From fairways to boardrooms: high-performance lessons for leaders

Summary:

• High performance hinges on discipline and structure – from “unglamorous” routines, constructive feedback, streamlined systems, and an awareness of when to pivot and harness tools like AI.
• Even the most decorated high performers in their respective fields need strong support systems, with trusted people and teams providing the stability and mental resilience they need to bounce back from slumps.
• Reaching and staying at the top requires purposeful discipline and constant self-improvement – proof that the best leadership lessons can come from outside the corporate world.
• Explore more similarly exciting, insight-driven events here.

Business leaders aiming to take their companies or themselves to the next level usually look to top industry personalities for inspiration. But should their choice of role models really be confined to the corporate world? What if they drew inspiration from trailblazers in other sectors like sports or F&B?

“Same same, but different,” that’s what I realized as I proceeded to the registration area of the HSBC Women’s World Championship Business Forum 2026. Held at Marina Bay Sands Expo on February 27, the event brought together well-known names outside the corporate world to share their experiences and some lessons they’ve learned about being a high performer.

Everyone perked up bright and early in the morning / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

When I entered the vast event hall filled with eager eyes and attentive ears of what I assumed to be a bunch of corporate executives, it became clear to me that the rest of the audience understood the concept immediately. Many attendees even brought out their notepads or laptops to take note of whatever they found useful as the first session began.

Do or discipline – there is no die

The first panel of the day was helmed by Janice Wong, chef at 2am: dessertbar, and Ashmita Acharya, head of international wealth and premier banking at HSBC Singapore. The pair spoke about how to cultivate discipline in one’s everyday routines and why having structure is so important.

Acharya discussed some of her own “small routines” that help her establish structure, including note-taking and regular check-ins with her team.

She added that while this may look “unglamorous,” it has helped her perform well consistently in the 26 years she’s been in banking. No wonder Acharya also applies this approach across her teams.

Ashmita Acharya, head of international wealth and premier banking at HSBC Singapore / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

“It’s the small things that make us who we are,” she said.

Another good way to instill discipline is by having a healthy routine of giving or receiving feedback, which leaders need to be open to.

According to Acharya, feedback should be given with full context. This way, it’s not brought up as a disruptive challenge but simply as a conversation about improvement.

Discipline and structure can also help leaders understand when to pivot when the opportunity arises, as Wong herself could testify to. She shared how she’s pivoted more than five times so far – from starting as a chef 21 years ago to becoming a chef artist, authoring her own cookbooks, and even building an AI-powered hospitality system.

“You have to follow where the world is going,” Wong said.

Janice Wong, chef at 2am: dessertbar / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

That’s exactly what she did, and her brevity is creating space for fresh approaches in the industry.

For example, two decades ago, people had to create menus and build their cooking knowledge from scratch, experimenting in the kitchen through trial and error. Today, a chef can use AI to come up with menus for different hotels on the spot, allowing these establishments to open faster, streamline their operations, and even bring down food production costs.

“There’s so much variety – how do you create at the top level?” Wong said. “The only way is to create systems and have AI inside.”

As someone who’s eaten the absolutely delicious pineapple tarts she gifted Tech in Asia, I’m inclined to agree.

Anti-slump support

Another highlight of the event was a fireside chat with Inbee Park, a decorated golfer who’s bagged seven women’s major championships, attained the career Grand Slam in women’s golf, and won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics.

As she stepped on stage, I could sense the quiet reverence from the attendees who were all too eager to listen to what this titan had to say. Interestingly, her story is a testament to how unwavering support can help a person achieve their goals.

Inbee Park, seven-time women’s major champion / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

Park moved to the US with most of her family when she was 12 so she could learn golf at a high level. Her father remained in South Korea to work.

With the help of several world-class coaches, Park quickly rose through the ranks. But as many similar high-flyers would say, facing her first real challenge – in her case, not winning tournaments – led to a loss of confidence.

“I wanted to quit golf every day, and I was really close to giving up,” Park recalled.

What got her through was her family’s support. Her support system got even stronger with the addition of her husband, who was also her coach.

Indeed, having a trusted person to guide her and support her mentally while operating at the highest level was critical to her resurgence from 2012 to 2022, during which she won 25 more events.

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“You just need good people and a good team around you,” Park said.

The makings of champions

Park wasn’t the only decorated athlete on the stage of the HSBC Women’s World Championship Business Forum. Headlining the final session of the event were Yip Pin Xiu, a seven-time Paralympic swimming champion, and Gavin Lee, the head coach who led Singapore’s national men’s football team to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup on merit for the first time in their history.

Each of them brought a different kind of – but equally intense – energy. Yip’s bubbly vibe was a clear example of someone who truly enjoys operating at the highest level in their field, all while guided by unshakeable discipline. Lee, on the other hand, showcased what it was like to have the expectations of multiple critical stakeholders – including the nation – resting on one’s shoulders, taking that pressure, and turning it into performance.

“Fundamentally, if you’re running a business or a boss, you’re leading a group of people just like I do,” Yip said in a separate interview with Tech in Asia. “The ability to give clarity and alignment to the people in your company or organization is very important.”

As the panel kicked off, both Yip and Lee agreed on one thing: Discipline requires purpose.

(Left) Yip Pin Xiu, seven-time Paralympic swimming champion, and (right) Gavin Lee, head coach of Singapore’s national men’s football team / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

“As long as we know our purpose and reason, it helps,” Lee said. “And it’s not so much of a chore in that sense.”

For Yip, that sense of purpose and drive to win is not only about the achievement itself but also what it signifies: increasing awareness of people with disabilities and elevating their community and sporting profile in the public eye.

“It’s constantly reminding yourself that there’s always something you’re looking for, and just being better than I was day by day,” she later told Tech in Asia.

Yip also suggested that to achieve peak performance and secure a win, one could practice visualization. She said it helped her adjust back to actually swimming in a pool after the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.

“The only thing you can do is control your own actions – there’s a lot of power in refining your own actions in a way that’s best-suited for a particular scenario,” she said.

Same goals, diverse perspectives

As the HSBC Women’s World Championship Business Forum drew to a close and attendees started streaming out of the venue, I began to reevaluate my previous assumptions about the event.

I’d thought it would mostly be suits and ties in the audience, but it became clear to me that those people seeking the wisdom of top athletes and leaders weren’t just individuals from the corporate world but from different walks of life.

There was a long queue for this meet and greet, if you were wondering / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

It was a nice personal lesson for me that aligned with the idea behind the event, too: that we as individuals should always look beyond our immediate surroundings or environment if we really want to grow. I’ve always strongly believed in the power of diversity, and seeing it first-hand and hearing advice from such varied backgrounds was eye-opening.

I also learned that being the best in the business world doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to that one area in life. It’s worth exploring how to grow with people outside of corporations and companies, after all.

The HSBC Women’s World Championship Business Forum 2026 is just one of many events organized by Tech in Asia, the region’s leading tech news publication. To keep a look out for our 2027 edition and explore more of our events, which offer the same depth of insight and engagement to take your firm to the next level, visit our events page.

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This content was produced by Tech in Asia Studios, which connects brands with Asia’s tech community. Learn more about partnering with Tech in Asia Studios.