Latest news with #MossBurmester

RNZ News
02-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
NZ firm Vantaset sets sights on UK, US law enforcement agencies
Chief executive of Vantaset, Craig Steel, and former Olympic swimmer Moss Burmester. Photo: Supplied What is claimed as a first-of-its-kind workplace performance service from New Zealand is gaining global attention from law enforcement and defence agencies. Vantaset was founded by New Zealand performance strategist and former sports coach Craig Steel. Developed over seven years at a cost of $7 million, the framework has grown into a paid service model designed for government and corporate clients. Steel said critical agencies were a focus for his business, especially those in the Five Eyes nations. The online platform is designed to improve business strategy and increase workplace performance through a framework based on high-performance sport environments, similar to how a coach would oversee a team or athlete. A number of trials are in discussion with police forces in North America and the United Kingdom. They have also signed agreements with a specialist consulting firm that supports government security and law enforcement agencies throughout Europe and North America, including the FBI. However, Steel said because of the sensitive nature of their work, he could not disclose their name. "They work with all of the law enforcement agencies right across Canada and a very high number in the US, including the likes of the FBI. "They're branded, but they can't disclose their brand so the FBI can't disclose the brand. But yes, they are a very legitimate agency of about 160-odd people. "They're domiciled in Canada, but they have agents right throughout the Americas, right down into South America, up into Canada and Alaska, etc. Plus they also do work into Europe. "You turn up to their office, and I've been there many times, and they don't even have a number over the door, it's quite interesting." It's not Vantaset's first foray into police environments. Nine years ago they were brought on to improve performance with New Zealand Police by then-commissioner Mike Bush. Following pilot programmes in Counties Manukau, Auckland City and Southern Districts, Bush used an early iteration of the programme to align the vision and prevention-first strategy for all 14,000 staff working out of more than 300 stations around the country. At that time Bush had noted police were dealing with declining public confidence, poor productivity, falling retention, engagement, levels and morale. Bush wanted a single programme, rather than relying on previous performance management mechanisms that didn't have the same reach across the organisation. Steel said an example of this was streamlining aspects of the organisation, including reducing the more than 6000 job descriptions within the police to a handful. A New Zealand Police case study in 2017 said: "Within 18 months of deploying Vantaset's transformation programme, Bush had lifted public trust and confidence from the 56 percent as it was following the COI to 81 percent. Further to this, an impressive 90 percent of Kiwis said they were either 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with the service police was now providing; a number many times greater than those enjoyed by similar nations. What's more, he achieved this while reducing crime across New Zealand by 20 percent. " Police said in a statement they have had a partnership with Vantaset for approximately nine years, but the contract would not continue past 30 June 2025. Chief executive of Vantaset, Craig Steel. Photo: Supplied Steel said the basis for the service came from three decades of research into the psychological breaking point of elite athletes to improve workplace performance. He said the conception was understanding why athletes collapse under pressure. "They do that at a very precise point, so it's at a point where a person comes to believe that the challenge they're up against is greater than the vision they have of themselves. "So what that said to me is that irrespective of the nature of the sport or the nature of the athlete, people capitulate at a very precise point. "What I identified was what I call the layering, which is essentially the process that athletes unconsciously work through that leads to that, what I found was that that was identical in every athlete and the people that we started sharing it with started saying to us, this is a monumental breakthrough in human performance, but we needed to test it. "So as a result of that, what I looked at was if that's what causes capitulation, what would happen if we reverse engineered it? So we take the modeling or the methodology, we invert it, so we start to look through a different lens and say, if we apply the same rationale, but in reverse, can we increase the point at which an athlete capitulates? "In other words, extend it - and what we found is that every time we tested it, people produce personal best within two weeks." The sports connections do not end there - former Olympic swimmers Moss Burmester and Anthony Mosse are among the team, as is former All Blacks manager Darren Shand. Burmester used Steel's approach to performance when he was competing and said you can transfer aspects of the sports field to the workplace. "If you look at a rugby team and you go, right, there's only 15 positions - how do we make them the very best in their position and empower them to go out there and play their best in their 80 minutes? "Same thing - how do we make people feel like they're valued, they're critical, they matter, and they can have a real impact for the team?" Burmester said just like in sport, it was important for staff to understand their roles and how that played a part of the "game plan" of a business or organisation. "It seems very obvious and it's laughable, but that's exactly what we see and so we sit there and we think, well, no wonder organisations aren't getting the best out of people, unlocking the potential in people. "They're just putting them into these boxes, they're not engaging them." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.


