Variance: The Hidden Cost of Performance

The bottom line…

In coaching, performance and leadership variance is a powerful but often misunderstood concept. Business and society often reward high-variance outcomes. Such as sudden unexpected wins or unpredictable breakthroughs. This type of performance isn’t reliable or sustainable. Over time high variance erodes trust, energy, decision-making and confidence.

My approach focuses instead on reducing performance variance and building systems for consistency. The true foundation of high performance in work and life.

A Statistical Concept With Real-World Implications

Variance measures how much a data set spreads out from its average. In human performance it reflects how wildly your energy, mindset or outcomes swing from day to day or week to week. A leader might deliver a brilliant presentation one day, followed by days of disengagement and fatigue. A team might smash a quarterly target, only to spend the next month recovering.

These swings may be seen as “normal” in high-pressure environments. But they’re a warning sign. Variance isn’t just a mathematical measure. It’s a behavioural clue. And left unaddressed it leads to burnout, short-termism and missed potential.

High Variance Performance Is Often Rewarded

Modern workplaces often celebrate outcomes without scrutinising the process behind them. A project might succeed despite chaos, poor planning or over-reliance on a few high-output individuals. These wins feel good in the moment but they reinforce unhealthy norms, inconsistent preparation, reactive leadership and the idea that pushing through is more important than performing well.

This kind of high variance performance becomes a pattern. Heroics, followed by exhaustion. In sport we’d call this peaking without a plan. In business and life it’s a recipe for diminishing returns.

Consistency Is the Real Competitive Advantage

Ask any elite athlete or sustainable leader their secret and the answer won’t be intensity. It will be consistency. High performers don’t rely on luck or last-minute energy spikes. They build repeatable systems for energy, clarity and execution. They prepare well, recover well and adapt fast. Not because they’re gifted, but because they’re grounded in process.

Consistency reduces decision fatigue. It fuels confidence and creates a culture where people can trust both themselves and each other. In a world of distractions and constant change it’s consistency, not charisma, that leads to long-term influence and impact.

Variance Reflects Inconsistency In Mindset, Habits, and Systems

High variance is rarely random. It usually points to deeper misalignments. Poor energy rhythms, a lack of recovery, unstructured routines or emotionally reactive habits. In short it’s a systems failure masquerading as a personal flaw.

My coaching work helps uncover the drivers of variance. We use structured tools like the 'PX6 Index™' and the 'Human First Code™' methodology to spot where inconsistency lives. In mindset, behaviours and attributes or the external environment. From there we rebuild. Clearer priorities, better recovery systems and aligned habits that reduce variance and increase predictability.

Low Variance Doesn’t Mean Boring. It Means Predictable Excellence

Consistency often gets a bad rap. Especially among ambitious professionals who value spontaneity and high output. But the goal of reducing variance isn’t to remove innovation. It’s to create the space for your best work to flow more often. And to be exceptional when it matters.

When your systems are clear, your boundaries are respected and your energy is managed, you free up capacity to perform. Not just push through. This is where creativity, leadership and personal excellence can thrive. Within a structure that supports, not restricts, your goals.

Actions to Implement

1. Track Your Performance Patterns Look at your past 30 days. Note your high and low points in terms of energy, focus and output. Do you see predictable patterns or unpredictable swings?

2. Identify Behavioural Triggers What precedes your best days? What leads to your worst? Audit your sleep, decision-making, physical activity, nutrition and work habits. Variance usually hides in the details.

3. Build Systems, Not Just Sprints If you’re relying on effort, motivation or adrenaline you’re building a volatile model. Start replacing random hustle with repeatable systems: morning routines, decision windows, recovery anchors and focus blocks.

4. Focus on Process, Not Just Outcomes Set weekly process goals. These are behaviours you can control. Like time-blocking, journaling or check-ins. Not just outcomes like revenue, KPIs or outputs. The better your process, the more consistent your results.

5. Get Objective Feedback Variance is hard to self-diagnose. Work with a coach who can track your blind spots, challenge your assumptions and build consistency into your leadership and life rhythms.

Does your performance feel unpredictable? Your best days feel accidental? Your success has been built on unsustainable habits?It’s time to redesign how you work and live.

My coaching programs help leaders, high performers and ambitious teams reduce variance, increase consistency and build sustainable systems for performance, energy and impact.

Whether you're just starting to build your foundations or looking to optimise a high-performance lifestyle, we’ll move you from chaos to clarity.

In the end: Consistency compounds. Variance costs. For Performance and Trust.