Boost! : How the Psychology of Sports Can Enhance Your Performance in Management and Work

To perform better in any situation - in your career, hobbies, relationships, or in any facet of your life - it is critical to develop psychological skills, which, just like physical abilities, can be taught, learned, and practiced. Both as individuals and as groups, we can tone these psychological skills and use them to heighten awareness, foster talents and technical abilities, and reach peak performance. Mental preparedness and psychological awareness are the keys to thriving in any environment.Few understand the importance of psychological skills better than the internationally recognized professor Michael Bar-Eli. As both a sports and organizational psychologist for more than 35 years, Bar-Eli has not only researched the science of performance but has also worked directly with elite athletes, coaches, and teams to help them improve their success on the court or field.__Boost!__takes the lessons he's learned from sports psychology and translates them for leaders and managers at any stage in their career. With prescriptive advice, Bar-Eli illustrates how anyone can apply these lessons to better support and inspire co-workers and employees and create a sustainable, successful working environment and business.__Boost!__breaks down the complex behavioral science of getting ahead. Through original scientific research, unique case studies, and anecdotes from the world of sports and beyond, Bar-Eli explains the psychological underpinnings of human behavior and how we can harness this knowledge to perform at our highest levels, succeeding in our careers and personal lives. To perform better in any situation - in your career, hobbies, relationships, or in any facet of your life - it is critical to develop psychological skills, which, just like physical abilities, can be taught, learned, and practiced. Both as individuals and as groups, we can tone these psychological skills and use them to heighten awareness, foster talents and technical abilities, and reach peak performance. Mental preparedness and psychological awareness are the keys to thriving in any environment. Few understand the importance of psychological skills better than the internationally recognized professor Michael Bar-Eli. As both a sports and organizational psychologist for more than 35 years, Bar-Eli has not only researched the science of performance but has also worked directly with elite athletes, coaches, and teams to help them improve their success on the court or field. Boost! takes the lessons he's learned from sports psychology and translates them for leaders and managers at any stage in their career. With prescriptive advice, Bar-Eli illustrates how anyone can apply these lessons to better support and inspire co-workers and employees and create a sustainable, successful working environment and business. Boost! breaks down the complex behavioral science of getting ahead. Through original scientific research, unique case studies, and anecdotes from the world of sports and beyond, Bar-Eli explains the psychological underpinnings of human behavior and how we can harness this knowledge to perform at our highest levels, succeeding in our careers and personal lives. Cover 1 Boost! 4 Copyright 5 Contents 8 Introduction 10 PART I Getting Activated 16 1. Arousal: Is a Lot of Stress Really That Bad? 18 2. Motivation: Defining Our Driving Force 40 3. Aspiration: Enhancing Performance through Goal Setting 58 PART II Calibrating Your Behavior 78 4. Self-​Confidence: Handling Expectations and Unexpected Obstacles 80 5. Action: To Do or Not to Do? 108 6. Creativity and Innovation: On Floppers and Vaulters 134 PART III Working Together 160 7. Cohesion: All for One, and One for All! 162 8. Team-​Building: Finding the Right People for the Right System 180 9. Leadership Values: Becoming a Head Honcho 210 PART IV Enhancing Your State of Mind 238 10. Mental Preparation I: Incorporating Imagery and Visualization into a Daily Routine 240 11. Mental Preparation II: Basic Principles of Effective Psycho-Regulation 258 12. Moral Performance: Is Winning Really Everything? 284 Conclusion 312 Acknowledgments 316 Index 318