Rory Black’s Post

The springboks won their 4th Rugby World Cup on the weekend... Why am I telling you this? Have you ever thought about how rugby, or any team sport really is so much like the way we need to run our own teams? To play like the All Blacks or the Springboks, every person on the team (business owners and team leaders included) needs to know their strengths, the strengths of everyone around them, the position they play, the way they impact the play of those around them and what it means to bring their best to what they do. Sport is physical and it’s visible – we can see what players strengths are, their build, their natural talents and can use those visible markers to hone, refine, develop and master those talents into outstanding strengths. Our world of work is less visible – most of the time we don’t know our own talents, let alone the talents of those around us, we rely on someone doing good work and want them to do more of the same (even if it’s not where their true capability lies), we focus on activity rather than approach, we rely on the way everyone else has done it and the way we’ve done it before to get us to where we want to be. How often have you been in a situation where you feel like you’re not able to shine, bring your best, or work in a way that makes sense to you? Image source: SA Rugby

Rugby World Cup Final 2023 🗼 – it was a “dogfight” Welcome to episode 8 of Journey through the 📽 with Smartz Solutions. Today we explore a nerve-wracking nail-biting scene from Topgun: Maverick and we compare it to the RWC Final between South Africa and New Zealand. Man alive what a game and what a match! 🏉 🏉 🥇 So, what does a rugby ball and a combat plane have in common? At first glance, NOTHING 0️⃣ ! So, I scratched a bit deeper and found this: 1. Trust and collaboration: Both dogfights and rugby games involve teams trusting each other to achieve a common goal. In dogfights, fighter pilots rely on coordinated tactics to outmanoeuvre and defeat their opponents, and rugby teams collaborate to advance the ball and score points. 2. Strategy and Tactics: Both situations rely on strategy and tactics. Fighter pilots in a dogfight use manoeuvres and tactics to gain an advantage over the enemy, while rugby teams use plays, formations, and strategies to outmanoeuvre the opposing team and score. Both scenarios require quick thinking and adaptability in response to changing conditions. 3. Physical and Mental Toughness: Dogfights and rugby games demand physical and mental toughness. Fighter pilots and rugby players must endure physically demanding conditions, such as high G-forces in the air or intense physical contact on the rugby field. They also need mental resilience to stay focused and make decisions under pressure. 4. Adaptation to Changing Conditions: In both cases, the pilot and the player must adapt to rapidly changing conditions. Fighter pilots react to the movements of enemy aircraft and changing battlefield dynamics, while rugby players adjust to the movements of their opponents, the ball, and the ever-shifting field conditions. 5. Leadership and Communication: Effective leadership and communication are critical in both dogfights and rugby games. In dogfights, leaders must make split-second decisions and communicate with their team, while rugby captains and coaches provide direction and guidance on the field. So, what’s the bottom line? 💱 Skill, trust, teamwork, strategic thinking, adaptability, leadership and communication skills are what bring the cup home – literally and figuratively!! At Smartz Solutions we are stronger together. If you want to win the customer “dogfight” in a dog-eat-dog world where customers demand ongoing commitment to service excellence look no further. Reach out to us at www.smartz-solutions.com and see how we will help you reach your CSAT and NPS targets without breaking the bank. #strongertogether #csat #nps

2023 National Rugby League Premiers Penrith Panthers Signatures T-Shirt In conclusion, the National Rugby League (NRL) has established itself as one of the premier sporting competitions in Australia and is gaining global recognition for its entertaining and high-quality matches. With its rich history dating back to 1908, the NRL has evolved into a highly professional and competitive league, attracting top players from around the world. One of the main factors contributing to the success of the NRL is its strong fan base. The league has a dedicated following of passionate supporters who attend games, watch on TV, and engage with the league through various digital platforms. The popularity of the NRL has also led to significant commercial success, with major sponsors and lucrative broadcast deals. The NRL also has a strong focus on player welfare and development, with initiatives in place to support players both on and off the field. The league has implemented strict concussion protocols and provides mental health support services for players, demonstrating a commitment to the well-being of its athletes. Furthermore, the NRL has been at the forefront of promoting diversity and inclusivity in sport. The establishment of the NRL Women's Premiership and the inclusion of a Pride Round in the competition are just a few examples of the league's efforts to create a more inclusive and diverse sporting community. In recent years, the NRL has faced challenges such as player misconduct and controversies surrounding the salary cap. However, the league has shown its resilience in dealing with these issues and has made significant changes to ensure the integrity of the competition remains intact. Moving forward, the future looks bright for the NRL. The league continues to expand its reach, with plans to introduce a team from New Zealand and potentially another from the Pacific region. This will not only increase the competition's global reach but also provide opportunities for more players to showcase their talents. Overall, the National Rugby League has come a long way since its humble beginnings and has solidified its position as one of the most exciting and respected sporting competitions in the world. With its strong fan base, dedicated players, and commitment to growth and development, the NRL is set to continue its success for years to come. Buy now: https://lnkd.in/gHTzVmj2 Visit store: https://tee5days.com/ #National #Rugby #League #2023 #Premiers #Penrith #Panthers #Signatures #tshirt More Post: 1.https://https://lnkd.in/gNY3Rur9 2.https://https://lnkd.in/g6hdVnHy 3.https://https://lnkd.in/g7WwQ3xb

