James Kerr - Legacy: Lessons in performance from the All Blacks

My next guest is the only person that has ever been allowed to go behind the curtain, to study what it is that makes the legendary All Blacks such an unrivalled force in the sporting world. 

James Kerr is his name and he has spent most of his professional career studying the culture, patterns and habits of the world’s top performers including the Navy Seals, Manchester City FC and The All Blacks, the fascinating insights of which have formed the foundation of his widely acclaimed book Legacy.

It’s his belief, that by unpacking what it is that makes these teams so extraordinary, we can all lead better teams, businesses and even lives that first made me sit up and take notice of this brilliant man.

think it’s pretty clear to anyone who has ever heard of the All Blacks, which let’s face it, is everyone, why I would be so keen to sit down with the man who’s spent more time studying them up close than anyone out there – as a team, they are the pin ups of high performance, from the moment they step onto the pitch, to the closing of the Hakka, to the end of the game, the influence they have over the pitch and over their opponents is mesmerising. That even I, someone who actively avoids sport, can understand that what they do and how they do it is truly special. 

But I found myself, in this conversation, being surprised by the layers of Influence these players master on a day to day basis. From self influence, not letting high stakes situations crush you, to the influence of the collective, working together towards a higher order purpose as a team.

James summed it up well when he said that the entire team has a mission that they strive towards that is talked about at every team meeting, and at every game and that is, to leave the jersey in a better place than when you first put it on.

It’s this that I think will be the most powerful takeaway as you listen to James talk – a higher order purpose, bigger than one individuals ego or performance, brought to life by captivating stories and delivered daily through habits and rituals is really the difference between an All Black, and every one else.

But how can you use this everyday to create a performance mindset within your own teams?

In this episode we dive deep into:

Intensity vs. hustle – how to shoot for your goals without your team burning out

Mental tricks for standing your ground – the tools players use to keep a cool head on the field and how these can work in your high stakes situations

The power of totems – why there are wine gums in every All Blacks locker room  

Fierce Rituals – how the Haka has never lost its spine chilling power 

Shared mission – why the man who lays out the jerseys is as important as the men who wear them

I’m confident that you’ll walk away from our time spent together today armed with the tools you need to set an intention, create a culture and operate at peak performance in a way that allows you to create your own legacy, worthy of any All Blacks team.

 So this is me and James, peeling back the curtain and giving you unfiltered access to the tools of the sporting legends that are The All Blacks team…Enjoy!

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