The most capped woman player in British hockey and the international captain for over a decade, Kate guided the team through tough times, a revolution of personnel and culture, and on to Olympic glory. With lessons in leadership, teambuilding and vision, Kate reveals how a group of competitive individuals can come together to defy expectations.
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RICS
Kate Richardson-Walsh is one of the most respected figures in British sport. As the most-capped female hockey player in the country’s history, and captain of the GB and England teams for 13 years, she led her teams through extraordinary highs and lows, including their historic gold medal win at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
A key figure in building her team’s culture of trust, commitment and shared purpose, Kate draws on her 18-year international career to explore high-performance, leadership, and inclusion. Her experience spans the challenges of elite sport, including setbacks, reinvention, and transformation, exploring how the team went from finishing 11th in the world in 2014 to becoming Olympic champions two years later.
With warmth, honesty and insight into the psychological tools and cultural strategies that helped her team thrive, Kate looks at the common factors within any great team. She considers how a shared vision, team-built values and individual self-awareness unlock collective success alongside themes such as leading through values, building high-performing cultures, authentic leadership and resilience in the face of adversity. Kate is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion. She made history with her wife Helen as the first same-sex couple to win Olympic gold in the same team, and she continues to contribute to champion equity and representation in sport and beyond.