Uploaded September 2024 | Updated September 2026, 14 hours ago
When Sarah Robb O’Hagan began leading the turnaround of the $5 billion global Gatorade business amid a global recession, she was also preparing to give birth to her third child. Largely skipping her maternity leave, the combination of extreme hours and late-night childcare led her to experience an extreme and painful “burnout” that changed her perspective and her approach to work life forever.
Years later — taking on the role of CEO at EXOS, the human performance company, at the start of the global pandemic — she decided that a successful business turnaround while burning people out was not an option. As a result, she partnered with the performance science experts on her team, as well as some of the best organizational psychologists in the world to design and implement a far more sustainable and enjoyable way of getting business results while working under immense pressure.
In this talk, Sarah outlines:
Why high performance and productivity do not have to happen at the expense of human wellbeing — with proprietary research and data to prove the case
How to balance the load of intense work and pressure, with periods of intentional recovery to optimize the human system for higher performance
How to design your workplace with simple hacks to improve the wellbeing and performance of your team so that you can attract and retain the best talent
How to understand the connection between your mind and your body as it relates to overcoming feelings of intense stress and exhaustion
The magical force multiplier of getting into “flow state” to drive greater productivity for the team, and fulfillment for individuals
Sarah Robb O’Hagan is a high-energy combination of disruptive business leader, fitness fanatic, and cheerleading mom. She's been named among Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business.” and Forbes "Most Powerful Women in Sports". She is currently CEO of EXOS the Human Performance company where she is transforming the business through digital solutions. Prior to this she led the reinvention and turnaround of the $5Bn Gatorade business as its global president, before leading the digital transformation of Equinox Fitness Clubs as president. Sarah has also held leadership positions at Nike and Virgin and currently sits on the boards of Jet Blue, and previously Strava. In 2017, her first book was published by Harper Collins - ExtremeYou - Step Up. Stand Out. Kick Ass. Repeat. Sarah is a sought-after expert on business innovation, and inspiring human performance and is a passionate advocate for getting young women into sports and physical activity to increase their leadership potential. Sarah is a trustee emeritus of the Women's Sports Foundation, A Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, and as a proud "Ameri-Kiwi" is an active member of the KEA World Class New Zealand Network.
This lecture is part of the IHMC Evening Lecture series.
ihmc.us/life/evening_lectures
When Sarah Robb O’Hagan began leading the turnaround of the $5 billion global Gatorade business amid a global recession, she was also preparing to give birth to her third child. Largely skipping her maternity leave, the combination of extreme hours and late-night childcare led her to experience an extreme and painful “burnout” that changed her perspective and her approach to work life forever.
Years later — taking on the role of CEO at EXOS, the human performance company, at the start of the global pandemic — she decided that a successful business turnaround while burning people out was not an option. As a result, she partnered with the performance science experts on her team, as well as some of the best organizational psychologists in the world to design and implement a far more sustainable and enjoyable way of getting business results while working under immense pressure.
In this talk, Sarah outlines:
Why high performance and productivity do not have to happen at the expense of human wellbeing — with proprietary research and data to prove the case
How to balance the load of intense work and pressure, with periods of intentional recovery to optimize the human system for higher performance
How to design your workplace with simple hacks to improve the wellbeing and performance of your team so that you can attract and retain the best talent
How to understand the connection between your mind and your body as it relates to overcoming feelings of intense stress and exhaustion
The magical force multiplier of getting into “flow state” to drive greater productivity for the team, and fulfillment for individuals
Sarah Robb O’Hagan is a high-energy combination of disruptive business leader, fitness fanatic, and cheerleading mom. She's been named among Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business.” and Forbes "Most Powerful Women in Sports". She is currently CEO of EXOS the Human Performance company where she is transforming the business through digital solutions. Prior to this she led the reinvention and turnaround of the $5Bn Gatorade business as its global president, before leading the digital transformation of Equinox Fitness Clubs as president. Sarah has also held leadership positions at Nike and Virgin and currently sits on the boards of Jet Blue, and previously Strava. In 2017, her first book was published by Harper Collins - ExtremeYou - Step Up. Stand Out. Kick Ass. Repeat. Sarah is a sought-after expert on business innovation, and inspiring human performance and is a passionate advocate for getting young women into sports and physical activity to increase their leadership potential. Sarah is a trustee emeritus of the Women's Sports Foundation, A Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, and as a proud "Ameri-Kiwi" is an active member of the KEA World Class New Zealand Network.
This lecture is part of the IHMC Evening Lecture series.
ihmc.us/life/evening_lectures
