Rebel Ideas

'I like listening to people who know things that I don't,' Gareth Southgate told me. 'That's how you learn.'

“A master of the genre”

On a vital and still-overlooked topic, Matthew Syed has assembled a compelling base of evidence from a wide range of scientists. If that sounds intimidating, don't worry: Syed is a superb storyteller. I couldn't put the book down, and I learned so much. A stunning achievement The Undercover Economist
A gripping read, full of intelligence and perspective
Will change the way you think about success and even about life
The Times
Entertainingly weaves together stories from business and politics to argue persuasively that cognitive diversity boosts collective intelligence The Times
Syed excels in drawing together disparate stories and examples, and weaving them together into an interesting narrative TES

Matthew Syed is the bestselling author of Bounce, Black Box Thinking and You Are Awesome. He writes an award-winning newspaper column in The Times and is the host of the hugely successful BBC podcasts, Flintoff, Savage and the Ping Pong Guy and Sideways. Matthew is the co-founder of Greenhouse, a charity that empowers youngsters through sport, a member of the FA's High Performance Committee and an ambassador for the PiXL educational foundation. Matthew lives in London with his wife and two children. To find out more about Matthew's work visit:

'I like listening to people who know things that I don't,' Gareth Southgate told me. 'That's how you learn.' Former Olympian and best-selling author Matthew Syed is one of the advisors Gareth Southgate engaged from outside football in order to find new ways of working as a team. In Rebel Ideas , discover how Southgate 'the man with the plan' replaced 50 years of hurt with two major tournament semi-finals in three years.' Matthew Syed's phenomenal bestseller will change the way you think about success - for ever. 'Syed is a superb storyteller. I couldn't put the book down, and I learned so much. A stunning achievement' Tim Harford, author of The Undercover Economist Rebel Ideas examines the power of 'cognitive diversity' - the ability to think differently about the world around us.It explains how to harness our unique perspectives, pool our collective intelligence and tackle the greatest challenges of our age - from climate change to terrorism. It draws on a dazzling range of case studies, including the catastrophic failings of the CIA before 9/11, a fatal communication breakdown on top of Mount Everest and a moving tale of deradicalisation in America's Deep South. Rebel Ideas will strengthen any team or organisation, but has dozens of individual applications, too: from the art of reinvention to the remarkable benefits of personalised nutrition. It shows us how to become more creative, how to collaborate in a world becoming more interconnected, and how to break free of echo chambers that surround us all. Now updated with a new chapter on the Covid-19 crisis 'A gripping read, full of intelligence and perspective' James Dyson'Will change the way you think about success and even about life' Judy Murray'A master of the genre' The Times

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