15 Minutes with the Boss John Longmire: Performing under pressure, how to instil loyalty and the ‘seven out of ten’ rule
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May 12, 2025 
John Longmire, Executive Director of Club Performance at the Sydney Swans and former AFL coaching champion, delves into the high-pressure world of sports leadership. He shares strategies for helping athletes focus amid stress and the importance of fostering teamwork through shared success. Longmire emphasizes that making mistakes is part of leadership, presenting his '7 out of 10' rule as a realistic approach. He reflects on the challenges of transitioning from player to coach and the need for vulnerability to support a team after defeats.
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Coaching Expands Your Sphere Of Impact
- Coaching broadens your responsibility beyond personal performance to many stakeholders.
- That wider reach increases pressure but also creates greater opportunity to positively influence people.
Two Life-Changing Decisions
- John left farming to play AFL at 16 and later moved from retirement into coaching, which reshaped his family's life.
- Those two decisions were pivotal turning points in his career trajectory.
Accept Imperfection And Back Yourself
- Remind yourself that “if it was easy, everyone would be doing it” to reframe tough leadership moments.
- Aim to get 7 out of 10 decisions right and accept the three you’ll get wrong without being paralysed by them.