301: James Kerr - How To Create An Ethos Of Excellence (Legacy)

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #301 with James Kerr

Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com

• Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
  • Humility - An ego-less approach. "Serve to lead" mentality
  • Curiosity - Following passion
  • Value Excellence - Focus on doing the small things right
  • These are transferable principles to any organziation
• The "All Blacks" rugby team "are our Gods in New Zealand." 
  • They've won just under 80% of their games in history
  • Scored twice as many points as their competitors
  • The most successful sports team of all time
• Sustained high performance
  • Mana = The God within.  The spirit... The ethos that creates excellence decade after decade
• Surprises? "The softness in this hard game.  A love, a brotherhood, connection, meaning, caring for one another."
• How have they sustained excellence?
  • Tradition
  • Starts at the top with the leaders
  • Breaking down old orthodox
  • Like the British SAS - "Rank but no class"
  • Leadership group -- It's not just one coach.  Everyone's ideas are valued.
• It's a player led team - "Positive power of peer pressure."  That feeling of not wanting to let one of your teammates down
  • "You fight more for the person in the foxhole next to you."
  • The Spartan sword and shield.  You can lose you sword, but you can never lose your shield.  That helps protect your brother.
• Accountability - There is leadership at every level
  • It empowers the individual in a project bigger than themselves
  • How does this work in business?
    • Helps them step up, take ownership, be responsible
• "A leader is responsible for the result.  Good or bad."