William Collins scores book on team success from ex-England cricket selector Smith

William Collins has scored a book on how to achieve team success by former England cricketer and chief selector Ed Smith.  

Arabella Pike, publishing director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Making Decisions: Putting the Human Back in the Machine from David Godwin at David Godwin Associates. It will publish on 15th September. 

In Making Decisions, Smith lays out the toolkit needed to revolutionise a team’s performance at the highest level. Drafted in to turn England cricket around in 2018, his philosophy of decision-making using cutting-edge data analysis combined with the nuance of human contribution saw England go on to win seven out of 10 completed matches – better than they had ever performed.

Leadership, Smith argues, is increasingly about seeing the bigger picture, and bold decision making is about independent thought, risk taking and bravery to innovate. His transferable insights that reach beyond cricket and sport, offer a unique framework for developing and maximising talent, spotting team weaknesses, and successfully deploying new ideas, ultimately leading to stronger leadership and improved performance, William Collins said. 

Pike commented: “Elite sports tests the value of decision-making brutally. The score says it all. In this superb book, Ed shares the approaches he used to select some of England cricket’s most successful ever teams – as well as the art and science behind his decisions. It’s essential reading for all of us who want to build better teams and make smarter choices.” 

Smith added: “I’m delighted to be joining Arabella’s brilliant team at William Collins in publishing this book. I’ve always been absorbed by the interplay of theory and practice, and Making Decisions draws on three fascinating years at England cricket as well as life outside the game. How we approach and make decisions is a central element in every kind of team.”