{"id":1880,"date":"2024-03-06T10:44:41","date_gmt":"2024-03-06T10:44:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thewestpeak.com\/?p=1880"},"modified":"2024-03-06T10:57:14","modified_gmt":"2024-03-06T10:57:14","slug":"lessons-hr-leaders-can-learn-from-the-rugby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewestpeak.com\/en-us\/lessons-hr-leaders-can-learn-from-the-rugby\/","title":{"rendered":"What lessons can HR leaders learn from the Rugby Pitch?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Six Nations returns, it might be hard to see what HR departments and HR leaders can learn from the grown men and women whose jobs involve physically assaulting one another for 80 minutes at a time.<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>

In a normal workplace, every match day would involve too many conflict resolution meetings to count!<\/p>\n

But the discipline and resilience seen on the field are just a few of the lessons that businesses could take from the rugby pitch, especially HR Leaders and departments.<\/p>\n

Sir Clive Woodward stressed the importance of learning and collaboration as he led the England rugby team to lifting the World Cup in 2003.<\/p>\n

Like Sir Clive, Ben Stocken has first-hand experience of the training and teamwork that goes on behind the scenes to create top rugby teams.<\/p>\n

He spent seven years with England Rugby as a professional coach and national trainer, helping to develop some of the country\u2019s best players and coaches.<\/p>\n

Ben is now CEO of West Peak, delivering leadership, personal and team development training.<\/p>\n

Here, he shares his top tips on what business leaders can learn from the rugby pros:<\/p>\n

Preparation is Everything<\/h3>\n

As a coach, if you don\u2019t prepare your training session, the players will know \u2013 and you\u2019ll lose them before they\u2019ve even walked out of the locker room. Knowing what you want your players to achieve, and having that mapped out into developmental sessions that challenge them to be better every day, is critical.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s the same in business. Everyone in your team needs to know what they need to do to get the company where it wants to go. The England rugby team knows exactly what their goal is when they\u2019re in a game. And you should know that in your business, too.<\/p>\n

Feedback and Accountability are the lifeblood of success<\/h3>\n

There is no hiding place for poor performance in top-level sport. As a rugby player, you either make that pass or you do not. If you do not make it, it is not the end of the world, but you need a feedback loop to make sure you do better next time. In business, this is becoming a lost art \u2013 too many leaders are either too afraid or lacking the skills to deliver impactful candid feedback.<\/p>\n

But that feedback loop is what keeps your team improving all the time.<\/p>\n

Put the team first and you’ll see the rewards
\nLike rugby, business is a team sport played by individual specialists. Everyone has a different job to do, but you\u2019re all working towards the same goal. The key to success is how well those specialists collaborate to achieve more than the sum of their parts. Playing for yourself instead the team equals failure.<\/p>\n

In your business, make sure that every department knows what the others are doing, and that they\u2019re communicating at all times.<\/p>\n

Everyday is an opportunity to improve<\/h3>\n

During my time at England Rugby, no day, training session or match was wasted as an opportunity for everyone to get better. This could be one more rep in the gym or one more set of tackling practice. But we were always asking, \u2018How can we do that better? How can we dominate that part of the game?\u2019 These questions followed me \u2014 and us as a team of coaches \u2014 around every day.<\/p>\n

Always question your workplace\u2019s processes, and keep an eye on your competitors to see what you could be doing differently.<\/p>\n

The score doesn’t always reflect the performance
\nIt sounds strange but it\u2019s true. Sometimes you can do everything right and get beaten by a better team.<\/p>\n

It is exactly the same in business. The answer is to set performance-based goals rather than outcome-based goals. That means you run your own race and play your own game. And if you outperform your goals and expectations, then it\u2019s been a good shift.<\/p>\n

Analyse what has happened and reflect on what goals to set next.<\/p>\n

Know who’s Boss<\/h3>\n

A structured hierarchy in a rugby team ensures that everyone knows who\u2019s in charge, and where to turn. In business, it is equally vital to create a clear chain of command. You\u2019ll reduce confusion and make snappy decisions. Your team will know who to call on, and you can delegate.
\nNo more lone wolves. Elite sports teams know the importance of trust.<\/p>\n

Similarly, in business, trust and cohesion win hearts and minds, and are the secret to high performance. So it\u2019s vital to create a healthy environment where your team trusts you \u2013 and each other.<\/p>\n

Build a team that\u2019s a cohesive unit and they will repay you by going the extra mile to reach common objectives in your business.<\/p>\n

Make meetings count<\/h3>\n

In rugby, briefings are kept concise and to the point \u2013 they only include the important stuff.<\/p>\n

Businesses need to do the same. Make meetings focused, ensuring everyone knows the game plan, action items and expected outcomes. Not only will this save time, but it\u2019ll also help boost productivity and employee engagement.<\/p>\n

Communication is a game-changer<\/h3>\n

In rugby, excellent communication is more valuable than any ice bath to keep a team at the top of their game. It also makes good business sense because staff who consider themselves as having a say in company decisions are more likely to feel valued and happier, which in turn helps with employee retention.<\/p>\n

And keeping your top talent will put you in better shape to tackle an ever-shifting business landscape.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to read the original article on HT Review<\/p>\n<\/div>

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