In today's fast-paced, high-stakes environments, strong systems matter - but they're not enough. Sustainable performance is driven by one factor above all: the quality and distribution of leadership throughout the team and organisation. Not just from the top, but shared across your entire team or organisation. That's Performance Leadership.
In Amplify, Performance strategist and author of Simplify, Richard Young presents a clear, research-backed framework for individual leaders seeking to drive lasting impact. Drawing on Richard's insights from 11 Olympic cycles and work across 50 sports and industries in seven countries, this book distils what separates high-performing teams and systems from the rest - and how to apply those principles in any organisation.
You'll learn how to:
- Lead with clarity and intent in moments that matter
- Align roles and behaviours to strengthen team performance and cohesion
- Build anti-fragile environments that thrive in uncertainty
- Foster performance well-being that lifts energy and results
- Avoid the silent traps that erode momentum and culture
Whether you're leading a team, a business unit, or an entire organisation, Amplify provides a practical, actionable playbook for unlocking your leadership potential and amplifying the performance of those around you.
Because at the heart of every high-performing system is leadership that performs.
About the Author :
Richard Young is a globally recognised performance strategist. A former Olympian and PhD-trained scientist, he has designed and led high-performance systems in seven countries. His work spans national teams, elite programmes and cross-sector innovation, integrating insights from sport, the military, Formula 1 and research to deliver sustained results. Known for turning complexity into clear, actionable strategy, Richard is a trusted advisor to global leaders, international teams, and organisations to amplify impact, sustain success and lead lasting change.
Review :
Amplify is essential reading for anyone serious about performance leadership. It brings rare clarity to the realities of leading in high-stakes environments - where the pressure is constant, but so is the potential.
Across three decades in sport, governance and global leadership, I've been part of transformative system shifts - from athlete well-being and integrity reform, to advancing women in leadership, designing national programmes and leading major venue and stadium developments. At the heart of it all has been a commitment to building systems that enable people and teams to thrive, perform and succeed on the world stage. I recognise the depth in this book because I've lived the realities it speaks to.
Richard has created a powerful resource - one that distils the complexity of sustained high-performance leadership into something deeply usable, clear and relevant. Amplify combines lived experience, thoughtful insight and a strong structural backbone that helps leaders not only sharpen their thinking, but strengthen how they lead.
I'll be coming back to it often - Amplify sharpens your edge and keeps you leading where it matters most. It's a leadership essential!
- Kereyn Smith CNZM; Chair, The Eden Park Trust Board; Former CEO and Secretary General, New Zealand Olympic Committee; Vice President, Commonwealth Sport; Global Advocate for Women in Sport and Leadership
If you're serious about leading and delivering higher performance, then Amplify is essential reading.
Richard has delivered again. This book is packed with practical insights that unpack the real keys to performance leadership. He skillfully balances lived experience with evidence-based thinking - making the complex simple and the abstract actionable.
Amplify is a timely reminder that leadership is defined by action, not by title. In particular, action aligned to purpose. Purpose is fixed, but how we realise it must remain fluid. Richard brings this to life with precision - the more we add, the more we clutter. The less we simplify, the less we execute.
Great leaders empower, not control, because control is often just a poor reaction to pressure. As Amplify shows, sustained performance depends on simplicity, alignment and well-being.
This is a book I'll return to often. I hope you get as much value from it as I did.
- Don Tricker ONZM; World champion coach; former High Performance Manager at New Zealand Rugby; Director of Player Health and Performance, San Diego Padres
