A PERFORMANCE coach who helps sports professionals reach the top is to turn his attentions to North East businesses to up their game.
Gateshead-based Simon Hartley has shared his strategy for turning sports people into world-class competitors with Sunderland AFC, Durham and Yorkshire county cricket clubs and rugby teams, including Newcastle Falcons.
Now he has teamed up with nebusiness to inspire firms in the North East.
Businesses will learn from some of the best world-class professionals in the UK.
The Be World Class conference is organised by Hartley in association with Muckle LLP, and sponsored by HSBC and UK Trade and Investment.
Hartley says: “For many years I have had the pleasure of working with world-class athletes and sports teams.
“Watching them has raised questions in my mind. What is it that makes some people world-class?
“My rationale was simple.
“If there are traits that are common to world-class chefs, mountaineers, baristas, athletes, special forces personnel and scientists, those traits are likely to cross into any domain.
“I found that the interviews were incredibly insightful. They gave me a real glimpse into the way world-class people think, how they perceive the world and how they make decisions.
“I was able to get under the skin and start to understand very profound differences in the mind-set of world-class people.
“The Be World Class Conference allows me the chance to share some of these fantastic insights with people first hand! I want to give others the chance to meet these world-class people, chat to them, ask them questions and to be inspired by them, as I have been.”
There will be a talk from Kenny Atkinson, head chef at five-star Rockliffe Hall, near Darlington.
And gold-medal winning swimmer Chris Cook, from South Shields, South Tyneside, is also giving a talk. Another sports champion at the event is Keir Worth, head of performance at England Squash.
Others include James Hoffman, who was crowned World Barista Champion in 2007 and coached the World Champions of 2008 and 2009, and top adventure racer Bruce Duncan. Be World Class takes place at the Live Theatre in Newcastle from 8am to 4pm on October 6, 2011.
Tickets cost £85 plus VAT. For more information, or to buy a ticket, contact Ruth Craig at Muckle on 0191 211 7930 or email rcraig@muckle-llp.com