Scoop
22-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
NZ's Elite Athlete Breaking Point Research To Be Shared With Five Eyes Nations
Kiwi Olympians Moss Burmester and advisor Anthony Moss are part of the team looking to take the same high-performance principles that helped them succeed on the world stage into boardrooms, government agencies and frontline services. A world-first performance transformation framework developed in New Zealand from research into the psychological breaking point of elite athletes has caught the attention of police forces in North America and the United Kingdom, with a number of trials in discussion. The move follows the inking of long-term contracts with global law enforcement advisory organisation World Policing in the UK, which provides governance and technical advice to thousands of police forces around the world, and a specialist consulting firm that supports Government security and law enforcement agencies throughout Europe and North America, including the FBI. Vantaset, founded by performance expert Craig Steel, whose team includes a former All Blacks manager and two Olympians, has unveiled a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) model designed to optimise workplace performance using a scientifically engineered system to help athletes deliver personal bests on demand. The global interest from global law enforcement and defence agencies in the company's platform, which took seven years and $7 million to develop, follows the success of an earlier iteration of the framework with the New Zealand Police under former commissioner Mike Bush. The process, which was credited by Bush as helping him achieve what was described as one of the most successful Government sector transformations in history, not only lifted staff engagement and public trust in the organisation, it helped him reduce crime by over 20%.[1] Steel says discussions are underway with a number of North American police chiefs and defence experts who have identified their process as a potential solution to address plummeting engagement and retention issues they are facing. 'They told us this was the most promising process they've seen to address what they describe as a leadership and engagement crisis affecting critical agencies globally, so piloting the process is the logical next step in demonstrating its effectiveness in this environment.' Bernard Rix, chairman of World Policing says, 'Given the demonstrable impact Vantaset's technology had on New Zealand Police, we're confident it can be implemented in other law enforcement agencies around the world to help them improve the performance of their respective forces, which is why we've partnered with them.' Steel's work began three decades ago as a study into 'athlete capitulation', the moment top athletes psychologically collapse under pressure. By reverse engineering the process he identified that caused it, Steel developed a repeatable framework that helped New Zealand athletes amass over 20 World Cup and World Championship equivalent titles. Described as 'one of the single greatest breakthroughs in human performance,' the framework delivered unparalleled results, enabling athletes to achieve personal bests 87% of the time they competed in Tier 1 events compared to the international average of 8-10%. 'What began as a system for world-class athletes is now changing the way organisations develop and engage their workforce,' says Steel. 'We're focused on helping organisations, including the Police, improve the impact and effectiveness of their staff as their personal performance is vital to the nations they represent. Kiwi Olympians Moss Burmester and advisor Anthony Moss are part of the team looking to take the same high-performance principles that helped them succeed on the world stage into boardrooms, government agencies and frontline services. Steel says too many organisations default to a risk-averse mindset, building internal frameworks focused on controlling resources which stifles ingenuity. 'Our work began with high-performance sport. But when we were invited to trial it in business, the results were just as transformative. Steel's system codifies elite performance enabling leaders to support every level of their organisation. 'It's about unlocking the potential that already exists in their business as opposed to just trying to mitigate its risks, which crushes innovation. 'In elite sport, the goal is never to avoid failure, it's to produce something exceptional. But in the business world, most performance management systems are built to manage issues when they occur rather than amplifying the organisation's capacity to perform,' he says. Steel says Vantaset's platform 'flips the script' by embedding performance principles drawn from decades of helping top-tier athletes win on the world stage. 'What we've done is build a high-performance operating system that organisations can scale across their entire workforce so they can embed a proven way of working that brings out the best in everyone. The focus isn't on minimising mistakes, it's on helping people be the most effective versions of themselves, as that's what drives growth and improvement.' Over 100 organisations and around 30,000 employees have benefited from Steel's process to date, although their new digital platform will enable Vantaset to scale globally. The firm has assisted both public and private sector clients across New Zealand and Australia for over a decade but plans to expand into other Five Eyes nations in the years ahead. 'We've chosen to focus on the Five Eyes nations because we recognise that when it comes to working with defence forces and critical government agencies, trust and national security considerations are paramount. 'If we were to work with non-aligned or competing jurisdictions, it could close doors to the agencies in the nations we're best positioned to support. This strategic alignment should ensure our eligibility to work with the most sensitive public sector environments, where human performance is most vital.' Vantaset is also engaging with international consulting firms to act as distribution partners to accelerate its global expansion, given its applicability to Government agencies and the private sector. [1] Internatonal consulting group McKinsey and Co's Centre for Government focuses on helping the public sector tackle complex challenges, modernise organisations and improve services. This group identified NZ Police's change process as 'one of the most successful Government sector transformations in history'.


