
Justin Bookey
Leadership Through a Unique Lens: Ping Pong. Principles to Succeed at Any Table in Business, Sports, and Life.
Justin is an award-winning marketing strategist, former lawyer, competitive table tennis player, and best-selling author of Ping Pong Leadership: 18 Principles to Succeed at Any Table in Business, Sports, and Life.
His talks combine practical leadership insights with engaging ping pong demonstrations, offering audience members an opportunity to explore leadership through a unique lens.
Justin’s experience spans working with leaders at Disney, Sony, Honda, Qualcomm, XPRIZE, and more. After practicing communications law in Washington, DC, Justin transitioned to content development, earning Emmy nominations for feature documentaries and Telly, Viddy, and ADDY awards for innovative digital campaigns.
Justin is also a table tennis player who has trained with national and world champions, medaling at the US Open and US National Championships. His passion for leadership and sports converges in his "Pong Principles," which apply lessons from ping pong to business and leadership.
Justin has an incredible ability to captivate and energize audience members and deliver engaging and thought-provoking sessions. Great for professionals seeking innovative ways to elevate their leadership skills.
Justin is an award-winning marketing strategist, former lawyer, competitive table tennis player, and best-selling author of Ping Pong Leadership: 18 Principles to Succeed at Any Table in Business, Sports, and Life.
His talks combine practical leadership insights with engaging ping pong demonstrations, offering audience members an opportunity to explore leadership through a unique lens.
Justin’s experience spans working with leaders at Disney, Sony, Honda, Qualcomm, XPRIZE, and more. After practicing communications law in Washington, DC, Justin transitioned to content development, earning Emmy nominations for feature documentaries and Telly, Viddy, and ADDY awards for innovative digital campaigns.
Justin is also a table tennis player who has trained with national and world champions, medaling at the US Open and US National Championships. His passion for leadership and sports converges in his "Pong Principles," which apply lessons from ping pong to business and leadership.
Justin has an incredible ability to captivate and energize audience members and deliver engaging and thought-provoking sessions. Great for professionals seeking innovative ways to elevate their leadership skills.
Pong Principle #1: Be Careful What You Measure, and Why
Pong Principle #1: Be Careful What You Measure, and Why
This age of Big Data has brought unfathomable amounts of raw information to our fingertips. The
challenge comes in carefully interpreting the raw data so that we can make sound judgments based on it.
As Nobel Prize-winning economist Ronald Coase put it, “If you torture the data long enough, it will
confess to anything.”
Bookey presents the case for...
Pong Principle #2: It’s a Rhythm Game
Pong Principle #2: It’s a Rhythm Game
Every ping pong (and racket sport) player has their own unique timing when hitting the ball: right after the
bounce, at the top of the bounce, after the top; there are thousands of micro-variations within. To
maximize your power and consistency, you have to know your rhythm and establish it in a rally, while
understanding your opponent’s rhythm. And then, you must know when to break the rhythm...
Pong Principle #6: What’s Your Ready Position?
Pong Principle #6: What’s Your Ready Position?
In ping pong, readiness to receive an incoming ball is critical – it’s a state of preparation you need in
every rally. Ready position means you’re balanced, knees bent, paddle in neutral position, ready to
receive either a backhand or forehand hit, long or short, fast or slow. And you adapt your stance based on
your own strengths and objectives.
In your career,...
Pong Principle #9: Embrace Your Quirks
Pong Principle #9: Embrace Your Quirks:
In this unique talk, Bookey asks the audience to think about their quirks. What’s an unusual character
trait, (in)experience, or pastime you’re a little sheepish about, because you think it might hold you back?
That quirk might just be a gold mine, because everyone’s road map to success is distinct.
Bookey illustrates how humble beginnings in a cramped Bay Area garage turned a...
Pong Principle #14: Reach for Excellence, Not Results
Pong Principle #14: Reach for Excellence, Not Results
Focusing too much on outcomes (winning the match, monthly sales metrics) can distract us from the
immediate, foundational task at hand: optimizing performance. You can only play one ball in any ping
pong match: the one that you’re about to hit. The last rally is gone, and the next one is a mere whisper of
potential. In this presentation, Bookey demonstrates how true excellence...