Matthew Syed Books
Matthew Syed is an award-winning sports journalist who writes columns for The Times and also works as a commentator for BBC Sports. As a table tennis player, Syed was the English number one for almost ten years and played in two Olympic Games.
What's Bounce about?
In Bounce (2011), Matthew Syed explores the origins of outstanding achievements in fields like sports, mathematics and music. He argues that it is intensive training, not natural ability that determines our success, and people who attribute great performances to natural gifts will probably miss their own chance to succeed due to lack of practice.
Who should read Bounce?
- Anyone who has big plans but is not sure that they have what it takes to succeed
- Anyone who’s interested in the secret of brilliant performances
- Anyone who wants to raise children who achieve their goals
- Anyone who wants to understand the underlying mechanisms of “choking” under pressure
Black Box Thinking
What's Black Box Thinking about?
Black Box Thinking (2015) explores the ways in which failure, despite all the shame and pain associated with it, is actually one of our greatest assets. Full of practical tips on how to develop a healthy, productive relationship to failure, Black Box Thinking will put you on the path to success.
Who should read Black Box Thinking?
- Psychology enthusiasts
- Anyone who is sick of making the same mistakes
- People who want to turn their failures into successes
What's Rebel Ideas about?
Rebel Ideas (2019) explains why cognitive diversity is the fundamental ingredient for finding solutions to difficult problems, and how we can harness it to create positive change at work, in politics and when tackling global issues.
Who should read Rebel Ideas?
- Managers seeking to optimize team performance
- Innovators striving to arrive at better solutions
- People wanting to diversify their thinking