Learning About Leadership: Lessons From The Legendary All Blacks

If you are looking to become the strongest leader in your market or sector, then you should take a look at the All Blacks. As the most successful professional sports franchise in our history, New Zealand’s national rugby team can boast some pretty incredible stats. Over 100 years they have been undefeated in 75% of their matches. This high-performance culture understands all the core values of leadership and how to turn them into results. 

A sports team is no different from any other team. Everyone has their role, each is a vital member, and they all look to their coach. It is the effectiveness of leadership that brings each one of the essential members together—creating a culture of integrity, passion and trust. The All Blacks are famous for their Haka. This is a traditional ritual which sees the team come together before each match to remind themselves of who they are, where they come from and why they are there. In the famous film The Wolf Of Wall Street, a similar ritual was seen before a big trading day. With one leader encouraging and inspiring his team to be loud, be brave and be bold. This same process can be used within any business. A great leader understands that no one is bigger than the team and uses meetings to pull everyone together and promotes work ethics and continuous improvement to inspire high-level performance in sales, marketing and productivity. 

In the book Legacy, James Kerr highlights the remarkable ways that the All Blacks have gained their success. Every part of the book can be applied to leadership in business. It is one of the best books a business owner or team leader can read and will enhance their leadership style in multiple ways.

The team is essential on every level, and the All Blacks understand that who they work with and how their environment feels is vital. This is why they have the ethos “No one is too big to look after the small things”, and at the end of all their matches the team cleans up before they hit any celebrations. No one looks after the All Blacks. To build a team like that you may look to outsource. HR management from Employer Advantage gets to know your core values and understand the culture of your business. An HR team is an essential support for a strong leader and will ensure you have the right people, working together for the same goal. 

The All Blacks also understand the link between success and the ability to adapt. It’s not enough to be on top of their game. They realise if you come complacent through success, then you will be beaten. So they look for ways to change the game. They are creating a gap between them and their competitors. With this constant ability to stay ahead of the game, they can ensure they are the pinnacle of their sport. You can apply this in your business by ensuring you always learn and grow and look for innovative ways to switch the way your industry works. 

Quality leadership that understands the importance of each member of your team, that can inspire and bring a culture of growth, will drive you to the top of your industry and keep you there.