
Staying the Distance
The lessons from sport that business leaders have been missing
Catherine Baker(Author)
Bloomsbury Business (Publisher)
Published on 30. March 2023
Book
Hardback
208 pages
978-1-3994-0585-0 (ISBN)
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.
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.
Reviews / Votes
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 *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
With dust jacket
Dimensions
Height: 242 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
460 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3994-0585-0 (9781399405850)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
03/2023
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Business
€21.99
Available for download

E-Book
03/2023
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Business
€21.99
Available for download
Person
Founder and Director at Sport and Beyond, Catherine Baker is sought after as a keynote speaker - by organizations such as the Bank of England and HSBC - due to her unique blend of professional background and deep insight into the world of elite sport. She has appeared on speaker panels at a broad range of events, from a Women in Leadership programme (jointly hosted by Goldman Sachs and Deloitte) and the inaugural AllBright FoundHer festival, through to a groundbreaking event held in the Long Room at Lords hosted by Women in Sport. Catherine is also a member of the Steering Group of the O Shaped Lawyer (and will be Chair from April 2022), and has extensive experience as a non-executive director, most recently as a Trustee on the Board of the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust.
Content
Foreword by Gareth Southgate 9
Introduction 11
PART ONE
Getting the Best Out of You 15
CHAPTER ONE
How to Find Your Confidence Sweet Spot 17
CHAPTER TWO
How to Leave Behind Fear 31
CHAPTER THREE
How to Leverage the Power of Your Emotions 43
CHAPTER FOUR
How to Find Sustained Motivation 57
CHAPTER FIVE
How to Bring the Required Discipline to the Table 73
CHAPTER SIX
How to Prioritize Your Time 85
PART TWO Getting the Best Out of Those You Lead 101
CHAPTER SEVEN
How to Build Trust 103
CHAPTER EIGHT
How to Instil the Right Balance of Belief 117
CHAPTER NINE
How to Foster Belonging 131
CHAPTER TEN
How to Communicate with Positive Impact 145
CHAPTER ELEVEN
How to Develop Your People in a Long-Term Way 159
CHAPTER TWELVE
How to Make Your Values Count 175
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
How to Navigate the Ownership Conundrum 187
Final Thoughts: It Really Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint 199
Reading List 201
Acknowledgements 203
Index 205
Introduction 11
PART ONE
Getting the Best Out of You 15
CHAPTER ONE
How to Find Your Confidence Sweet Spot 17
CHAPTER TWO
How to Leave Behind Fear 31
CHAPTER THREE
How to Leverage the Power of Your Emotions 43
CHAPTER FOUR
How to Find Sustained Motivation 57
CHAPTER FIVE
How to Bring the Required Discipline to the Table 73
CHAPTER SIX
How to Prioritize Your Time 85
PART TWO Getting the Best Out of Those You Lead 101
CHAPTER SEVEN
How to Build Trust 103
CHAPTER EIGHT
How to Instil the Right Balance of Belief 117
CHAPTER NINE
How to Foster Belonging 131
CHAPTER TEN
How to Communicate with Positive Impact 145
CHAPTER ELEVEN
How to Develop Your People in a Long-Term Way 159
CHAPTER TWELVE
How to Make Your Values Count 175
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
How to Navigate the Ownership Conundrum 187
Final Thoughts: It Really Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint 199
Reading List 201
Acknowledgements 203
Index 205