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Even before you open the first page of this book, it is worthwhile taking a moment to read the cover.The co-author of ‘In Search of Excellence’, Tom Peter is quoted as saying “I am willing to guarantee that you will not read a more important and useful book in this or any other year”. I agree with this rather large statement.This is a must read for any coach, parent, athlete, sports administrator, manager and anyone in pursuit of not just doing well, but creating greatness.I know I valued this book on so many levels myself. As someone who works in sport, someone who does sport and also as a parent.

In seven words the book is all about: “Greatness isn’t born.It’s grown.Here’s how.” I’d suggest this book is similar to Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and Talent is overrated by Geoff Colvin.I’ve likely offended all three authors in saying that, as each does present their own contribution to the broader topic of top performers.

The book focuses on what are termed “talent hot beds”. Talent hot beds are tiny places that produce dis-proportionate ‘Everest-size amounts’ of talent, examples include Brazilian footballers or Korean women golfers and the book provides a wide variety of impressive examples. The key theme of the book is these talent hot beds are not random occurrences but are places which share the same skill acquisition and success foundations. Each hotbed has certain characteristics and patterns of targeted, deep practice which builds skill, the result of which is accelerated learning.

Understanding how this happens and learning from what these hot beds have in common, means sports coaches can begin to create a similar environment based on the foundations of the hot beds.

The Talent Code effectively presents a methodology to ‘crack’ the code on talent by detailing what each of the talent hot beds has in common. The book is divided into three basic elements of what talent is and also, is not. According to the book, talent is a function of “deep practice”, “ignition” and “master coaching”.

I highly recommend this book as the most important tool for improving your sports program.

Read below for what others have personally shared with me after they read the book, or further down this page you can read my Talent Code Book Summary which is literally what I underlined in the book as I read it.