Teaching the best to do better

What links an Olympic Gold Medallist to some of Britain's top-performing companies? Increasingly, the answer is Bangor University's 'Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance' (IPEP), an organisation dedicated to understanding what makes sporting winners. IPEP are so good at their job that they've been turned to by Olympic Medallist Adrian Moorhouse, whose 'Lane 4' consulting company shows business people how to benefit from
thinking, and focusing, like a top athlete. Now, the scientific research conducted by IPEP is improving performance not just of UK athletes and sports stars, but companies as diverse as Lloyds TSB, ICL, Safeway and
British Airways.

'Lane 4' know that for sportspeople to succeed, they need more than brawn.

Top athletes need the right environment, and the right mental attitude, to make it to the top. And, just as football and sports coaches turn to psychology to keep their athletes performing, businesses and top executives
can use the same training and skills to concentrate their minds on their goals. And that's where IPEP come in, because their scientific research into performance psychology can do as much for business as sports. As
Moorhouse makes clear, Having some excellent research to hand, and combining it with the human factor and our experience of what works, gives our consultants a definite edge.

In fact, IPEP don't just give advice to Lane 4, they also provide vital staff. Under something called a 'Teaching Company Scheme', Bangor University's IPEP have sponsored a high-quality graduate from Bangor University, who shares his sports psychology knowledge directly with Lane
4, working as in integral part of the consultancy team. Adie Shariff graduated from Bangor University with a PhD in sports psychology, and uses his Bangor-derived expertise in 'Performance Theory' (the theory of how to
achieve your potential) to help companies succeed.

This input of new ideas is vital to Lane 4's success. R&D is a key part of Lane 4's business strategy says Professor Graham Jones, who is not only 'Director of Research & Consultant Development' at Lane 4, but also 'Professor of Elite Performance Psychology' in Bangor university. Research ensures that we can offer our clients leading edge solutions to their problems, and is critical to the innovation and learning culture at Lane 4. With Bangor University's world-class research in hand, it's a sure bet that Lane 4 will continue to raise the
bar for top businesses.