Business consultant and author James studied the New Zealand rugby team first hand, in training, the dressing room, before, during and after matches. The conclusions he draws about what has made them such a dominant force despite drawing talent from one of the smallest populations on Earth has important parallels in business. Whether it’s the value of character, understanding an organisation’s story, or avoiding complacency, James explains how a group can achieve and maintain real success.
View / Submit“Fabulous, so much resonated on both a business and personal level”
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James Kerr is a leadership and strategy consultant. Most notably he has studied the success of the New Zealand rugby team to uncover their strategies for success. The lessons range from leadership to embracing innovation.
For his best-selling book Legacy. What the All Blacks can teach us about the business of life - 15 lessons in Leadership, James spent time with the All Blacks witnessing first hand how the team operates. He analyses how the team comes together and what enabled them to move from an impressive 75% win rate to 86% in five years, becoming a dominant force in world rugby, despite hailing from one of the smallest populations.
James’s conclusions have important lessons for anyone involved in leading, building or working in a team. From having senior players tidy up the dressing room to focusing everyone’s minds on the ‘core story’ of the team, its culture and its heritage. Other key points include the value placed on recruitment based on character not just talent, how working for a bigger goal delivers bigger performances, and why you should change your game when you’re on top of your game. In addition to writing, James has worked as a consultant for businesses including HSBC, Boeing and Shell, specialising in how to lead change and deliver top teams.