All Blacks - Create a winning team

The New Zealand rugby team is the iconic team in sports history. There are very few teams that even have a chance of coming close to their continued and sustained success for over 100 years. But back in 2004, something was wrong. The 2003 World Cup had gone badly, and by the start of the following year senior All Blacks were threatening to leave. Discipline was drunk and disorderly and to make things worse, the All Blacks were losing.

In response, a new management team under Graham Henry began to rebuild the world's most successful sporting team from inside out. Change was a necessity and Graham Henry set about stripping out every aspect of the team and re-building the culture, placing a priority on the core values of humility, excellence and respect. They wanted a fresh culture that placed emphasis on individual character and personal leadership. Their mantra "Beter People make Better All Blacks". The results speak for themselves. There are many leadership lessons to be learned from this culture shift that every change manager or leader should know.

All Blacks are never selected on form alone – they are selected as much on character, as anything else. And they have to fit in with the rest of the team. It’s all about the “We”, rather than the “Me”. Henry’s philosophy was that “better people make better All Blacks.” For this reason, it is possible that some New Zealand’s greatest rugby players on a practical level may never wear the black jersey, because form alone is not enough to make you an All Black. The All Blacks philosophy is that if you mix great form with great character, then over time you will develop and become the greatest and most successful kind of rugby player. Anyone can have a great season, but they won’t necessarily grow into the role of an All Black. Winning is important, but ultimately it's also about the way you win. 

One of the important factors in Graham Henry’s strategy is about developing leaders off the field first and foremost. It’s about that sense of heritage and whakapapa; of “leaving the black jersey in a better place”, by paying respect and tribute to the ancestors (those All Blacks who have come before), and also being a great leader and role model for young rugby players, and those All Blacks yet to be born. 

Sweep the Sheds

Humility is a cardinal All Blacks value. Though it might seem strange for a team of imperious dominance, humility is core to their culture. The All Blacks believe that it's impossible to achieve stratospheric success without having your feet planted firmly on the ground. Before leaving the dressing room at the end of the game, the most famous names in rugby stop and tidy up after themselves. They literally and figuratively "sweep the sheds".

Follow the spearhead

In Maori, whanau means 'extended family'. It's symbolised by the spearhead. Though a spearhead has three tips, to be effective all of its force must move in one direction. Hence the All Blacks mantra 'No Dickheads', a term shamelessly stolen from the Sydney Swans. The All Blacks select on character as well as talent, which means some of New Zealand's most promising players never pull on the black jersey – considered dickheads, their inclusion would be detrimental to the teamspirit.

Champions do extra

'Champions Do Extra'. This philosophy simply means finding incremental ways to do more – in the gym, on the field or for the team. It is much like a philosophy of marginal gains. A focus on continual improvement, the creation of a continual learning environment, and a willingness to spill blood for the jersey was at the core of All Black culture.

Keep a blue head

New Zealand rugby has learned some harsh lessons in the past about poor mental preparation. These lessons were a genuine catalyst for improvement. The All Blacks worked with forensic psychiatrist Ceri Evans to understand how the brain works under pressure. They wanted to overcome their habit of choking. 'Red Head' is an unresourceful state in which you are off task, panicked and ineffective. 'Blue Head', on the other hand, is an optimal state in which you are on task and performing to your best ability. The All Blacks use triggers to switch from Red to Blue. Richie McCaw stamps his feet, literally grounding himself, while Kieran Read stares at the farthest point of the stadium, searching for the bigger picture. Using these triggers, the players aim to achieve clarity and accuracy, so they can perform under pressure. During the nail-biting World Cup final against France in 2011, most of the players would have been in the red, there were only a few in the blue. And they were the guys dressed all in black.

