An interactive companion
Performance Thinking
Mark Powell and Jonathan Gifford’s five principles for borrowing the mindset of musicians, actors and athletes to build performance-minded organizations — read chapter by chapter, or explore its 115 extracted terms and 486 connections as a knowledge graph.
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Next live session
Live with Mark Powell: Q&A on Performance Thinking
Thursday, October 8 at 5:00 PM UTC
Monthly live session with the author — bring a question about applying any of the five principles to your own team. Recording shared with VIP members afterward.
The knowledge atlas
Open the full atlas →Take the quiz
What kind of performer are you?
8 quick scenarios, scored against the book’s 5 principles — get a personalized reading path and a result to share.
Try it live
The Rehearsal Room
Run one of the book’s real ensemble-building exercises with your own team — guided prompts and timers included.
Five principles
Develop a Performance Mindset
Thinking like a performer: non-linear, holistic, project-focused, built on deliberate practice.
2Build Connected Ensembles
How genuine ensembles -- in jazz, theatre and business teams -- create together and stay connected under pressure.
3Have a Purpose, Tell a Story
Great performances have form, purpose and a story that keeps being reinterpreted for a new audience.
4Rehearse Creatively
Playing, experimenting and taking risks in rehearsal so the real performance can be trusted.
5Delight the Audience
Performing at every level, from psyching up to staying connected to the audience in the moment.
Four domains
The worlds the book draws its worked examples from.
Music
Pianists, jazz ensembles and conductors as models of practice, listening and connection.
Theatre, Dance & Improv
Actors, directors, dancers and improvisers on presence, trust and directive leadership.
Sport
Elite athletes and coaches on practice, psyching up and performing under pressure.
Business Leadership
Executives and organizations translating performance thinking into strategy and culture.