Why do people employ Performance Psychologists?

In many high performance jobs, elite sports and extreme conditions much, of the success is down to the mental aspects of performance, assuming that both the technical and physical demands are being met. 

Getting people to performing extraordinarily and getting the final 5-10% of performance out of elite performers is what performance psychology is all about. It also has a key role in getting people to be high performers and elite in the first place.

There are never two problems that are exactly the same. Performance Psychology considers  the golden combination of the person, the role and situation in order to understand the demands that people and teams may face.  This enables us to identify the critical gaps, that if filled will complete the performance jigsaw. 

As Performance Psychologists we strive to understand causes so we are better placed to deal with the symptoms, or indeed figure out what the real issues are, rather than the presenting issues.  Looking at both the person and the context is key to understanding the dynamic drivers of behaviour and performance.  This is often about both short term and long term performance - which in itself presents a complex mix of challenges.