Game, set, match: Lessons on building a high-performance culture

Is there anything more specific, focused and absorbing than an elite tennis athlete playing their best?

Tennis is a sport known for its pursuit of excellence through precision, stamina and agility, and the emphasis on high performance extends far beyond the court.

Culture Amp recently announced a new partnership: We’re now the Employee Experience Partner of Tennis Australia, the Australian Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup teams. This partnership reflects the importance of sustaining a high-performance culture across all levels of the sport.

Top performance requires ongoing effort

Sustained success in tennis is about far more than headline-grabbing victories and crowd-pleasing shots; it’s built on consistent, everyday practices.

Under the leadership of CEO Craig Tiley and Chief Diversity and People Officer Kate Nuttall, Tennis Australia has transformed its approach to talent development and performance – with impressive results: More Australian players are ranked in the top 100 than ever before. Kate shares,

"We have people all over the country helping to deliver our purpose-driven strategy. In addition to bringing the joy of playing tennis to thousands of Australians, we also deliver the AO, which is also known as the ‘Happy Slam’. Strategy and purpose together help us engage our workforce to deliver high performance outcomes."

Building a high-performance culture on and off the court involves everything from grassroots community programs to elite player development. With Culture Amp, Tennis Australia has the right tools to support the thousands of professionals who contribute to the rich Australian tennis ecosystem.

In elite sports and business, a strong mindset is essential

To explore what businesses can learn from elite sports about building and sustaining high-performance cultures, Culture Amp recently hosted a group of Chief People and HR Officers at the Australian Open Grand Slam.

We heard from Ben Crowe, leading mindset performance coach and Founder of Mojo, about the mindset principles for high performance. According to Ben, a winning mindset is built on three core pillars:

• Connection: Authentic connection with ourselves enables stronger connections with others.
• Purpose: Defining your "why" to unlock impact.
• Performance: Focusing on what you can control and letting go of the rest.

Ben points out the most successful teams are purpose-driven, values-based, and performance-focused, fostering a culture that shifts from an "I" to "We" mentality.

This focus on the team rather than the individual is one of our 5 HR predictions for 2025, recognizing the ebbs and flows of performance and how hard it can be to sustain high performance at an individual level.

Learn to thrive in high-pressure environments

Whether it’s match point in a Grand Slam final or delivering a critical business project, helping your people develop the skills to cope with pressure is key. Ben explains that focusing on what’s controllable can help people navigate high-pressure situations.

He recommends looking at:

• Intention: Clearly defining goals
• Effort: Committing to consistent improvement
• Mindset: Staying true to the words that reflect your best self

Ben also shared the AAA Framework to help people thrive under pressure:

• Agency: Decide how you respond to any situation
• Acceptance: Accept uncontrollables
• Appreciation: Practice gratitude for opportunities

This focus on perspective resonated with Danielle Jenkins, Group Chief People & Culture Officer, Metcash:

“I learned that the essence of a high-performing culture lies in the power of perspective, and excitingly, that we have full control over that. Pressure only arises when we focus on what we can't control. By embracing agency to decide how we respond, acceptance of our circumstances, and appreciation for what we have, we can cultivate a mindset that will foster success.”

Katherine Rickard, General Manager – People & Community, Petstock Group, also connected with the idea that people can control how they respond to stressful situations, noting, "Expectations on ourselves and from others is a driving force behind pressure and overwhelm.” She encourages people to reframe expectations as appreciation by saying “I get to” instead of “I’ve got to.”

Small wins lead to big success

Successful organizations, like successful athletes, focus on incremental progress, using daily practices to take small, intentional steps toward long-term gains. The value of sustained effort in achieving success was also a big takeaway for our event attendees.

Elisa Nerone, Chief People & Sustainability Officer at REA Group, reflects:

“Building and fostering a high-performance culture isn't always about the big swings or the obvious wins. It is nurtured through all the little things that count and add up over time, that set you apart and no one else can replicate.”

Allison Robison, Executive General Manager, Cricket Australia, comments:

“It takes a village to grow high-performance talent! This is something that we don't always appreciate in corporate life. How can we, as a People Community, escalate acceptance of the combined impact that people leaders, performance coaches, and mindset specialists have both individually and collectively?”

A high-performance culture drives progress

Tennis players face relentless competition and uncertainty, as do many people in the world of work. Leaders who embrace perspective and resilience can drive meaningful change and serve up success.

Tennis Australia’s success is no accident. It’s the result of strategic planning, a focus on wellness, and nurturing a culture of continuous improvement. Whether you're preparing for a major tournament or navigating the complexities of a corporate landscape, the fundamentals of high-performance culture are essentially the same.

In the world of work, this can look like:

• Fostering team cohesion: Encouraging collaboration leads to long-term success.
• Building a performance mindset: Focusing on what’s controllable and the tools at hand.
• Identifying a shared purpose: Reminding people of the ‘why’ behind their work.

Ready to ace your culture?

Tennis Australia's Chief Diversity and People Officer Kate Nuttall knows that high-performing teams are born from an intentional focus on people and culture:

“Our people are core to our success. Being part of communities and a world-class event engages both the hearts and minds of our valued team members. The Culture Amp platform is a great way for us to connect with our workforce to listen and respond and to continually curate our culture to deliver our unique value proposition.”

Learn more about Culture Amp’s partnership with Tennis Australia, the Australian Davis Cup, and Billie Jean King Cup teams – or request a demo to learn how Culture Amp can help your organization build a high-performance culture.