Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool

Anders Ericsson, PhD, professor of psychology at Florida State University, distills his three decades of research that has revolutionized how we think about human achievement. He shows that no matter the field, the most effective approaches to improving performance follow a single set of principles he calls “Deliberate Practice”. In one instance, Ericsson examines 23 elite chess champions and finds that not only was a higher IQ no advantage, but it seemed to put them at a slight disadvantage. The reason: players with lower IQs more often engaged in the cycle of practicing, failing, getting feedback and practicing again.

HIGHLIGHT(S): Ericsson’s blueprint for success makes a powerful case for frequent feedback and coaching. (The Deliberate Practice framework informed the creation of the WJM Development Tracker™, WJM’s smartphone app for supporting and measuring Executive Coaching success.)