented in the learning program and referenced in many of the interviews had impacted their performance in terms of percentage improvement. The practical improvements included rest, communication, emotional intelligence, and the use of devices. The average across the participants was 10% freeing up 4 hours a week. Thirty per cent considered the improvement and freed up time to be over 15%. All participants confirmed some improvement in performance. Also relevant was the fact that the majority of the participants were applying their newfound learning long after the program had been completed.

No detrimental effects on financial performance for the companies were reported. In fact, both groups achieved organisational and personal goals in the time period, with no staff turnover or sickness/absence. The program appears to provide a solution for long-term capability-building of participants. Differences between the groups do, however, raise questions about rolling out such a program without a review of the environment and individual change readiness.

Table 3 was created to assist in comparing individual participant outcomes from each analytical tool from the baseline survey/interview to the final survey/interview. Outcomes were logged as follows: ** = highly positive, * = positive, 0 = neutral/negative, and 00 = most negative.

Table 3. Comparison of participant outcomes derived from each analytical tool.

The results presented in Section 4 offer an opportunity to assess how the program’s design and the participant composition combined to create the changes. The four-month time frame; the continual, consistent, and varied measurement solutions; and regular connection to encourage mindset adjustment seemed to be more than an intervention but more of a developmental model where behavioural change is encouraged to be more long-term. Connecting the virtual learning program with reflective opportunities affected engagement among participants, even under considerable work pressures. This combination is particularly relevant because many corporate learning programs fail when moving from workshop formats to more extended contact. In this research program, however, there is convincing evidence that introducing elite sport coaching principles in a modular, self-paced system can affect momentum without tiring out participants.

The small-scale, participant sample helped to test out deep impact findings. The involvement of participants from varying professional backgrounds (marketing, production, finance, logistics, human resources), two different industries (FMCG; sport and entertainment), and two different countries (Australia, New Zealand) provided a wide range of operating conditions and different job expectations. This gave the dataset sensitivity to the environmental conditions, showing how organisational culture and external pressures can magnify or dampen the take-up of mindset strategies from the perspective of the organisational environment. In environments where adaptive experimentation had become an accepted part of leadership cultures, program ideas became hard-coded and easily transferable into a measurable skill that applied. Where hierarchies, work structures, or operational inflexibility restricted space to move more flexibly, some gains could still be observed, but needed to be purposefully sustained through measures such as monthly accountability interviews. This diversity emphasises the need to view outcome data not as one or the other, but as both intrinsic participant progression, as described by the Integrated Mindset, and contextual environmental changes that will apply, independent of intervention, in the “real world organisation” field.

This is where the multi-dimensional nature of the Integrated Mindset Index has strength. Improvements in participant scores, particularly when supported by sentiment analysis, provided strong evidence of real change in behaviour that would not be available from competency ratings alone.

Reviewing participants’ language patterns highlighted how attitudes in real situations were changing. This is supported by sports psychology research. It is known that self-talk and narrative framing can be important for improving performance under pressure [35]. In fact, the alterations in communication measured by sentiment analysis provided a strong indicator that learning was occurring unconsciously.

Participants also reported an impact on their day-to-day work. Improved ability to prepare for and undertake more complex assignments; being more adaptable; being more confident in decision-making are tangible outcomes from undertaking the program. These were achieved with no recorded decrease in organisational performance indicators in what was a high-pressure business cycle. This takes on even greater significance given the macroeconomic instability both organisations involved were experiencing. Organisations that train their people to combine composure and responsiveness as circumstances shift are better positioned for stability. Of course, analysis must be circumspect. Perhaps some tailoring might be required for consistent outcomes across diverse environments, although at this stage, the tailoring required has not been identified, known, or understood. The one possible restriction is environmental readiness. This includes organisational beliefs and values, its openness to experimenting and innovating, and having the support structures to enable and influence uptake rates in such a learning program.

The integrated mindset training program confirmed behavioural changes among senior executives from two global organisations. The majority of participants (17/20) experienced real change impacting productivity, performance, and well-being.

In addition, the differences observed across the two groups of participants highlight how organisational culture and operational flexibility impact the extent to which mindset principles can become part of everyday decision-making.

The findings also raise some other interrelated aspects. The analysis revealed quantifiable improvements for most participants in most categories. The monthly qualitative interviews provided examples of participants incorporating such aspects as resilience strategies to address unforeseen challenges; taking on leadership moments that would not have occurred pre learning program; changing communication styles to impact relationships positively. And even adapting and adopting concepts learned and using these in the home environment. Sentiment analysis adds further weight to such change. Organisation’s leaders also observed such changes in participants and the impact such improvements had, such as greater collaboration, being calm under pressure, and preparedness for complex assignments.

The most significant outcome of the program emerged from the post-survey undertaken by all participants and then discussed/verified with leaders: an average 10 per cent improvement among participants, leading to 4 hours of freed-up time per week. This is worth serious consideration, particularly as subjects like productivity, the four-day working week, work from home, and AI are now at the heart of the debate in constructing a successful business of the future.

On completion of the program and after reviewing the results, the two leaders confirmed that no turnover, no sickness, and no absence were seen in the twenty participants who undertook and completed the study. Several were also promoted, and goals were often exceeded despite additional pressures. Leaders from both organisations recommended that participants could use any freed-up time to reduce work pressure, to provide more thinking time, to foster deeper connections, and create time for reflection. The learning program provided an experience that enabled high levels of engagement despite participants’ workloads. When complemented with feedback sessions, such as monthly interviews, this is likely to achieve lasting cognitive reframing and skill deployment. Taking this approach, participants are not judged or directed but instead encouraged to build their own personal approaches to help achieve outcomes.

By focusing the research on 20 senior executives, the initiative achieved behavioural change and at the same time tested the program in different organisational contexts. The research program provides evidence that adapting elite sport mindset techniques for senior leadership development is relevant.

The program structure was connected with how positive outcomes progressed. In other words, the implicit application of rigorous change management processes [36].

The short-term evaluation interviews and tracking surveys were particularly effective in encouraging the building of self-reflection skills, keeping them engaged, and reinforcing the application of learning. These processes also reinforced the notion of openly sharing performance improvement opportunities without fear of judgment. Participants identified these touchpoints as important motivators. All of these aspects combined are likely to enable greater retention and influence changes in participants’ mindsets for the long term. That’s the ultimate goal!

The possibilities of this program being replicated elsewhere are an exciting proposition. To do so, however, consideration needs to be given to an organisation’s context. The research program’s small sample helped achieve significant benefits. However, even the different outcomes seen between the groups in this sample suggest the need to assess an organisation’s readiness for such a program.

As a postscript, several organisations are now undertaking the learning program in its entirety, supplemented by a sophisticated maintenance app. Initial findings appear to follow the trend of the original research. This places the program as a highly useful strategic tool for organisations experiencing change in workplace conditions.