Description

Staying the Distance showcases the much-needed leadership lessons that sport can teach us: how to improve, perform and achieve, in ways that are effective and sustainable.

Leadership can be hard. It can certainly be relentless. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the well-being, health and sustained performance of many senior leaders, and yet strong leadership remains central to the performance of every single organization.

Business leaders are very familiar with drawing lessons from elite sport, particularly around teams, leadership and high performance. But we have all been missing a trick. Day in, day out, sport has been showing us not only how to improve, perform and achieve, but how to do so on a sustained basis, consistently delivering results when it matters. This book shines a light on these unseen lessons, and provides a clear and practical roadmap for how to deploy them in the reader’s own leadership practices.

With Catherine Baker’s unique view into world-class sport and top-level business, and with insights from top performers in both worlds, this book provides a fresh and dynamic take on how – consistently and over the long term – to bring out the best in yourself, and in those you lead.

Publisher Review

A thought-provoking insight into leadership, drawing on the world of sport to identify key drivers for business leaders. -- Baroness Sue Campbell * Director of Women's Football, FA * Catherine successfully weaves together her own extensive experiences and those of some of the great leadership experts out there into a very engaging book. It is a great read with real takeaways for aspiring and experienced leaders alike. -- Stuart Lancaster OBE * Senior Coach, Leinster Rugby * Catherine's book demonstrates the important lessons that sports can teach us about life and leadership. It's a must-read. -- Debbie Wosskow OBE * Co-Founder and NED, AllBright * We may see our sporting icons as superhuman, but their achievements have lessons for us all. In this wise and invigorating book, Catherine Baker breaks down the secrets of sustainable success in any domain, with timeless insights into the habits of high-flyers. You will learn how to meet your own goals and to encourage optimum performance in others. It is essential reading for any leader. -- David Robson * Author of The Expectation Effect *