Performance = Potential - Interference: A Simple Coaching Framework
Frameworks as tools for guiding clients and teams in a non-prescriptive, exploratory manner.
A simple, powerful frame: Performance improves when we both expand Potential and reduce Interference.
Originating in sport (popularized by Timothy Gallwey’s work in tennis), this deceptively simple model gives you a fast way to regain perspective when you’re lost in the weeds. It’s powerful precisely because it’s so simple—and because you can use it coach-like, not prescriptively.
Why this framework works
It recenters attention on purpose and possibility. When we’re stuck, we fixate on problems. Asking what’s possible pulls us back to why we’re here.
It creates motivational pull. Naming the ideal outcome activates hope and energy. Richard Boyatzis’ research on Intentional Change links this to “Positive Emotional Attractors” in the brain—a state that fuels learning, resilience, and forward motion.
It separates two levers you can actively manage: grow potential and reduce interference. Most people jump to “fix the problems.” Don’t forget you can dramatically expand performance by expanding potential.
Why expanding potential matters We often jump to fixing problems. But clarifying the ideal and surfacing strengths can create enough momentum that some interference stops mattering. It’s hope plus focus, not just troubleshooting.