Leave the jersey in a better place

Another key to overcoming the tendency to "choke" is the importance of playing for something bigger than yourself. The All Blacks believe that a team with a higher purpose creates a higher performance. They have a saying: ‘leave the jersey in a better place’. Their task is to represent all those great players who have come before them and all those who follow suit. An All Black is, by definition, a role model to schoolchildren across New Zealand. Understanding this responsibility creates a compelling sense of higher purpose. Better people make better All Blacks. It's a good lesson for us all: if we play a bigger game, we play a more effective game. 

You can read all about The All Blacks in the book Legacy by James Kerr

The book describes 15 down-to-earth leadership lessons.

1.     Sweep the sheds – Never be too big to do the small things that need to be done - Character

2.     Go for the gap – When you’re on top of your game, change your game - Adapt

3.     Play with purpose – Ask ‘why’ - Purpose

4.     Pass the ball – Leaders create leaders - Responsibility

5.     Create a learning environment – Leaders are teachers - Learn

6.     No dickheads – Follow the spearhead - Whanau

7.     Embrace expectations – Aim for the highest cloud - Expectations

8.     Train to win – Practise under pressure - Preparation

9.     Keep a blue head – Control your attention - Pressure

10.  Know thyself – Keep it real - Authenticity

11.  Champions do extra – Find something you would die for and give your life to it - Sacrifice

12.  Invent a language – Sign your world existence - Language

13.  Ritualize to actualize – Create a culture - Ritual

14.  Be a good ancestor – Plant trees you’ll never see - Whakapapa

15.  Write your legacy – This is your time - Legacy

Legacy looks at the All Blacks in depth from a deeply personal, internal view. The fifteen chapters perfectly illustrate how the incredible success of the team has transpired and can be replicated in your business. To paraphrase, the secret would seem to centre around three key pillars: culture, character and empowerment.

Pillar One - Culture

Peter Drucker once famously said that “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” This cornerstone of the incredible success enjoyed by the New Zealand rugby team certainly supports the claim. As stated above, a cultural change was a priority. "The sound of the Haka is the sound of the earthquake.” Culture, ritual and mantras have long been a part New Zealand culture yet the team had disconnected with the story told in their traditional pre-match challenge. Graham Henry brought in an expert to re-write the Haka and Kapa O Pango was born in 2005, reflecting far more the new cultural background of the team.

Graham Henry looked at a team that were still performing at a comparatively high standard and realised that change was a priority. The first part of this was to look at the culture of the team. Henry’s vision was to create a values based, vision led, purpose driven team that were playing for something far bigger than themselves. The All Blacks are playing for more. They are playing to leave the shirt in a better place. They are playing to be great All Backs. They are playing to protect a legacy. Higher meaning leading to higher purpose. This powerful vision and purpose is aligned to rock solid values of excellence, humility and respect that underlie all that they do. Similar to Bill Walsh and his legendary San Francisco 49ers team, the All Blacks leadership team felt that getting the base line culture and values right would mean that the score takes care of itself.

The team has looked to create a sustainable culture of success by creating a learning culture that allows you to be the best that you can be. The six objects that they identified to work on were: skills, strength and conditioning, nutrition, game awareness, mental strength and team.

The final two on this list is where so much of the focus was centred. The being of team became central along with the we, not me mentality. Very few teams in the corporate world take time to really focus on the team. Those that do perform well above the average in their markets. Sir Clive Woodward spoke in his book Winning about taking everything out of your house and only putting back in what was necessary and needed. This is exactly what Graham Henry was able to do in his thorough review of the team. Taking the time to review any organisation in this way can bring spectacular findings yet often we fail to put our heads above the parapet.

Once the vision was in place and the values agreed, the team looked to make culture a competitive advantage. They focussed on authenticity and creating an environment that people wanted to be a part of. This manifested itself both in building a culture of excellence where people were supported to be the very best that they could be but also little touches such as allowing the team to have a beer in their club colours to bond together as a unit. Players began to feel that they would be able to maximise their ability by playing for something bigger than themselves.

