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Become Unstoppable: The blueprint from the world's most successful sports team

By Gilbert Enoka

Become Unstoppable explains how success comes from mindset and daily habits, not just talent. Using examples from his work with the All Blacks, Gilbert Enoka shows how to stay calm under pressure, build confidence, and take responsibility for your actions. The book shares simple tools and real stories to help people overcome fear, work well with others, and perform consistently at their best through focus and discipline.

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Belonging: The Ancient Code of Togetherness

By Owen Eastwood

Owen Eastwood is a New Zealander of Ngāi Tahu descent known for his performance coaching world-wide. In this book he reflects on his Māori and Pākehā heritage and focuses on tikanga and whakapapa in his performance coaching.

Key Notes:

• Humans are wired for belonging.
• Modern life has eroded real connection.
• Rituals, gatherings, and shared experiences create belonging.
• Belonging must be actively designed and nurtured.

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Legacy: 15 Lessons in Leadership

By James Kerr

Legacy outlines the principles that transformed the New Zealand All Blacks into one of the most successful sports teams in history, maintaining a win rate of over 75% for over a century. The book emphasizes that a high-performance culture is built on character, humility, and a deep connection to a common purpose. James Kerr also draws on whakataukī and whakatauākī to punctuate the lessons.

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Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself & Others

By Adam Galinsky

In this book, Adam Galinsky argues that inspiring vs infuriating leadership lies on a continuum shaped by three universal factors that meet basic human needs: meaning and purpose, safety and passion, and belonging and growth.

Key Notes:

• Inspiration is not innate but something that can be learned.
• People thrive when leaders create meaning, psychological safety, belonging, and opportunities to grow.
• Great leaders provide purpose, model values through actions, and lift others to succeed.

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Habits of High Performers

By James Laughlin

Author James Laughlin emphasises that high performance isn't about luck or hustle, but about intentional habits that improve health, focus, resilience, and results.

Key Notes:

• Clarify vision and goals.
• Upgrade your belief system.
• Lead life with purpose.
• Lasting motivation.
• Win when it's hard.
• Prioritise.
• Build successful systems.

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Leading to the North-East: Ensuring the Fidelity of Relationship-Based Learning

By Russell Bishop

In this book, the author Russell Bishop argues that effective leadership, particularly in education, must move away from deficit thinking and toward relationship-based, culturally grounded practice.

Key Notes:

• Relationships are foundational for leaders.
• Focus on changing systems, practices, and beliefs.
• Leadership should authentically embed culture, identity, and language in everday practices.
• Leaders and teachers need agency and shared reqsponsibility for outcomes.

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Agency by Design: An Educator's Playbook

By Derek Wenmoth and Marsha Jones with George Edwards and Annette Thompson

This book explains the concept of learner agency and provides frameworks, tools, and examples to help educators intentionally cultivate it in classrooms and schools.

Key Notes:

• Learner agency grows when teachers intentionally design learner agency conditions.
• Powerful learning happens when students understand why they are learning, have a voice in how they learn, and take responsibility for their outcomes.
• Reflection, documentation, and dialogue help students see their growth and strengthen self-direction.

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