Scoop
22-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
NZ's Elite Athlete Breaking Point Research To Be Shared With Five Eyes Nations
Kiwi Olympians Moss Burmester and advisor Anthony Moss are part of the team looking to take the same high-performance principles that helped them succeed on the world stage into boardrooms, government agencies and frontline services. A world-first performance transformation framework developed in New Zealand from research into the psychological breaking point of elite athletes has caught the attention of police forces in North America and the United Kingdom, with a number of trials in discussion. The move follows the inking of long-term contracts with global law enforcement advisory organisation World Policing in the UK, which provides governance and technical advice to thousands of police forces around the world, and a specialist consulting firm that supports Government security and law enforcement agencies throughout Europe and North America, including the FBI. Vantaset, founded by performance expert Craig Steel, whose team includes a former All Blacks manager and two Olympians, has unveiled a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) model designed to optimise workplace performance using a scientifically engineered system to help athletes deliver personal bests on demand. The global interest from global law enforcement and defence agencies in the company's platform, which took seven years and $7 million to develop, follows the success of an earlier iteration of the framework with the New Zealand Police under former commissioner Mike Bush. The process, which was credited by Bush as helping him achieve what was described as one of the most successful Government sector transformations in history, not only lifted staff engagement and public trust in the organisation, it helped him reduce crime by over 20%.[1] Steel says discussions are underway with a number of North American police chiefs and defence experts who have identified their process as a potential solution to address plummeting engagement and retention issues they are facing. 'They told us this was the most promising process they've seen to address what they describe as a leadership and engagement crisis affecting critical agencies globally, so piloting the process is the logical next step in demonstrating its effectiveness in this environment.' Bernard Rix, chairman of World Policing says, 'Given the demonstrable impact Vantaset's technology had on New Zealand Police, we're confident it can be implemented in other law enforcement agencies around the world to help them improve the performance of their respective forces, which is why we've partnered with them.' Steel's work began three decades ago as a study into 'athlete capitulation', the moment top athletes psychologically collapse under pressure. By reverse engineering the process he identified that caused it, Steel developed a repeatable framework that helped New Zealand athletes amass over 20 World Cup and World Championship equivalent titles. Described as 'one of the single greatest breakthroughs in human performance,' the framework delivered unparalleled results, enabling athletes to achieve personal bests 87% of the time they competed in Tier 1 events compared to the international average of 8-10%. 'What began as a system for world-class athletes is now changing the way organisations develop and engage their workforce,' says Steel. 'We're focused on helping organisations, including the Police, improve the impact and effectiveness of their staff as their personal performance is vital to the nations they represent. Kiwi Olympians Moss Burmester and advisor Anthony Moss are part of the team looking to take the same high-performance principles that helped them succeed on the world stage into boardrooms, government agencies and frontline services. Steel says too many organisations default to a risk-averse mindset, building internal frameworks focused on controlling resources which stifles ingenuity. 'Our work began with high-performance sport. But when we were invited to trial it in business, the results were just as transformative. Steel's system codifies elite performance enabling leaders to support every level of their organisation. 'It's about unlocking the potential that already exists in their business as opposed to just trying to mitigate its risks, which crushes innovation. 'In elite sport, the goal is never to avoid failure, it's to produce something exceptional. But in the business world, most performance management systems are built to manage issues when they occur rather than amplifying the organisation's capacity to perform,' he says. Steel says Vantaset's platform 'flips the script' by embedding performance principles drawn from decades of helping top-tier athletes win on the world stage. 'What we've done is build a high-performance operating system that organisations can scale across their entire workforce so they can embed a proven way of working that brings out the best in everyone. The focus isn't on minimising mistakes, it's on helping people be the most effective versions of themselves, as that's what drives growth and improvement.' Over 100 organisations and around 30,000 employees have benefited from Steel's process to date, although their new digital platform will enable Vantaset to scale globally. The firm has assisted both public and private sector clients across New Zealand and Australia for over a decade but plans to expand into other Five Eyes nations in the years ahead. 'We've chosen to focus on the Five Eyes nations because we recognise that when it comes to working with defence forces and critical government agencies, trust and national security considerations are paramount. 'If we were to work with non-aligned or competing jurisdictions, it could close doors to the agencies in the nations we're best positioned to support. This strategic alignment should ensure our eligibility to work with the most sensitive public sector environments, where human performance is most vital.' Vantaset is also engaging with international consulting firms to act as distribution partners to accelerate its global expansion, given its applicability to Government agencies and the private sector. [1] Internatonal consulting group McKinsey and Co's Centre for Government focuses on helping the public sector tackle complex challenges, modernise organisations and improve services. This group identified NZ Police's change process as 'one of the most successful Government sector transformations in history'.