Building the High Performance Department: People, KPIs and Decision Making

An interactive two-day masterclass on the people, KPIs, systems and decisions that shape effective high-performance departments. Building the High Performance Department People, KPIs and Decision-Making What does it really take to build, lead and evolve a high-performance department? Join Dr Martin Buchheit and Dr Nick Poulos at Sydney Swans HQ for an interactive two-day masterclass exploring the realities of leading and operating within elite high-performance environments. Rather than simply presenting theory, Martin and Nick will draw on their experience across professional and international sport to examine the people, systems, KPIs and day-to-day decisions that shape an effective high-performance department. Across two days, the programme will explore: • What high performance actually means — and lessons learned from elite sport • Player availability and ownership of the athlete's day • Managing the return-to-play handover between physiotherapy, S&C and coaching • Aligning coaching, medical and performance staff • Using monitoring as a shared language between load and response • Building meaningful KPIs, identifying ownership and establishing review rhythms • Developing staff autonomy, accountability and project ownership • The role of AI in daily high-performance work - what to delegate and where accountability remains • Giving honest feedback and creating intellectual safety • Leading and making decisions under pressure • What we would do differently if we were building the department again This will not be two days of lectures. The programme combines keynotes, workshops, applied case studies and open discussion, giving participants the opportunity to work through challenges from their own environments with Martin, Nick and the group. Places are deliberately limited to 30 participants to maintain an interactive environment and allow genuine discussion throughout the masterclass. For high-performance managers, S&C coaches, sport scientists, physiotherapists, medical and rehabilitation practitioners, coaches and emerging performance leaders. Sydney Swans HQ | Saturday 9 – Sunday 10 January 2027