Dr Kate Hays – Performance Psychologist, The FA
Inspirational Keynote Speaker - Peak Performance & Team Building
Performance Psychologist, Head of Women’s Performance Psychology (The FA), Author of How to Win, Expert in Elite Performance, Mindset & High-Pressure Environments.
Speaker Overview
For more than 20 years, Kate has worked at the highest levels of elite sport, supporting Olympic champions, world champions and title-winning teams to deliver sustained success in the world’s most demanding performance environments.
Kate brings these insights into the corporate world, translating the psychology behind sustained high performance into practical strategies for business leaders navigating complexity, uncertainty and change.
Her work helps organisations build cultures where people thrive, teams collaborate effectively, and performance is sustainable, not just exceptional in moments of crisis.
Dr Kate Hays is a leading performance psychologist with over two decades of experience working across elite sport, Olympic programmes, and high-performance teams at the very top level of international competition.
She is currently Head of Women’s Performance Psychology at the Football Association (FA), where she works closely with England Women’s teams and coaching staff to optimise performance, resilience, and team dynamics in high-stakes environments.
She has also held senior roles within the English Institute of Sport, supporting elite athletes and teams across multiple Olympic cycles.
Kate is known for her ability to translate the realities of elite sport into practical, evidence-based strategies that organisations can apply immediately. Her work focuses on helping individuals and teams perform consistently under pressure, build confidence, and develop the psychological skills required for sustained success.
She is the author of How to Win: Lessons in Success from the Front Line of Performance Psychology, which introduces her “Building Blocks of Success” framework used with world-class performers.
Her sessions are highly applied, combining real-world elite sport experience with clear psychological insight that resonates strongly with leadership and performance-focused audiences.
Popular Speaking Topics
The Psychology of High Performance
How elite athletes develop confidence, consistency, and resilience in the most demanding environments.
The Building Blocks of Success
A practical framework for creating sustainable high performance in individuals and teams.
Performing Under Pressure
Tools and techniques used in elite sport to stay focused, composed, and effective when it matters most.
Building Winning Team Cultures
How trust, clarity, and accountability are developed in high-performance environments.
Leadership Lessons from Elite Sport
What business leaders can learn from Olympic and international sport about decision-making, preparation, and execution.
Turning Potential into Performance
How to bridge the gap between talent, expectation, and consistent delivery.
Why Book Dr Kate Hays for Your Event?
Kate brings rare insight from working inside elite sport at the highest level, where performance margins are minimal and pressure is constant.
Her approach is grounded in real-world application rather than theory, focusing on the behaviours, habits, and psychological skills that directly influence performance outcomes.
She is particularly effective with leadership teams, elite performers, and organisations undergoing change, where clarity, resilience, and execution are critical.
Audiences value her ability to make elite performance psychology accessible, practical, and immediately relevant to business and organisational challenges.
Audiences Leave With
- Practical tools to improve performance under pressure.
- A clearer understanding of confidence and resilience.
- Strategies for building high-performance team culture.
- Techniques used by elite athletes to stay focused and consistent.
- A framework for turning potential into repeatable performance.
Speaking Style
Clear, practical, and grounded in elite sport reality. Kate combines storytelling from international competition with evidence-based psychology, ensuring audiences leave with actionable tools rather than abstract concepts.
Ideal Audiences
- Executive leadership teams.
- High-performance and transformation programmes.
- Sports organisations and coaching teams.
- HR, talent, and organisational development leaders.
- Corporate conferences and leadership offsites.
Key Takeaway
Dr Kate Hays helps individuals and organisations understand what it truly takes to perform at the highest level, translating elite sport psychology into practical tools for confidence, resilience, and sustained success.
Book Dr Kate Hays For Your Event
Dr Kate Hays is a leading voice in elite performance psychology, helping organisations build the mindset, habits, and culture required to perform consistently under pressure.
Her keynotes combine elite sport experience with practical psychological frameworks that leaders and teams can apply immediately.
Whether speaking to executive teams, performance programmes, or global audiences, she delivers clear, engaging insight that improves how individuals and organisations perform in high-pressure environments.
Contact us today to check availability and learn how Hamish Taylor can help your organisation unlock growth through customer-led innovation and transformation
