What is a winning environment?

It’s great when you become a champion at something.

It’s even better when you do it as a team.

We had a surprise visit from England rugby champions past and present at Henley Rugby Club recently, in recognition of our being awarded the title of ‘Kids First Champions’.

The award was more than a PR exercise. It was recognition of our achievements in delivering an amazing rugby environment in which our kids can thrive - week in, week out.

Although it may often feel like it, running an U10s rugby age group of 60+ kids is not my full-time job- but the principles and lessons from our journey to this award are as relevant in the office as they are on the touchline.

We won our award for:

1.    Creating the best possible environment for success

2.    Delivering new initiatives to address the gender imbalance

3.    Upskilling our teams

Of course, success looks different according to the organisation you’re working in. In a rugby context at the U6-U13 age groups it is all about keeping them coming back each week because it’s so much fun that they don’t want to miss it. The skills learning is almost secondary.

It’s not much different in my work environment. Striving to deliver the best service that will delight clients and keep them coming back for more. It’s not just about WHAT we deliver it’s HOW we deliver it.

W were thrilled to have Women’s Rugby World Cup winners (and former Henley players) Danielle Waterman and Rachael Burford among the celebrity guests at our award event.

In what was a traditionally male environment, having world champions delivering insight and inspiration based on their acquired knowledge and experience - to kids, coaches and parents alike - but their right to be there not questioned based on their gender, is what our kids should never have to give a second thought to. Neither should we!

When it comes to up-skilling and multi-skilling, this is crucial to creating the best environments for success. Providing opportunities for team members to increase their capabilities and then empowering them to leverage those skills surely creates the most engaged, fulfilled and ultimately successful teams.

For example, our ‘On-Camera Training’ is currently one the most in-demand services we provide at TaleFin.

I work 1-to-1 with individuals, from office floor to boardroom, to help them deliver their own video content, directly to camera, with confidence and authenticity.

Business owners increasingly want their staff to become thought leaders.

Companies increasingly interview candidates via video.

Consumers require a human face to deliver bad news, rather than a press release.

By up-skilling diverse teams and creating the best environment for them to operate in we are massively increasing the chances of success in delivering our objectives.

And finally…whilst striving to achieve all of this let’s not forget about HOW it’s delivered.

As Kirk Vallis, Global Head of Creative Capability Development at Google reminded us at a recent RFU coaching conference

“You don’t have to be serious to do serious work!”