For Leaders on a Mission

Introducing the Performance Pendulum™, a research-based leadership framework designed specifically for the challenging and complex world of the social-profit sector.

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This is More than a Model, it’s a Movement

A leadership framework, a leadership development program, and a 360° assessment tool designed exclusively for mission-driven leaders. The Performance Pendulum™ captures the constant, high-stakes balancing act of modern leadership—between advocacy and compliance, innovation and governance, compassion and resilience, global thinking and local action.

What Makes It Different?

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This is a leadership framework for those who lead with purpose—and are pulled in multiple directions at once. It reflects the complexity and unique challenges of the social-profit sector, honouring your leadership demands and opportunities.

  • Built specifically for leaders in the social-profit sector

  • Research-informed leadership requirements

  • Rooted in real-world experience

  • Identifies leadership competencies and behaviours

  • Delivers insights for immediate action

How It Works

The Performance Pendulum™ framework reflects eight critical leadership requirements:

Diagram showing contrasting words: 'Advocate' vs 'Adhere', 'Drive' vs 'Defer', 'Human' vs 'Hardened', and 'Planetary' vs 'Parochial' with connecting lines.
  • Align the Board to the Pendulum.

    Introduce your Board of Directors to the Performance Pendulum™ and build shared understanding of the real-world leadership tensions your Executive team navigates daily. A compelling presentation for orientation sessions, annual reviews, or as a stand-alone lens for better governance.

  • Use the framework to fuel your next retreat.

    Designed for strategic planning, Board retreats, or senior leadership offsites, these facilitated workshops embed the Pendulum directly into the work of your organization. Build stronger alignment. Surface leadership blind spots. Translate values into decisions.

  • This leadership development program is designed to support skill development and capability across the eight requirements outlined in the Performance Pendulum™ framework.

    Ideal for:

    • Current and emerging CEOs and Executive Directors

    • High potential social profit leaders looking to grow

    This online program delivers:

    • Sector-specific insights

    • Actionable tools

    • Opportunities for individual prioritization, reflection, and group discussion.

    Join the waitlist

  • Measure what matters. Reflect what’s real.

    Based on the core behaviours and competencies embedded in the framework, the Performance Pendulum™ 360° Assessment is built for leaders in motion.

    Use it:

    • On its own

    • As part of your executive coaching journey

    • As a follow-up to the Leadership Development program

    Find a coach who works with the Pendulum

The Performance Pendulum™ in Practice

Applications of the Performance Pendulum™ for your organization may include leadership development workshops, 360 assessments for senior leaders, strategic planning sessions, and Board education.

Download the White Paper

Want the full story behind the Performance Pendulum™ framework?

DOWNLOAD OUR EXCLUSIVE WHITE PAPER:

Cover page of a report titled 'The Neglected Sector: Leadership Development in Social-Profit Organizations', published by Lake and Associates, May 2025, authored by Rashmi Biswas and Perri Termine, with research team members listed.

“The Performance Pendulum™: A Contemporary Leadership Framework for the Social-Profit Sector”

YOU’LL GET:

  • Key findings from extensive leadership research

  • Insights into the unique characteristics of the social-profit sector

  • An overview of the eight leadership requirements within the Performance Pendulum™

  • Implications for individual growth and organizational impact