Darren Edwards

About

Darren Edwards began his career as a head coach in 2010 following a successful tenure as a professional rugby union player for Saracens. His "People First, Individual First" philosophy emerged from those early days and remains the cornerstone of his work. Darren founded 164 Performance, advising sports teams, corporations, and schools on leadership, mindset, and behavior change. With a BA (Hons) in Human Movement Studies, a PGCE, and an MSc in Psychology and Coaching, he combines academic rigor and practical experience.

Darren helps leaders develop world-class relationships and create high-support environments where individuals thrive. He emphasises resilience under pressure, trust-building, and transformative culture-principles that apply equally in sports, corporate, and educational settings. Through one-on-one coaching and group workshops, Darren's methods deliver measurable improvements in performance, morale, and well-being.

Key Topics

1. Culture is Your 1st Competitor: Defining culture and its impact on daily performance and identity.

2. Building People: Investing in behaviours that positively influence team outcomes.

3. Developing Your Coaching Philosophy: Leading authentically under pressure with clarity and trust.

4. Zero Talent Actions (ZTA): Small behaviours that require no talent but boost morale and belonging.

5. Communication is the Lifeblood: Aligning language and purpose for collective success.

6. Performance Conversations: Delivering feedback with empathy to protect well-being.

7. Victim / Victor Mindset: How language and body language shape responses to feedback.

8. Levels of Perspective: Gaining clarity under pressure by separating mindset, structure, and skill issues.

9. Rituals & Celebrations: Using affirmation and praise to maintain emotional control and recognise achievements

Review

"Darren's insights into building high-performance cultures are invaluable."