Leadership Podcast Episode 3 | Second Series: Anna-Lena Forster on Resilience, Mindset and High Performance

Senior leadership is not built in comfort. It is shaped by how we respond to pressure, setbacks and expectations.

In this episode of our Talent & Leadership podcast series, Caroline Gellrich - van Brakel, Managing Partner at Page Executive Germany, Austria & the Netherlands and Lisa Best, Partner at Page Executive Germany, spoke with Anna-Lena Forster, elite athlete, role model and advocate for greater inclusion and participation.

With 11 Paralympic medals, 19 World Championship medals and six overall World Cup titles, Anna-Lena's career is defined by exceptional performance. Yet behind those achievements lies something equally relevant to leadership: years of preparation, mental strength, resilience and the ability to perform when expectations are at their highest.

Together, they explore what leaders can learn from elite sport about navigating pressure, responding to setbacks, building trust and sustaining performance over time.

This conversation forms part of Page Executive's broader dialogue around the realities of leadership today, bringing together perspectives from inside and outside the business world to explore what enables people and teams to perform at their best.

Find out more about our guest:

Anna-Lena Forster, Paralympic athlete and World Champion

What elite sport can teach us about senior leadership

High performance in sport and senior leadership may take place in very different environments, but they share some fundamental challenges.

Both require people to make decisions under pressure, manage expectations, recover from setbacks and remain focused when circumstances are working against them.

In this candid conversation, Anna-Lena shares how she has learned to approach these moments throughout her career. Her perspective demonstrates that sustainable performance is not simply the result of talent. It comes from preparation, mindset and the ability to understand and manage yourself.

For senior leaders, there is a powerful parallel: before we can effectively lead others through pressure and uncertainty, we need to understand how we lead ourselves.

Building resilience and performing under pressure

Throughout the episode, Anna-Lena offers an honest and grounded perspective on the realities behind high performance.

The conversation explores:

• How consciously developing your mindset can influence performance
• Why physical and mental preparation create consistency and confidence
• How setbacks and difficult circumstances can become opportunities for learning and growth
• The role of open communication and trust when teams are operating under pressure
• Why managing both internal and external expectations is essential to sustainable performance
• How taking action, even a small first step, can create the momentum needed for progress
• Her reflections offer valuable lessons not only for athletes, but for senior executives navigating increasingly demanding and complex leadership environments.

Senior leadership starts with how we lead ourselves

One of the strongest messages from Anna-Lena's experience is that sustainable high performance is not only about pushing harder.

It requires knowing when to trust your preparation, how to manage pressure and expectations, and how to remain focused when circumstances become difficult.

These are lessons that resonate far beyond elite sport.

For senior leaders managing transformation, ambitious performance expectations or complex stakeholder environments, Anna-Lena's perspective offers a valuable reminder: resilience is not simply the ability to endure pressure. It is the ability to respond to it consciously and continue moving forward.

This episode offers an inspiring and practical perspective for leaders interested in developing their own performance, strengthening their teams and understanding what leadership looks like when circumstances are at their most demanding.

Listen to the full episode in German