Leadership qualities that truly contribute to better organizational performance
Monday, 15 June 2026
Many organizations invest in leadership. That makes sense, because managers strongly influence direction, decision-making, collaboration, priorities, and the way people deal with problems. One important question often remains underexplored: which leadership qualities actually lead to better organizational performance? In management teams, the conversation often focuses on personality, charisma, decisiveness, persuasiveness, or the ability to get […]
New publication: what makes a school perform well?
Thursday, 28 May 2026
A new peer-reviewed study by André de Waal and Marco Schreurs of the HPO Center, together with Nathalie Bos, Daphne Fiorentinos, Ed Ilgen and Leni van Zandvoort of the STEV Foundation, has been published in Quality Assurance in Education. The study examines how multi-school foundations can build sustainable school quality by looking not only at […]
Why HPO transformations stall: findings from our global research
Sunday, 10 May 2026
Many organizations are good at diagnosing what needs to improve. They know which teams underperform, which processes slow them down, which leadership behaviors are holding the organization back. What is far harder is translating that diagnosis into lasting change. That translation is precisely where most transformation efforts quietly come apart. At the HPO Center, we […]
From case evidence to a practical roadmap for lasting high performance
Monday, 23 March 2026
Over the past months, I have written a series of articles around one central question: how do organizations not only become high-performing, but remain high-performing by continuing to improve successfully? Drawing on a broad portfolio of academically published HPO case studies, these articles examine the mindset, governance, routines, and leadership practices that help organizations improve, […]
Building high performing schools together: What can your school learn from this case study?
Monday, 24 March 2025
We are proud that our research was recently published in the renowned journal International Education Studies. This article is based on that research, and we’re excited to share how your school can benefit from our findings. More and more schools aim to improve their internal organization and achieve truly high performance for their students. But […]
The 5 key benefits of working to become a high performance organization
Tuesday, 16 July 2024
In the dynamic and highly competitive business landscape of today, achieving the status of a High Performance Organization (HPO) is not just an aspiration but a necessity for sustained success. The journey towards becoming an HPO is transformative, yielding numerous benefits that significantly enhance an organization’s overall performance and market position. Organizations that embrace the […]
Wageningen University & Research must perform highly in a continuously changing environment
Friday, 12 July 2024
Culture of Openness and Action Orientation is the Most Challenging HPO Variable’ Scientists naturally focus primarily on their own research. They are deeply immersed in their subjects, which brings Wageningen University & Research (WUR) worldwide acclaim. However, to become a high-performance organization, the scientists will need to step out of their comfort zones and collaborate […]
The Evidence: Performance Effects of the HPO Framework
Thursday, 11 July 2024
Since the introduction of the HPO framework in 2007, many organizations have undergone an HPO transformation. Often, an HPO diagnosis marked the beginning of the journey towards high performance. This allowed us to closely study the application and performance effects of the HPO framework in various organizations worldwide. Many of our findings have been published […]
From ‘Good’ to ‘Outstanding’: Unlock the potential of your school
Wednesday, 10 July 2024
In the dynamic world of education, schools face budget constraints, the need for technological integration, and rising expectations. Our High-Performance Schools (HPS) framework, supported by decades of scientific research and global implementations, is designed to help schools strive for excellence and sustainable growth. The challenges of attracting and retaining qualified and engaged staff, integrating technology […]
A High Performance Organization… What is it?
Tuesday, 16 January 2018
Enjoy going to work! An HPO book for managers, team leaders and…employees! This booklet has been written with you in mind. The 35 HPO characteristics are all outlined in this booklet. Reading through this booklet you will soon realize that improving is not necessarily more time consuming, but that it is just about doing your work differently. […]