DISTANCING

Be yourself. Be fully present. Be here now. These are messages we hear constantly. But the biggest obstacle to making smarter decisions is ourselves.

Being fully immersed in our own biased point of view and our inherent need to protect ourselves never results in better outcomes. We need an outside perspective that can assess us and the situation we're in more objectively. Like elite athletes and the most effective executives, to perform at our very best, we need a coach. This book shows us how to be our own coach by using a mental technique called psychological distancing. We do this in three main ways: self-distancing, spatial distancing, and temporal distancing. First, as Coach, we are not us. This activates the neutral observer perspective. Second, as Coach, we are physically displaced from the field of play. We see ourselves as one person in a complex environment involving many others. Third, as Coach, we time travel. We reflect on our past actions and assess our future decisions without bias. We become Coach during key moments by using these three distancing approaches: Be someone else. Be somewhere else. Be sometime else. Featuring startling scientific research, business cases, and personal stories, Distancing provides powerful practical tools that enable us to see more clearly and make better decisions for ourselves and for our organizations. L. David Marquet graduated top of class from the U.S. Naval Academy and commanded the nuclear-powered submarine USS Santa Fe. Since retiring from the Navy, he has worked with businesses globally as a leadership consultant and speaks about Intent-Based Leadership around the world. A highly sought-after speaker, his clients include Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, professional sports teams, business schools, and governments. He is the bestselling author of Turn the Ship Around! and Leadership Is Language. His books have been translated into 15 languages. Michael A. Gillespie is a psychology professor at the University of South Florida, where he specializes in organizational psychology and directs the Human Applied Cognition and Decision-Making Lab. His widely cited research on psychological measurement, organizational culture, and leadership is published in top business and psychology journals. He earned his BA from the University of South Florida, his MA from Michigan State University, and his PhD from Bowling Green State University.