Creating a legacy.

Follow in the footsteps of the most-winning sports team in history.

Last week, I posted a video of Reed Hastings very concisely articulating that companies and teams within those companies are NOT families and rather that they should represent high-performing sports teams - with unified missions, encouraging people to be their best at work, that you have to compete every year. There is little tolerance for bad actors. Also, you are well compensated for your performance.

In a follow-up to that post, I highlight one of my favourite business/non-business books.

The book "Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life" by James Kerr outlines 15 powerful lessons that contributed to the sustained success of the New Zealand rugby team, the All Blacks. They are the most winning sports team in history. These guys continue to kick ass year over year and have a storied history and culture that gives you goosebumps as you read it.

The book draws heavily on Maori culture and philosophy, including values like "mana" (life force - which you may recall is also brought up as “Higher Forces” in another favourite book of mine called “The Tools”). In Legacy, Kerr highlights the importance of building a strong team culture, leaving a legacy, and constantly striving for improvement and excellence. All the things you need at work are there as well.

Here are the 15 lessons that Kerr captures throughout the book. This is the ethos in which they operate. Strong principles.

They resonate with me a lot because 1. I love sports and sports analogies and 2. I work to embody these in various forms at work and in life as well:

• Sweep the Sheds (never being too big to do the small things)

• Go for the Hole/Gaps (being ruthlessly competitive)

• Play with Purpose (having a higher cause)

• Pass Values onto Behavior (building a culture of excellence)

• Keep a Blue Head (being composed under pressure)

• Invent a Language (fostering clear communication)

• Sacrifice (cultivating a team-first mentality)

• Enter the Pressure Cooker (embracing and preparing for adversity)

• Bleed as You Build (creating authentic leaders)

• Only the Loose Survive (being adaptable and innovative)

• Ritual Marks the Rhythm (following processes and traditions)

• Leave the Jersey in a Better Place (passing on a legacy)

• Plant Trees You'll Never See (investing in the future)

• Embrace Expectations (taking on challenges head-on)

• Write Your Own Legacy (defining your own path to greatness)

AND of course - the goosebump-tingling HAKA DANCE. If you want to get fired up - watch that a couple of times!!

Have a read and create your own legacy.

Enjoy!

-Adam