For the All Blacks, the soft stuff was the hard stuff. Skills, strength and nutrition were easy. Mental strength, vision, values and purpose somewhat more different. Their commitment to excellence in these fields have been key. The 2013/2014 All Blacks are not the biggest in rugby. They do, however, continue to win in the final minutes by consistent mental strength and a performance focus that has culturally become very much a part of who they are. Much of this can be attributed to a decade of conditioning, taking lessons and learning all the way.

The All Blacks had developed a very unwanted reputation since 1987 for choking in the big games. They would enter nearly every World Cup as the number one ranked team in the world but constantly fall short. In 2011, they smashed the French 8-7! The one team in world rugby that focusses on process and performance right up until the final minute to snatch victory from defeat is the All Blacks. Results are everything to them but the performance is the critical factor. Again in business, results far too often trump process and pressure means that people veer away from what actually makes them successful. They looked to take a vision and execute the strategy repeatedly. A culture focussed on performance sets a very strong foundation for success. Again, the score takes care of itself. Performance = Capability x behaviour.

Once the culture is set, James speaks of the need to “ritualize to actualize.” Ritual, imagery, metaphor and language are powerful parts of the All Black culture, re-enforcing key messages throughout the team. This can be ported directly into the corporate world. Saatchi & Saatchi has “nothing is impossible” embedded in the stone steps outside their offices. When you enter the building you cross the threshold into a place where anything is possible. Wal-Mart have a Saturday morning meeting that dates back 50 years ritualising knowledge sharing and collective endeavour. This creates a powerful belief system.

Alongside rituals, language and words create revolutions. There is an outstanding narrative and central vocabulary synonymous with many elite performing organisations. The US Marines talk about honour, courage and commitment. Apple speak of Empathy, Focus and Impute. The All Blacks would regularly use power words such as outstanding, accuracy, clarity, world class and red hot. They brought in mantras such as champions do extra, the Black plague, better people make better All Blacks etc. Language that becomes a competitive advantage and almost a self-fulfilling prophesy. Through a clarity of vision, a compelling purpose, living values, a culture focussed on performance, learning and excellence, and the clever use of narrative and rituals, the All Blacks have built an enviable record of success. All of this is absolutely transferrable to any environment.

Pillar Two - Character

James Kerr puts it colourfully as one of the chapters in the book – No Dickheads. The All Blacks are selected on character over skills alone. The same is said of the SAS. It is a constant theme through all of the great teams and leaders. Unequivocally, in all of these teams the team comes first. This is absolutely the case in the modern day All Blacks.

Better people make better All Blacks. As James said, if they make better All Blacks then they also make better brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, CEOs, salesman and programmers. The cultural re-design ensured that, to quote Jim Collins, the journey started with the right people on the bus and in the right seat and the wrong people off the bus. They looked for people who matched their ambition to continuously improve.

Mana (authority and respect) became sacrosanct. Humility has been one of their most sought after traits. Ubuntu, the desire to make a ripple in the pond and to make a positive influence on everyone that you meet became regularly spoken of. Ubuntu has strong echoes of the successful Proteas South African Cricket Team and was a feature of the Mandela years. Successful businesses are more and more taking their opportunity to leave their ripple in the pond. Zappos, Apple, Toms shoes and many more have seen that giving back and giving rather than taking can create huge brand loyalty, both from an internal and external perspective.

The team understand sacrifice. As part of their initiation on winning a cap, new players will be tapped on the shoulder by legends of the game and asked two questions:

■ What do you bring to the team?

■ What are you prepared to sacrifice?

The questions show where a focus is placed on the character of the new members of the team.

