The End-of-Year Now Point: A Pause to See and Honour those Who Sustain Performance

A CubeNorth Reflection for Mining Leaders at Christmas

At the end of the year, it can seem like the enterprise slows down. Calendars close, rosters lighten, and many take the opportunity to rest, reconnect, and prepare for a new cycle. But in reality, performance never completely stops. 

In mining and other continuous operations, work persists (often quietly and unseen), driven by individuals and teams who hold the line while the wider organisation takes a break. This paradox is at the core of the Cycle of Change: even as one part of the system rests, another keeps going, ensuring continuity, resilience, and safety. 

The Now Point, in CubeNorth language, is a deliberate moment when leaders step back to observe. Not just to measure, but to see and recognise that performance is sustained not only by systems and structures, but by people. 

This is the time of year when that truth becomes most apparent. 

Seeing the Enterprise as an Ecosystem of Contribution 

Through the CubeNorth lens, the enterprise is seen not as a hierarchy but as an ecosystem. Four layers work in harmony to sustain outcomes: 

• Strategic leaders set and uphold the vision, shaping long-term mission results. 

• Tactical leaders translate that vision into plans, systems, and capabilities. 

• Frontline leaders guide real-time execution, navigating complexity on the ground. 

• Followers, often overlooked, carry disciplined intent that transforms design into delivery. 

Each layer is distinct, yet none can exist without the others. 

This interaction is what our High Performance Management System reveals: a living framework of vision > capability > execution > contribution. 

At year’s end, this interconnected system reveals something important: while many rest, some continue to ensure the organisation remains steady. 

The Human Reality of the Now Point 

The Now Point is more than just a pause; it is a conscious act of observation. It invites leaders to look beyond just metrics and outputs, and to recognise the human assets working quietly through the quieter weeks, maintaining safety, production, governance, and other essential operations. 

Some do this out of duty.  

Some out of rhythm.  

And others because, even for a brief moment, the enterprise is their community, their purpose, and their family. 

Their presence reminds us that continuity isn’t just operational; it is profoundly human. 

In mining, this truth is amplified. The terrain doesn’t follow calendars; it stays rugged, indifferent, and relentless. Yet, teams remain at the frontline: managing complexity, holding ground, and keeping progress going. 

This is the paradox of performance: the quiet efforts of the few enables the renewal of the many. It’s also what helps the organisation move forward strongly into the next cycle. 

Why Recognition Matters for Performance 

The Cycle of Change doesn't pause for Christmas, it continues to turn.   

• Vision remains.  

• Capability is maintained. 

• Outcomes continue to be achieved. 

The High Performance Management System provides structure to this ongoing process, while human contribution gives it meaning: vision anchors the mission, capability ensures resilience, and outcomes validate contribution. 

At the Now Point, leaders must connect these elements. And it is recognition that becomes the bridge between past effort and future aspiration: 

• Recognition stabilises the system.  

• Honouring contribution strengthens the culture.  

• Visibility fuels capability heading into the next cycle. 

In essence, this moment is a leader’s responsibility and a cultural investment. 

When leaders acknowledge those who keep going while others rest, they reinforce behaviours that support long-term performance: commitment, discipline, resilience, and followership. 

This is what enables acceleration in the new year. 

CubeNorth’s Reflection at the Now Point 

As observers of enterprise performance, CubeNorth does not see organisations as machines but as living terrains of contribution. Strategic, tactical, frontline, and followership layers interlock. They sustain outcomes not just through structure, but through the visible and invisible acts of people. 

So at this Now Point, CubeNorth simply nudges leaders to notice: 

• The continuity carried by those who remain on the terrain 

• The resilience of teams who sustain safety and performance 

• The quiet contribution made when the world is resting 

And to honour it. 

Recognition here is more than gratitude.  

It is the subtle act that stabilises performance, strengthens the cultural fabric, and honours the human assets who make the enterprise real. 

A Christmas Message to Those Who Sustain Their Organisations 

CubeNorth tips its hat to this human performance ecosystem. 

To those who rest. 

To those who continue. 

To those who quietly carry purpose when the enterprise itself is their family.  

To the unseen hands, steady hearts, and disciplined minds that keep performance alive.  

Merry Christmas, and a prosperous New Year!