A keynote on how ambitious organisations sustain performance – without burning their people out, burning their bench, or burning through commitment.
Roles have broadened. Decision-making has accelerated. Cognitive load has gone up. And teams are still expected to perform like the load hasn’t shifted.
In this keynote, Sally Lovett, founder of Stretching the City, a workplace wellbeing consultancy serving 350+ organisations, explores what high performance actually requires now. Not the old version (more hours, more drive, more grit) and not the wellness-industry version (more meditation, more boundaries, more bubble baths).
The version organisations are landing on when they look at their attrition numbers and ask harder questions. Drawing on fifteen years inside Amazon, the Cabinet Office, Universal Music and TikTok, Sally shares what genuinely sustains performance at scale: leadership behaviours, work design, energy management, and the cultural decisions most organisations are still avoiding.
What audiences leave with:
- A clearer picture of where the workplace wellbeing field is going – and why most organisations are still solving last decade’s problems
- A framework for distinguishing genuine wellbeing investment from “wellness theatre”
- The leadership behaviours that quietly shape (or undo) a wellbeing culture, regardless of programme spend
- Permission to have a harder, more honest conversation about what wellbeing actually requires from leaders
Themes explored:
This keynote examines how organisations can rethink performance in an increasingly complex world of work. Themes explored include:
- Why burnout and cognitive overload are increasing in modern workplaces
- The shift from time management to energy and attention management
- Why recovery and focus are critical drivers of high performance
- Why productivity is increasingly an attention and energy challenge
- How leadership behaviour shapes sustainable performance culture
- The relationship between wellbeing, engagement and organisational performance
- The impact of digital overload, constant connectivity and decision fatigue
- How organisations can build environments that support results AND longevity
Globally, around 12 billion working days are lost each year to depression and anxiety, costing the world economy an estimated $1 trillion in lost productivity (WHO). At the same time, over 60% of employees report symptoms of workplace burnout. This isn’t an HR problem to solve at the edges. It’s a leadership question about how work is designed.
About Sally Lovett
Sally Lovett is the founder of Stretching the City, a workplace wellbeing consultancy she built from a one-woman yoga side hustle into a multi-six-figure business, working with 350+ organisations including Amazon, the Cabinet Office, Universal Music, Soho House and Accenture, without external investment, a PR agency, or a business plan.
Her talks combine fifteen years of organisational insight with the honest realities of building something from the inside. Sally is a contributor to The Guardian, The Times and Condé Nast Traveller, author of The Wellbeing Guide to London, and a recent panellist at the IoD Women’s Business Forum alongside Mariella Frostrup. She speaks regularly at HR conferences, leadership offsites, founder programmes and IWD events across the UK and internationally.
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Sustainable Performance Keynote: FAQs
Is this an individual-wellbeing talk or an organisational-culture talk?
Is this an individual-wellbeing talk or an organisational-culture talk?
Organisational. The keynote treats sustainable performance as a leadership and culture question — what gets designed, modelled and rewarded — rather than as an individual responsibility. Leaders leave with specific things to look at in their own systems.
Is this keynote suitable for leadership teams?
Yes. The keynote is particularly relevant for leadership teams navigating growth, restructuring or increasing organisational complexity. It encourages leaders to reflect on how work is structured and how sustainable performance can be supported across teams.
Will this resonate with senior leaders who feel performance is already strong?
Particularly. The keynote works hardest with audiences who don’t yet have a burnout problem — because the leadership decisions that prevent one are made before the symptoms show up.
Can this be delivered virtually?
Can this be delivered virtually?
Yes. Sally regularly delivers this keynote virtually for global teams, including across multiple time zones.
How is the talk tailored?
A short briefing call before the event lets Sally reflect your sector, the specific pressures your teams are navigating and any event theme. Approximately 20–30% of the content is tailored per booking.
MAKE AN ENQUIRY FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT
Planning a leadership event, conference or wellbeing programme? Complete the short enquiry form and we’ll be in touch within 24 hours.
Sally personally reads every enquiry and replies within 2 working days. For urgent enquiries: sally@stretchingthecity.com.
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