Excellence is a Long Ride: Lessons from Cycling and Leadership

Excellence is often sold as a finish line, but the leaders who actually get there treat it like a long ride with changing weather, steady cadence, and strong company. In our conversation with Peter Barnett of the Shingo Institute, cycling becomes a clear lens on culture and performance.

The Power of the Paceline

Peter traces his journey from BMX to road and mountain biking, discovering how a paceline can raise speed while lowering perceived effort. That shared draft is more than physics; it’s trust, alignment, and clarity of purpose. The same forces move organizations forward when people know the goal, can see the path, and understand how their role keeps the team in the wind.

Listeners come away with a practical map: build trust, expose friction, and make the ride smoother for everyone.

Marginal Gains in Culture

Peter points to Team Sky’s philosophy of marginal gains as a model for real improvement. Rather than a flashy overhaul, they looked at tires, seats, skin suits, sleep, and anything that created friction. Each 1% gain compounds until the results seem like a leap.

Many companies chase big-bang initiatives, then drift back to old habits when pressure hits. The alternative is steady, principle-based change: measure weak points, test small adjustments, and reflect often. This matches Shingo principles like seek perfection and focus on process. Perfection here isn’t perfectionism; it’s disciplined curiosity.

When we normalize testing and allow small failures, we create conditions where learning is fast and momentum compounds, just like a team that rotates the front and keeps cadence high.

Respect in Action

Respect for every individual is more than a value statement; it’s a system choice. In the peloton, domestiques sacrifice for the leader, and the win belongs to the whole squad. In companies, attention tends to swing between top performers and strugglers, while the vital middle gets less support.

Peter argues for flattening information flows so that teams act with context, not orders. When everyone hears the race radio, no one waits for permission to help the leader bridge back. Modern tools make this possible; outdated cascades create lag and distortion.

Leaders who enable flow, set clear intent, and keep measures visible help interruptions stand out. That visibility speeds response, reduces rework, and preserves energy for the climbs that matter.

Leadership That Lasts

Leadership selection and incentives often work against cultural excellence. We hire for charisma, credentials, and presence, then ask for humility, coaching, and listening. That mismatch drives churn and resets.

Peter has seen organizations earn the Shingo Prize only to have a new executive swap frameworks to stamp a legacy, dissolving hard-won habits. The fix is constancy of purpose: keep what works, evolve what lags, and resist the lure of shiny methodologies.

When conditions change or a quarter is missed, the test is whether principles hold. If basics fail—like a neglected shadow board—complex goals crumble. Start by making the right behavior easy to do, visible to everyone, and reinforced daily. Clean the basics, then climb faster.

Turning Pressure into Progress

Burnout and resistance often signal systemic problems, not fragile people. Approach them with empathy and curiosity, and break daunting work into smaller, testable moves. Leaders should make room to fail safely; the tuition is worth it if the lesson sticks.

Peter’s own costly mistake became a turning point because his manager treated it as learning, not blame. That mindset turns pressure into progress.

Finally, self-awareness keeps passion from becoming a headwind. The shift from ‘me’ to ‘we’ lets leaders pace the group, rotate off the front, and bring everyone through the finish.

"Excellence lasts when teams share purpose, leaders enable flow, and daily habits make the path lighter. Play the long game, enjoy the ride, and keep improving together."

What part of your leadership cadence needs a tune-up? Share your thoughts or listen to the full conversation with Peter Barnett to explore how principle-driven leadership can transform your team.

🎧 Want to hear the full conversation?

Tune in to the complete podcast episode here:

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Nancy Nouaimeh

Culture Transformation and Organizational Excellence Expert

Shingo Alumni

Shingo Certified Facilitator

Nancy.nouaimeh@xcelliumconsulting.com