Henry Cheetham co-created the human performance programme for UK Special Forces, helped build the equivalent within professional New Zealand rugby, and has coached Olympic gold medallists, transatlantic rowers, and world record-setting mountaineers.
When he started working with Special Forces, he expected them all to be built like tanks. Able to go all day, every day. Plenty were, but they weren't necessarily the ones who lasted. Many assumed durability would follow ability. Whoever performed best would surely last longest. Yet the ones still standing years later were the ones who hadn't sacrificed the rest.
They knew what was going on at home. They had an identity outside the job. They looked after themselves when nobody was checking. None of it made them softer, it was the reason they were still there, year after year, able to produce their best when it mattered.
That is the heart of Henry's message. For most high performers, mindset and discipline are what get you to the top. But they are not what keep you there. Henry doesn't believe career excellence has to cost you your health and relationships. In his experience it runs the other way round; those areas are what let you stay at the top long enough to realise your full potential.
Today, as founder of Executive Physiology Systems, Henry works with senior executives, founders and partners. People whose skills and judgement are already built, and whose only real question is how long they can sustain them. His answer is that durability isn't a matter of willpower or discipline. It's a physiology problem - and physiology is solvable.
It may sound odd coming from someone who has coached Special Forces operators, but Henry believes discipline to be unreliable, inefficient, and overrated - and explains in his talks how the true levers behind durable high performance are far simpler.
Henry Cheetham's official speaker topics are listed below:
- Discipline Is Overrated: What Executives Can Learn From Special Forces and Elite Sport on How to Stay at the Top
- The Art and Science of Having It All: Why Excelling at Work, Health and Relationships Takes Less Than You Think
- Built To Peak, Not To Last: Why Staying at the Top Has Little to Do With Being the Best
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
"Henry's programmes enabled us to better meet the extreme demands of operating across the globe." - Commanding Officer, UK Special Missions Unit
"Within three weeks, there was a noticeable improvement in my performance, both professionally and at home." - Senior Leader
"Henry enables individuals and teams to excel. Our organisation has undoubtedly benefited hugely from his input." - Sergeant, UK Special Missions Unit
"He shared his experiences, expertise and knowledge to help take us forward." - Brad, Coach, New Zealand All Blacks
- Co-created and helped lead the human performance programme for UK Special Forces. It was adopted across the wider group and is still in use today.
- Increased the availability, longevity and performance of Special Forces operators, by evolving the culture and behaviours.
- Helped increase player availability to record numbers (up 60% on previous seasons) in professional New Zealand rugby
How to hire Henry Cheetham
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Henry Cheetham for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
