An event has been held to explore how sport and business can help create high-performance workplaces.

The North East Chamber of Commerce's event, 'The Sport and Business - Enabling High Performance Workplaces', focused on creating stronger, collaborative teams and the significance of a holistic, people-first approach for success in any organisation.

Lisa Burt, change and transition coach at Lisa Burt Coaching, hosted the event and emphasised the importance of trust and leadership in forming high-performing teams.

She said: "It's more important than ever to foster high-performance cultures that deliver results and value.

"Those who lead by example and cast the right shadow are the cornerstone of successful teams.

"High-performing teams also share a vision, goals, and values.

"They understand and live the behaviours expected of them, creating a culture that’s not just talked about but embodied every day."

The event featured two panel sessions with professionals from the worlds of sport and business.

The first panel comprised Su Cumming, head of women's football at Newcastle United Women; Marcus North, director of cricket at Durham Cricket; Nikki Hutchinson, project manager at England Golf; and Mel Reay and Steph Libbey, head coach and assistant head coach at Sunderland AFC Women.

They shared insights into the importance of leadership, resilience, teamwork, and communication in high-performance environments.

Nikki Hutchinson said: "Resilience and being able to embrace challenges is key.

"Learning how to navigate challenges is important – you have to draw on the people and resources around you."

Former Australian cricketer Marcus North highlighted the pressures in elite sports and the resilience needed in both sport and business.

He said: "There’s a tremendous amount of expectation.

"One of my first lessons was never to underestimate the power of words in welcoming people into a team."

The second panel discussion featured business professionals Nicola Leyden, HR director at Muckle LLP; Gerard Garvey, executive principal of people and culture at NCG; and Jeanette Matthews, learning and development partner at Talentheads.

They discussed how high-performance strategies can strengthen company culture, enhance employee engagement, and improve organisational outcomes.

Ms Leyden emphasised the importance of self-reflection within organisations.

She said: "Inwardly question what your organisation can do to improve and upskill people, and utilise engagement surveys and focus groups to get to the root cause of what’s getting in the way."

Ms Matthews added: "Create a people strategy and invest in them.

"Regular team discussions, self-reflection and playing to people’s strengths are key."

Mr Garvey reinforced the need for strong communication to build a high-performance culture.

He said: "Create a high-performance workplace by creating leaders in communication.

"Focus on how information is passed on in middle management, embrace diverse opinions and enable social mobility."

The event was described as a 'fascinating deep dive into high-performance workplaces" by Tim Marsden, knowledge manager at the Chamber.

He said: "From fostering a winning mindset to cultivating positive workplace cultures, it was a powerful reminder that supporting our people has never been more important."

The Sport and Business - Enabling High Performance Workplaces event marked the first of the Chamber’s 2025 Knowledge Programme, aiming to highlight the role of people.

It took place at Sunderland AFC’s Stadium of Light on January 29 and was sponsored by NCG.