They select people who want to be better and to learn everything from their skills to their heads. The job of the mental skills coach has been to build strength and character throughout the squad. The core team of players have been instrumental in building that core strength throughout the team. The mental strength and character of the team has been championed throughout the rugby world but it has been worked on through necessity. In the 2011 final Kieran Read was slapping the team on the back reminding them to return to their “blue heads”. There are triggers to get them to think clearly under pressure such as Richie McCaw stamping his foot to get grounded. Mental strength is a core aspect of character. The All Blacks have worked hard to build in in bucket loads. Very few companies are still looking at this aspect of performance. Should we be doing more to get the heads right of the sales teams, tech teams, leadership teams et al?

The concept of Legacy throughout the team is extremely powerful. James spoke with passion about Jonas Salt who invented the vaccine to cure polio. He felt that it was important to “plant trees that you will never see” and to “write your own legacy.” The All Blacks are all looking to “leave the shirt in a better place.” Our responsibility is to make the very most of the time when the sun is shining on our moment. In business, are we doing enough to make our own mark? Are we able to leave a legacy and leave the industry in a better place for what we have achieved? If we can connect our business purpose to this and attract people with the character and determination to leave their mark, then maybe great things can be achieved.

Legacy, humility, mana, sacrifice, Ubuntu and no dickheads. All common characteristics of the great All Blacks who have dominated the sport.

Pillar Three - Empowerment

In the military, the Red Arrows and many outstanding teams, the mission command model prospers. The All Blacks are no exceptions. Their coaches have become masters at creating ownership and autonomy throughout their teams. A feature of the great teams have been the strength of their great leadership groups. All international teams have the ability to create strong, player driven leadership yet few teams achieve it. England’s 2003 World Cup winning team had leaders throughout. Back, Dellaglio, Vickery, Tindall, Wilkinson, Hill, Leonard and more all matured at the same time to support Johnson. It was a perfect leadership storm. The All Blacks have consistently achieved this for years.

The leadership group is given genuine ownership and inclusion. The management team will start the week giving the strategy to execute. Responsibility is then handed to the team and by the end of the week a team talk is barely necessary. This sort of empowerment is brave but hugely successful. Leaders create leaders, they pass the ball. They create ownership through inclusion and James affirmed that people will rise to the challenge as long as it is their challenge.

A common feature of high performance organisations is co-creation where the team are invited to be included in shaping the strategy and the purpose is personalised to attach “personal meaning to a public purpose.” The senior players are given responsibility to live and drive the standards. Explaining your failure to live the standards to your peers as opposed to being chastised again by the boss is a far more powerful motivator. No-one wants to let the team down.

This empowerment is a key to ensuring the difficult decisions are made in volatile and uncertain times with no hesitation. The team are trusted to execute by the management. That trust builds confidence that results in ownership and in turn outstanding results.

They are hugely committed to “training to win.” They will train the theory, workshop the strategy, test under pressure and then review and amend. As with the SAS, there is rarely a situation in combat that they haven’t trained for already. They have task clarity and role clarity. They know their job and are trusted by peers and management to deliver. When they are in game situations they rarely disappoint because they are empowered to succeed to an optimum level.

They De-Brief with incredible skill. They believe in a philosophy of “stabbing in the front not the back.” They have developed a culture where there is no blame and people actively seek criticism and feedback. Because they are empowered they trust. Because they trust they can feedback with accuracy and no fear. Because they de-brief with quality they grow and they improve every time. It is a blueprint for operational excellence.

It is not luck that has created more “leaders” than any other team in sporting history. The All Blacks understand what so many elite performing organisations instinctively get – if you include people in the strategy, set clear expectations, allow them to perform, de-brief thoroughly and support throughout, then great mountains can be moved.

Summary

Whilst the All Blacks seem untouchable to many, their success is remarkably simple. The messages from Legacy are absolute common sense. However, there is a huge divide between common sense and common practice.

The lessons from Legacy are transformational. Our challenge is to build a culture that means high performance in our results is inevitable. It is to establish the character in our organisations that becomes the true and consistent personality of the team. We must look at language, rituals and mantras to support our narrative. We must trust, empower and give autonomy to our teams.