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

Bar-Eli, a professor of business and sports psychology at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, takes an energetic look at management and business success. Inspired to write a book on his lifelong interest—human performance—after a Parkinson’s diagnosis made him realize that his time was limited, Bar-Eli presents lessons from sports psychology, a field that he posits can aid our understanding of human behavior in general, and particularly our understanding of business activities. His interesting and varied life provides plenty of fodder; he begins with his time in the Israeli army during the Yom Kippur War and describes holding down unlikely jobs such as that of psychological consultant to Israel’s national table-tennis team. Focusing on the often hidden psychological forces behind human performance, he dives deep into the methodologies for cultivating mental preparedness and psychological awareness. He covers stress and performance, aspiration, self-confidence, and action, and he includes interesting anecdotes from sports history such as the story of the Fosbury Flop—an innovative new style of high jump when it was introduced at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. The exuberant tone and fresh angle make this a standout in the crowded job-performance subgenre, and readers looking for help with their careers need look no further. (Nov.)