South Africans are still basking in the afterglow of an amazing RWC win. If you, like us, have a great interest in the successes of great leaders and managers, you too will be trying to make sense of exactly what it is that the Springbok leadership team have done, to bring us to this kind of success.
Shall we start at the top, with our Director of Rugby? We have noticed a few people suggest that he is a
mastermind and that his unpredictability is part of his success.
Well, what has been highlighted for me is that his actions are unpredictable, but at
his core consistency is paramount.
Rassie touts his own greatest success as the Rugby Academy started years ago. And that's coming from a back-to-back World Cup winning coach. That, right there is passion.
Passion for a game and the people involved in it. That is his consistency and that makes him an authentic leader at his core.
Has he demonstrated unpredictability? I am not so sure. If you look at all his decisions, such as the decision to take on the reffing-union after the Lions tour, the decision to bring adaptation to the Springbok game, the decision to run with the 7-1 split for the final, on the face of it, all of these behaviours could be those of an unpredictable management style... But when you look deeper, to his passion, to his "why", you have to admit that each and everyone of these decisions were well thought out and
each of them were done with consistent analysis and deliberation.
And that is why
I do not believe that he has an unpredictable style.
So, let's talk about the greater management team. Nienaber, another analyst of note and our Captain, Siya... The more senior players in the squad, even the medics and support teams- Have you heard any complaints coming from this squad in the preceding months and years? Have you heard even a whisper of discontent?
Who have they all trusted and believed in? The Director of Rugby. Why? Because at all times, whilst they may have thought some of his actions went against the spirit of the game (like social media will have you believe), they also knew that his core was solid and that when one person, whether that be your manager or not, makes an error,
the key to success lies in the consistency of a united passion.
Now, imagine this in a business environment? Can you?
Team Building starts from the top. Team Building starts with the "why". Team Building and greatness comes from every person respecting the other, whether their style is different to yours or not, whether they disagree on some actions or not.
The Bokke have said this win is for our country. What a better way to thank them than to ensure we do the necessary reflection, whether we are in management or not, and take a page out of their book.
© Debbie Engelbrecht 2023
Debbie is the MD at
Staff Training, providing soft skills and leadership training for South Africans since 2000. Should you wish for Staff Training to put together an annual training package for you, please email info@stafftraining.co.za
