Title: Peak Performance (International Business Lessons from the World's Top Sports Organisations)
Authors: Clive Gilson, Mike Pratt, Kevin Roberts & Ed Weymes
Publisher: Thomson Business & Professional Publishing (2000)
Reviewer: Kingsley Seale
Review:
Being a sports nut I naturally dove into 'Peak Performance' expecting to hear stories of sporting greatness and glory, however what I got was far from it. Focusing on some of the greatest and most renowned sports organizations in the world, Chicago Bulls, New Zealand All Blacks, Williams F1 and FC Bayern Munchen EV, to name a few this book entails the intricacies behind the sport that make these businesses so successful.
The foreword by Sir Edmund Hillary looks at building a successful team and the many twists and turns this takes. He also speaks of not only getting to the top, but also maintaining your place there, which for a lot of individuals and groups is often the hardest part. The authors look at what makes these teams tick and the small systems that are put in place to ensure they remain at the top.
In the book San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh states "One of the critical factors that put us in the forefront of our sport is the full participation by every employee. Open communications and full participation. Everyone is expected, in fact it's demanded of everyone, to participate in the decision-making process". This is a common thread throughout the book and can be seen in each of the sporting businesses whereby while the players and the teams are at the forefront, it is the entire business that makes the franchise successful.
While not getting what I was expecting I still enjoyed Peak Performance for what it was, a glimpse into the inner workings of a variety of successful sporting brands.