By: Thea Miller (COO UXi Sport)
As we celebrate the significant and historic win of the Springboks at the WORLD RUGBY CHAMIONSHIP and the reality starts sinking in, on what this team managed to achieve, we all face our own challenges and difficulties in business, sport and life. Today I take the time to share the important lessons I took away from their journey, seven lessons that have inspired me to achieve GREATER things as a leader and manager!
- Embrace diversity – there is such beauty in diversity if you know where to look. There is so much power there- diverse people, with different perspectives, talents and creativity can turn the ordinary into extraordinary!
- LEADERSHIP – the world desperately needs humble, integral leaders, that truly cares for their people in a team, understands their hardships and struggles, don’t judge, nor discriminates, has a service mentality and attitude, willing to sacrifice for his/her team and operates from a deep level of understanding and humility. The world needs role-models to inspire greatness!
- Analysis of you opponent/competitor- never before has it become more important to research and analyse our decisions as leaders within organisations, our markets, products and services. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your organisation both on a micro and macro level, will allow for strategic decision making that surprise stakeholders and competitors.
- PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS – the old saying that “we can not be all things to all people”- rings true, as there will always be someone stronger, better and smarter than you! The key is to know what you are truly good at and driving that to an exceptional level of expertise!
- Surround yourself with individuals that has specialist knowledge, skills and experience. No team can survive without those masters in their fields of expertise, who can present leaders and managers with the right information at the right time.
- Hard work always outweighs talent- the world-cup winners are not all the best players in their respective positions, but what they share is dedication and hard work, as well as the intent to win and do their best, regardless of the circumstances.
- Strategy – without a clear vision and plans to achieve the vision- there is no purpose. There is nothing to measure success to and hold each other in a team accountable.
While fans were gathering in their hundreds and thousands all over the world and in South Africa to support the BOKS, no one cared about race, colour or language barriers- for eighty minutes and for the hours that followed, South Africa was/is ONE nation, united by this incredible sport called rugby!
