The Art of Captaincy

Book excerpt: 'The man-management skills demonstrated by Brearley's handling of Ian Botham remain an inspiration' Nasser Hussain 'A subtle, wise book' Ed Smith 'The Art of Captaincy was, and is, an outstanding book. I would add only three words which I always bear in mind. Keep it simple' Richie Beneau In 1981, Mike Brearley captained England to a momentous Ashes series victory over Australia, an achievement widely regarded as one of the greatest feats in the history of English cricket. In so doing, he cemented his place as one of the most successful cricket captains of all time. In The Art of Captaincy, his treatise on leadership and motivation, Brearley draws directly on his experience of man-managing a team which included a pugnacious Ian Botham and Geoffrey Boycott. He explains what it takes to be a leader on and off the field, offers insight into his tactical understanding of the game, and shows how to get a group of individuals to work as a team. The Art of Captaincy is a classic handbook on how to generate, nurture and inspire success. With a new introduction by former England player and BBC commentator Ed Smith to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of its first publication, The Art of Captaincy remains indispensable for cricket fans and business leaders alike. Covering intuition, resourcefulness, clear-headedness and the importance of empathy as a means of achieving shared goals, Brearley's seminal account of captaincy is the ultimate blueprint for creating a winning mind set, and shows how lessons learned in the sporting arena can be applied to any walk of personal and professional life.