WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

High Performance Leadership

Revised October 2025

“Energy, not time, is the fundamental currency of high performance.”
Jim Loehr
The Power of Full Engagement:

High Performance Leadership

Leadership can be defined as the ability to inspire and guide, build an environment where visions are developed, and support a team while goals are met. A leader who fills that definition, and does it in a way that motivates others to participate and contribute, is a high performance leader.

In this project, you will build a team and lead its members to the successful completion of a project of your design. You will develop a comprehensive plan that includes a set of well-defined goals, delegate tasks to team members, and motivate each individual through the completion of his or her tasks until the project is complete.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to apply your leadership and planning knowledge to develop a project plan, organize a guidance committee, and implement your plan with the help of a team

Overview

Select a project to complete with a team of at least three other members. Form a guidance committee and meet at least five times through the duration of the project. Deliver a 5-to 7-minute speech at a club meeting to introduce your plan and vision. After you implement the plan, deliver a second 5- to 7-minute speech at a club meeting to share your experience developing and completing your plan.

High Performance Leadership (HPL) — What it is & how it works

Purpose. HPL is a real-world leadership project: you choose a meaningful initiative, build a team, form a Guidance Committee, plan the work, lead execution, and evaluate results with structured feedback. It’s action-learning—study → action → feedback.

Where it fits in Pathways. Several paths culminate in a capstone leadership project; for example, Persuasive Influence specifies an HPL-style project you design and lead with a team and guidance committee.

Core components

Select a project & define the vision
- Clarify the why, the outcome, and success criteria; write a brief vision/mission.
Assemble a Guidance Committee (3–5 advisors)
- Meet periodically (commonly five touchpoints: before selection, after vision, after plan/team, at midpoint, and at close). They advise, challenge assumptions, and give feedback.
Build the plan & recruit your team
- Stakeholders, roles, delegated tasks, milestones, timeline; share the plan with the team.
Lead execution
- Run meetings, manage risks, adjust, and keep the project on time/quality/scope.
Evaluate & reflect (360° feedback)
- Collect evaluations from at least a team member, a guidance-committee member, and yourself; debrief with the committee.

Typical deliverables (you can adapt to your club/district)

Two speeches to your club (before and after) summarizing the vision/plan and then results/lessons.
Written project plan (objectives, stakeholders, roles, milestones, timeline).
Guidance Committee notes (dates, decisions, advice).
Evaluation forms / 360s (club resource for HPL evaluation is available from TI).

Good HPL project ideas

Launch a club open house or multi-club showcase
Build a club onboarding system or mentorship program
Run a community workshop/volunteer event with external partners
Create a digital resources hub for your area/division

All of these have clear stakeholders, measurable outcomes, and real leadership stretch.

Success tips (field-tested)

Start with impact. Pick a project that solves a real pain point for your club or community.
Keep your committee small & engaged. Schedule all five meetings at the start.
Write it down. A one-page plan beats a perfect plan that lives in your head.
Ask for specific feedback. E.g., “Hold me accountable for delegation and timeline control.”

Web (HTML) checklist: hpl-checklist.html

Printable PDF (Letter): HPL_Checklist_my-pathways.pdf

View the complete form HERE

VISIONARY COMMUNICATION

SITE MAP

HOME

DISTINGUISHED TOASTMASTER

▲ ▼