Distancing
How Great Leaders Reframe to Make Better Decisions
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Buy Now for $21.99
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Narrated by:
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Mark Deakins
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
Distance gives you perspective. Bestselling author of Turn the Ship Around! David Marquet and professor of psychology Michael Gillespie show you how to make better decisions by becoming your own coach.
Be yourself. Be fully present. Be in the moment. That is the message we hear constantly. Yet, the biggest obstacle to making wiser, more successful decisions is often... ourselves. Our limited perspective biases our choices, leading us to defend past actions rather than seek better alternatives. We need to step outside our narrow view and gain an objective, fresh perspective. In other words, we need a coach.
In Distancing, former David Marquet and Michael Gillespie show us how to coach ourselves into making better decisions using a powerful mental technique called psychological distancing. By practicing:
• Self-distancing: we can be someone else, adopting a neutral observer’s perspective.
• Spatial distancing: we can be somewhere else, zooming out and seeing ourselves as part of a larger picture.
• Temporal distancing: we can be sometime else, assessing our decisions through the eyes of our future self.
Backed by compelling scientific research, real-world examples and hands-on exercises,
Distancing empowers you to break free from self-limiting patterns and make clearer, smarter choices. The tools are simple. The impact is profound.
© L. David Marquet 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
Critic Reviews
Distancing is the leadership book we didn’t know we needed. David Marquet once again challenges outdated command and control thinking and gives us a fresh lens for making better decisions in today’s complex world. His concept of “psychological distance” is both practical and profound helping leaders step back, gain clarity, and empower others without losing accountability. This is co-authored by Michael Gillespie who has deep understanding of human behaviour and psychology.
Most organisations suffer from decision delay, decision fatigue and escallation of commitment once they are finally made. Distancing helps address this problem by reframing in a different time, place and persona.
What I loved most is how applicable this is, whether you’re leading a Fortune 500 team, a start-up, or even just trying to improve tactical decision making. The stories are compelling, the frameworks are simple without being simplistic, and you can immediately apply them.
Marquet has a rare ability to blend deep insight with an engaging, relatable style. Just like Turn the Ship Around, this isn’t theory it’s a toolkit. I finished the book feeling more equipped, more confident, and more determined to lead with intent.
If you read one leadership book this year, make it Distancing. It’s practical, inspiring, and, most importantly, transformative.
A Game Changer for Modern Leadership
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