An Interview with Ben Almond

Ben Almond is a judo coach and business leader with a passion for simplifying complexity, developing talent, and delivering excellence.

Born in Cheltenham in the West of England, he attended the village school in Charlton Kings until the age of eleven, from where he gained a scholarship to Rendcomb College, near Cirencester. Ben spent seven years at this idyllic, rural boarding school, where he was introduced to judo in 1978 by his art teacher.

After gaining a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in Latin and French from the University of Bristol, he relocated to the London-area where he has lived since 1989. He gained professional accreditation with the institutes of both chartered accountancy and chartered surveying. Working initially in derivatives trading analysis for a variety of investment banks, he went on to specialise in designing and delivering corporate real estate strategies for a number of well-known companies. He has provided global leadership for teams across six continents. Based on his ‘judo philosophy,’ he developed a unique style of leadership coaching, delivering a number of interactive judo-inspired business workshops for corporate clients in both the UK and the US.

Ben qualified as a sports coach in 2006. He holds a level three (aspiring elite performance) qualification in judo and is a 3rd Dan black belt. He is a volunteer coach at Moberly Judo Club in London, where he is also head of performance strategy. In 2024, he was appointed as a member of the British Judo Association’s National Coaching Committee.

Married twice, Ben is father to four children who are also all judoka. His three boys are all black belts. His daughter is still active on the competitive circuit and is also a qualified judo referee. The family’s judo achievements, and the success of all Ben’s corporate teams, were built on his judo-based leadership principles, which he has since come to refer to as ‘judo thinking.’

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What inspired you to start writing this book?

Throughout my business career, I found I was constantly turning to judo for my leadership inspiration. I saw a constant in the values and concepts of judo which I could frequently apply for the benefit of my teams and my own self-improvement. Over the years this evolved into a way of thinking. This judo philosophy, my passion which fuels it, and the lessons we can derive from it, were therefore at the heart of my purpose for wanting to write my book.

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

My book is called Judo Thinking. The book explores the core values, principles and mental processes which judo players apply in order to improve their performance. The book then explains their application to business leadership situations. These memorable two words, Judo Thinking, perfectly capture the concepts of the book.

The title evolved over the course of my writing. Early working versions of the book title included Judo Values for Business and The Secret Art of Mental Efficiency. Then one birthday, my family gave me a coffee mug inscribed with the statement: “I may look like I’m listening to you, but in my head, I’m doing judo.” And the title just came to me. Doing judo in your head, is judo thinking. I started using the term to explain my judo philosophy and it ultimately became the title of my book about six months before I finished my first draft.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

The songs of Bob Dylan would be the perfect soundtrack to my book. As I mention in the final chapter, the soundtrack of my life in judo was reflected in Dylan’s powerful and poetic lyrics. When he wrote A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall in 1962, four years before I was born, he used the lyrics of his final verse to express the compulsion he felt to share his passionate beliefs. In just a few powerful lines, he conveys a desire to reverberate his thoughts from the mountain tops, so that everyone will be aware of his way of thinking. I felt that compulsion too; a burning desire to find the right words to explain and share the incredible benefits of judo with anyone who would listen.

But Dylan also advises caution. He follows up his initial statement with the acknowledgment that, before you commence to sing or write about something, you first need to fully understand your topic. “We need the precision of old timers,” he said. And he was not wrong. For almost fifty years, I had felt the need to shout about the benefits of judo from the mountain tops. But only now, having amassed a lifetime of experience in judo thinking, do I feel ready and prepared to share my story. It is time to sing my song.

What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?

I have often said that my book is ‘standing on the shoulders of giants.’ It evolved from the knowledge, experience, and wisdom of those writers who went before me; experts in numerous fields including judo, leadership, and human psychology.

I read over forty-five books as part of my research for Judo Thinking. The most notable inspiration came from the writings of Jigoro Kano himself, the founder of judo. But I also learned from other judo writers, such as Gunji Koizumi, Inazo Nitobe, Neil Adams, and Mark Law. In addition, I was influenced by many modern authors on human interaction such as John Amaechi, James Clear, Simon Sinek, Stephen Covey, Patrick Lencioni, Thomas Erikson, Steve Peters, and Daniel Kahneman. I continue to enjoy reading and re-reading their excellent words of wisdom.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I started life as a linguist. After gaining a university degree in Latin and French, I commenced a career in accountancy and then capital markets, working in derivatives for a number of investment banks. Later in my career, I transitioned to real estate, where I designed and delivered corporate real estate strategies for a number of well-known global companies. During my professional career, I gained accreditation with the institutes of both chartered accountancy and chartered surveying. Today, I run my own management consultancy. Alongside my business career, I have been actively involved in sports coaching. As well as being a judo black belt, I have been a qualified coach for over twenty years.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

The founder of judo writes that the purpose of judo is to improve yourself and contribute something of value to society. As a judoka, my book is my contribution.

My writing style was influenced by numerous authors. I wanted to make my concepts of human interaction and learning accessible to a broad audience in a fun and engaging way. I also wanted my book to appeal to both judoka and non-judoka. For this reason I have included twenty-three easy-to-read personal stories in the book which capture the essence of the principles I am trying to explain. The book is therefore a mixture of styles; judo education, business application, and stories relating both to community.

Where is your favorite place to write?

It took me almost five years to write my book. During most of that time I was a senior leader at a well-known global company, managing a large real estate portfolio over twenty-six countries. I travelled frequently, spending many hours on planes, in hotel rooms, and in coffee shops. As a result, I wrote most of my book using the notes app on my phone and then transferred these notes to my laptop for final editing at home.

So I have literally written my book on top of the world; in the skies above the oceans and the countries of Europe, Asia, and North America. Parts were written in hotels overlooking places like the Sydney Opera House, Central Park, and the bays of Hong Kong and Singapore. And I have written in a multitude of coffee shops from San Francisco to Boston, from Paris to Milan, and from Berlin to Madrid. But of all these places, my favourite place to write, has always been in my own study at my house, north of London. It’s always great to travel, but ultimately, nothing beats the comfort of home.

What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?

As a new author, I initially thought I needed perfection. At first, when I began collating my notes and structuring them into the semblance of a book, I found myself editing, and re-editing chapter one numerous times. Then I heard an interview by Richard Osman, author of the Thursday Murder Club series, in which he advised the opposite approach. “Just write it all,” suggested Richard, “and don’t start editing until you have a complete manuscript.” This was sound advice, and a major help to me in my writing process. I would pass on this advice to anyone commencing a writing project. Just write it. Write it all. And then, and only then, start editing. The first draft will be terrible…but you’ll have a structure to work with and you’ll make much better progress.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

Judo is not just a fighting system. It contains a secret art of efficient thinking. People who can master judo thinking principles will apply their mental energy in a far more effective way. In turn, this will lead to better engagement with others and improved performance for themselves.

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