Owen Eastwood, a world-leading performance coach from New Zealand, dives deep into cultural wisdom and team dynamics. He shares personal stories about heritage's impact on identity and the psychological pressures faced by athletes. Owen emphasizes the importance of understanding indigenous concepts like 'mana' and 'Ubuntu' in team dynamics. He discusses authentic team culture, the significance of shared narratives for high performance, and how a sense of belonging can drive motivation and personal growth.
Owen Eastwood shares the transformative power of belonging through his Maori heritage and its impact on personal identity and self-discovery.
He emphasizes the importance of fostering a cultural framework in teams that focuses on individual growth, shared values, and long-term success beyond mere trophies.
Eastwood advocates for creating inclusive environments that expand the 'us' narrative, enhancing team dynamics and promoting a sense of shared purpose.
Deep dives
The Journey of Belonging
Owen Eastwood emphasizes the significance of belonging through his personal experiences, particularly reflecting on his Maori heritage after his father's passing. Writing to the Ngāi Tahu tribe at the age of twelve allowed him to connect with his roots, which deeply influenced his identity and sense of self. The tribe's response, acknowledging his cultural connection, reinforced his feelings of belonging and offered a profound anchor in his life. This early experience highlighted how understanding one's heritage can provide a sense of identity and guiding principles throughout life.
Cultural Context in Leadership
Eastwood discusses his role in shaping the cultural framework of various sports teams, including the South African cricket team and the England football team. He focuses on the importance of creating an environment conducive to success rather than merely concentrating on trophy counts. For him, true success lies in the individuals’ growth and collective experiences, particularly about how their missions and values shape their performance and relationships. He stresses that a strong cultural identity supports not just winning, but also long-term development and sustainability in team dynamics.
The Power of Shared Experiences
The podcast addresses the essential role of shared experiences in building social bonds within teams, drawing on scientific findings that link interpersonal interactions to hormone releases that enhance well-being. Eastwood underscores that successful cultures are forged through collective challenges, storytelling, and laughter, strengthening the teams' unity. In contrast to old-school approaches that prioritize toughness, he argues that creating supportive environments leads to better performance and resilience. This focus on emotional and social connectivity resonates with the practices observed in indigenous cultures, which foster unity through cultural expressions.
Widening the 'Us' Story
Eastwood explores the fundamental human tendency to categorize people into 'us' versus 'them' groups and its implications in team dynamics. By acknowledging this innate behavior, he advocates for leaders to expand the 'us' narrative, fostering inclusion and unity among diverse members. This broader 'us' perspective not only nurtures belonging but also enhances performance by ensuring that every individual's contributions are valued. Effective leaders strive to cultivate an inclusive environment that transcends differences, ultimately benefiting the entire team or organization.
Legacy through Higher Purpose
The conversation delves into the significance of having a higher purpose that transcends conventional success metrics like rankings or trophies. Eastwood illustrates how the South African cricket team's shift towards a shared vision of being a reflection of their diverse nation helped sustain their momentum and improve performance. By aligning individual goals with a collective higher purpose, teams can maintain motivation and cohesiveness long after achieving specific targets. This profound connection to a larger narrative ensures that team members remain driven by continuous improvement rather than fleeting accolades.
THIS IS A RE PUBLICATION OF EPISODE 56 THAT WAS POSTED ON JULY 6th 2021
I was thrilled to be joined by world leading performance coach Owen Eastwood, Owen hails from Otatara a small community on the outskirts of Invercargill New Zealand, though now lives with his family in the UK.
Owen has worked with some of the top sporting and business organisations the world over, including the South African Cricket Team, the England Football team and the Command Group of NATO, to name a few.
In 2021 he released his amazing book "Belonging" which helps us to understand an ancient code passed down through our ancestors to help us navigate the world we live in.
If you did watch this one live there is a little bit at the end that Owen spoke about after we had ended the session but I thought was too good to leave out, so squeezed it in at the end.
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