What did we learn?

Last year everyone was talking about the Springboks and Rassie Erasmus and Siya Kolisi and everything they did to win the World Cup.  For a number of weeks after the end of the competition, I heard many people unpacking the lessons they took from the approach taken by the Boks since Rassie Erasmus joined as coach.

All South Africans and for that matter, everyone in the world had a model of success to consider.  Each person had the chance to summarise the lessons as observed by watching the games, as noted from hearing about their process over a two-year period and as heard from their interviews.

We all had the chance not only to note but to implement the lessons. Six months later, we should all be six months into our own two-year process as committed to after the Boks raised the trophy.

·         Are you six months into it?  Is it working?

·         Are you nowhere?  Did you simply talk a good game plan but have done nothing?

·         Did you take nothing from it even though you are not winning?

·         Were you winning at the time and are you still winning?

My ten lessons from the Springboks:

What I see as valuable:

1.       Get points on the board early – businesses are measured annually. We have twelve months to achieve our annual profit and revenue targets. Get going straight away after year-end to ensure you get points on the board early otherwise we will always be playing catch up.

2.       Practice, perfect and implement ‘Set Plays’ – teamwork, collaboration and role coordination does not happen by accident. Practice, practice, practice until teamwork becomes standard practice.

3.       A game plan for every game – each customer is different, each market place different, each team member different. Plan the right approach for each and every situation based on facts gathered.

4.       Represent something bigger – getting caught in the ‘how’ every day will get tedious. Great teams work within the context of a higher purpose, something that is bigger than them, an ideal that each team member finds compelling and that provides grounding to temper the dangers of the ego.

5.       Absorb the knocks – there will be disappointments along the journey of life. Practice the ability to recover and the ability to return to your core values quickly to minimise approaching daily activity from any other emotional space than the best version of yourself.

What I see as invaluable:

6.       Acceptance of mediocrity – there is a massive trap here that when coupled with validation makes for a place that is difficult to escape from. Define what winning looks like and accept nothing else.

7.       Blame – choose self-empowerment all the time, avoid a victim mentality. No matter what presents itself as a challenge, get into the place where you are being empowered deal with it in the best possible way.

8.       FEAR – false evidence appearing real. Find the evidence that squashes what you fear and be prepared to look for this evidence in remote areas. Those things that the masses fear and appear so real to them only promote further fear. There is always someone that has overcome a fear and is evidence of the good that came from it. 

9.       Separate development – a silo or an ‘us and them’ reality in a team will lower chances of success. Unity, oneness, together, common are signs of effective leadership.  Effective leadership brings sides together, ineffective leadership sows division.

10.   Entitlement – believing that we are owed something without having to work for it first, is a sure sign that the ego is replacing higher purpose. By remembering that effort precedes reward and that we sow what we reap, we stand a better chance of remaining humble even when the world wants to place us on pedestals.  Remaining humble maintains people at their centre. Always be centred for excellence.

Truth be told, the Springboks did not come up with the above lessons, they merely implemented them.  What they did for us is to show us that these things work. 

If you have any doubts left after the great victory of 2019, call us and we’ll facilitate one of our Goals, Roles & Souls experiential sessions for your team. We will show you how to win by maximising certain behaviours and minimising others.   

Please note that our Goals Roles & Souls sessions can be offered remotely.