Elite Sport and Leadership
Mindset, Culture and Sustainable Performance
Chris Sheppardson, Izzy McHattie
ISBN: 9781918901009 HBK; 9781917433976 PBK; 9781918901016 PDF; 9781918901023 EPUB
DOI: 10.23912/9781918901009-6256
| | | |
Elite Sport and Leadership: Mindset, Culture and Sustainable Performance uses the high-stakes world of elite sport as a lens to examine how mindset, identity, culture, and human behaviour shape leadership and success. Drawing on narrative case studies from athletes, coaches and teams, it expands into deeper explorations of key leadership themes, from attention and decision-making to resilience, identity and team dynamics.
Divided into four parts, the book first looks at how individuals manage decisive moments under pressure, then examines the subtle accumulation of excellence through small, deliberate improvements. The third section delves into the psychological weight of identity and expectation, while the final part explores how team culture and leadership architecture influence long-term success. Drawing on examples from iconic athletes like Lewis Moody, Simone Biles, Usain Bolt and Clive Woodward, it provides strategic insights that apply to both hospitality and corporate leadership.
Elite Sport and Leadership: Mindset, Culture and Sustainable Performance will help you to:
Due for publication Oct 2026
Divided into four parts, the book first looks at how individuals manage decisive moments under pressure, then examines the subtle accumulation of excellence through small, deliberate improvements. The third section delves into the psychological weight of identity and expectation, while the final part explores how team culture and leadership architecture influence long-term success. Drawing on examples from iconic athletes like Lewis Moody, Simone Biles, Usain Bolt and Clive Woodward, it provides strategic insights that apply to both hospitality and corporate leadership.
Elite Sport and Leadership: Mindset, Culture and Sustainable Performance will help you to:
- Gain a deeper understanding of performance beyond tactics, focusing on mindset, resilience and culture.
- Learn from real-world examples of elite athletes and their leadership strategies, applicable to business and hospitality contexts.
- Develop stronger frameworks for leadership, decision-making, and team dynamics in high-pressure environments.
- Reflect on the psychological and cultural forces that drive long-term success, beyond short-term results.
Due for publication Oct 2026
Table of contents
Introduction: Leadership 2026: Ch 1 Why Sport Reveals What Business Often Hides; Part 1: Attention Under Pressure: Ch 2 The Quiet Eye; Ch 3 When the Lights Change; Ch 4 The Courage to Stay Present; Ch 5 Seconds That Shape Everything; Part 2: Built in the Margins: Ch 6 Clive Woodward’s 1% Theory; Ch 7 The Jackie Stewart Principle; Ch 8 Staying a Student; Part 3: The Weight of Identity: Ch 9 Boris Becker: From Champion to Prison Survivor; Ch 10 When Excellence Becomes Heavy; Ch 11 Running With What You Have; Ch 13 The Groundsman Who Kept Going; Ch 14 The Psychology of Quitting; Part 4: The Environment Shapes the Outcome: Ch 15 The Yoghurt Theory of Coaching; Ch 16 The Power of Four; Ch 17 What If the Secret to Winning Starts Years Before the Game?; Ch 18 Conclusion: Excellence Is Constructed Quietly; IndexTable of contents
Introduction: Leadership 2026: Ch 1 Why Sport Reveals What Business Often Hides; Part 1: Attention Under Pressure: Ch 2 The Quiet Eye; Ch 3 When the Lights Change; Ch 4 The Courage to Stay Present; Ch 5 Seconds That Shape Everything; Part 2: Built in the Margins: Ch 6 Clive Woodward’s 1% Theory; Ch 7 The Jackie Stewart Principle; Ch 8 Staying a Student; Part 3: The Weight of Identity: Ch 9 Boris Becker: From Champion to Prison Survivor; Ch 10 When Excellence Becomes Heavy; Ch 11 Running With What You Have; Ch 13 The Groundsman Who Kept Going; Ch 14 The Psychology of Quitting; Part 4: The Environment Shapes the Outcome: Ch 15 The Yoghurt Theory of Coaching; Ch 16 The Power of Four; Ch 17 What If the Secret to Winning Starts Years Before the Game?; Ch 18 Conclusion: Excellence Is Constructed Quietly; IndexAbout the authors
Chris Sheppardson is the Founder of EP Business in Hospitality, a global platform and consultancy working across hospitality, foodservice and leadership development. Izzy McHattie is a writer at EP Business in Hospitality, specialising in performance psychology, leadership thinking and the intersection between sport, mindset and business culture.Table of contents
Introduction: Leadership 2026: Ch 1 Why Sport Reveals What Business Often Hides; Part 1: Attention Under Pressure: Ch 2 The Quiet Eye; Ch 3 When the Lights Change; Ch 4 The Courage to Stay Present; Ch 5 Seconds That Shape Everything; Part 2: Built in the Margins: Ch 6 Clive Woodward’s 1% Theory; Ch 7 The Jackie Stewart Principle; Ch 8 Staying a Student; Part 3: The Weight of Identity: Ch 9 Boris Becker: From Champion to Prison Survivor; Ch 10 When Excellence Becomes Heavy; Ch 11 Running With What You Have; Ch 13 The Groundsman Who Kept Going; Ch 14 The Psychology of Quitting; Part 4: The Environment Shapes the Outcome: Ch 15 The Yoghurt Theory of Coaching; Ch 16 The Power of Four; Ch 17 What If the Secret to Winning Starts Years Before the Game?; Ch 18 Conclusion: Excellence Is Constructed Quietly; IndexAbout the authors
Chris Sheppardson is the Founder of EP Business in Hospitality, a global platform and consultancy working across hospitality, foodservice and leadership development. Izzy McHattie is a writer at EP Business in Hospitality, specialising in performance psychology, leadership thinking and the intersection between sport, mindset and business culture.Sample files
Chapter 1.pdf
Chapter 2.pdf
Chapter 3.pdf
Chapter 4.pdf
Chapter 5.pdf
Chapter 6.pdf
Chapter 7.pdf
Chapter 8.pdf
Chapter 9.pdf
Chapter 10.pdf
Chapter 11.pdf
Chapter 12.pdf
Chapter 13.pdf
Chapter 14.pdf
Chapter 15.pdf
Chapter 16.pdf
Cover, copyright and contents.pdf