As Leinster and Toulouse get set for their Investec Champions Cup showdown this weekend, what lessons can business learn from rugby? Tim Burnell, Chief Marketing Officer of UK & International at Investec Bank takes a look.
Success in business and sport is much more than a numbers game. Profit figures and points tallies are important, but so is how they are achieved.
Look behind the Investec Champions Cup results and you’ll find another story. It’s one of unabashed passion and coordinated movement on the pitch combining to create exceptional outcomes.
As Leinster and Toulouse prepare for Saturday’s final at the capital’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, we explore five key learnings from the tournament:
Clear leadership in rugby and business
Games are lost in the mind as well as on the field. Leaders in rugby know how to handle pressure and overcome setbacks.
The 467 tries scored so far in the tournament were built on an organised platform guided by clear-headed leadership.
This allows opportunistic efforts to flourish as team mates feel supported and confident.
Empowered players, given the freedom to respond instinctively when game situations suddenly change, can transform the game, just like in growth minded businesses.
Never give up
Rugby players know about resilience. Bouncing back when down and fighting until the end.
Without that mindset, DHL Stormers might not have defeated holders Stade Rochelais in their first-round match with a cool headed conversion in the last kick of the game.
In rugby, one measure of determination is total carry metres made by players. The 54,000 metres of ball carrying across all games up to the final were driven by tactical preparedness, and grit.
Teamwork on and off the pitch
The Investec Champions Cup has involved more than 900 players so far from the 24 clubs taking part, all committed to being team players.
More rugby themed teamwork can be seen in the School of Hard Knocks initiative, which launched during the Champions Cup. Here, Investec and the social inclusion charity joined forces to help underprivileged children. Rugby is being used as the tool for positive social change in young people’s lives.
One lesson we can learn from the School of Hard Knocks is how much can be achieved when you wholeheartedly embrace teamwork and connections.
Measure all aspects of performance
To track and optimise performance, rugby clubs use business principles like key performance indicators (KPIs), the data-driven approach to improvement familiar in corporate boardrooms.
Clubs balance this with more emotive and qualitative post-match analysis. This gives players and management opportunities to discuss what went right or wrong on the pitch at a personal level providing fresh and immediate feedback.
Businesses that ignore the emotional perspective won’t see the bigger picture when they review their overall performance.
Never settle for ordinary
Semi-final tickets sold out in four hours (110,000 of them). The 82,300-strong attendance for Leinster’s hard-fought semi-final victory against Northampton at Croke Park broke the Champions Cup record.
The wave of enthusiasm for the tournament peaks with Saturday’s final. What’s keeping this momentum going?
It could be that fans have enjoyed, and players have produced, so many out of the ordinary moments. Going beyond the expected is something businesses can aspire to deliver for their staff and customers. This season has inspired us to double our resolve to Never Settle for Ordinary.
Tim Burnell is Chief Marketing Officer, UK & International, Investec Bank plc