Interesting few weeks since rejoining The Halifax Panthers Rugby League board. Illness, a few "less than wonderful" results and all the current woes of the economic world.... However I've never been more optimistic about the opportunity for the team, its fans, and its commercial partners. Here's Why: - Commercial sponsors and partners are getting in at the Ground Floor on the journey to being "Super League Ready". Not only are we very early in the season, we are early in the journey to bigger things in this new era of Rugby League and how the wider game develops. Yes, there are some changes about promotion and relegation. While others bemoan a "closed shop" narrative, our Board and team are planning on how to take advantage and pounce on our opportunity when it presents itself - IMG Ratings are incredibly transparent. Any marketer wants KPI's, Likewise any sales person... now we know exactly what we have to do. (Unrelated to Rugby - But very surprising this week that gateshead have been ejected from National League playoffs due to lack of 10 year secured tenancy... Will be interesting to see how that came about to be missed/unable to remedy in time) - We have incrediby generous and supportive shareholder/directors, ego-less individuals, who have the long-term health of the club and fans at heart, and that of Halifax as a whole. - New faces, brains, and energy including myself, Rachel Garrod, Damian Clayton MBE. Yes, it will take a touch of time for me and Rachel to hit our stride, but rest assured, good things are coming. - Unity Staff, Directors, Players and everyone involved wants great things for the club. I've been involved in lots of large organisations, where you can have competing interests, and fiefdoms. Not here. Is it the finished article? No. Is it unified? Absolutely - Not just a "Boys club". A huge difference in the time I've been away from the club is the attitude surrounding how vital the Womens, Wheelchair, College Pathway and Mixed ability teams are to the future of the club. Having people such as Amy Hardcastle involved, and organisations like Calderdale College is incredibly positive. We're still early on the journey, but glad we're heading in the right direction PT1/2 See Pt 2 in Comment

The Rugby Worldcup has inspired me and teaches great life as well as business lessons 💡 🤩 What I've learned from Rugby after only watching three games and having no idea about the rules: 1️⃣ Teamwork makes the dreamwork and the most diverse teams have better chances to win. 2️⃣ Respect is a requirement. Showing respect to everyone on the pitch - your team mates, the other team and the referee - is not optional! 3️⃣ Resilience and recovery are key. Like in life, players are tackled heavily but push through. Complaining about pain is getting them nowhere, they get up and try all over again. Compared to other sports, they take longer breaks between games. Growing up in Germany, I'm a football girl through and through (lebenslang grün-weiß, SV Werder Bremen GmbH & Co KG aA 💚🤍). But I will cheat on football with rugby from now on. What have you learned from sports? #rugby #worldcup #halftime #semifinal #teamwork #respect #resilience #recovery #WeAreSinch #SinchEngage

  Giving back Rugby (like all sport), is a game that gives so much to those involved and so it’s great to be able to give back. Yesterday I attended our annual conference for London society rugby union referees at Twickenham stadium. I won't go into the new tackle height discussions, but we did spend time discussing my passion, 'Recruitment & Retention'. To be clear, that's a passion for all recruitment and retention, not just of referees. We all agreed to do more in generating a pipeline of talent to 'Take up the Whistle', so I thought you my LinkedIn network and wider audience would be a great option to reach out to in casting the net. So, if you're currently playing (but not every weekend), have stopped playing due to injury or can't commit every weekend / mid-week or your coaching days are behind you, then I can highly recommend the value you can put back into the game, as well as regaining the immense satisfaction and enjoyment, from being involved in rugby as a ref. I've copied the link for the website in the comment below, so you can explore the options. Please share with anyone you know who fits the description above. I look forward to seeing you on the park as a player, or a colleague and wish everyone a great season ahead. Oh, and I hope you enjoy the RWC 2023. 🏉 #recruitment #talent #rugby

Want to build a winning team? This video is worth 10 minutes of your time. It talks about the Team Work Index (TMI). The higher your TMI, the more successful you are as a team and the more likely you are to WIN. TMI looks at the quantity and connections between your players. It looks at shared experiences, player combinations and the strength of the team’s systems. When you add more teams, you need to distribute the top talent between these teams to make each team more competitive (aka perform) which decreases the TMI and as a result doesn’t allow your team to WIN. Explains a lot as to why our beloved Wallabies are out of the Rugby World Cup. #teamwork #teamworkindex #winning

How much is familiarity and experience of playing or working together a factor for success? This is something I didn't know about team sport and I wonder how applicable it is to business as well? This short video not only helps us understand decline of the Wallabies over time, their failure to reach the second stage of the rugby world cup but puts a perspective of long-term vs short term thinking. It doesn't help that the Wallabies have had 5 coaches in the last 10 years while the all blacks have had 2. #rugbyworldcup #wallabies #teamwork https://lnkd.in/gv2UUjAp

Having the best players or having the best team are two different things. If you are following the current Rugby World Cup, you would have felt the painful underperformance by Australia. You see, when teams underperform it's mostly for a multitude of reasons. This 10 min video offers a hugely interesting data driven answer and focuses on a team cohesion measurement.  In summary: The more often players had touchpoints of interacting and playing with each other, the higher the chances of winning. #TeamCohesion #TeamCollaboration #TeamConnection #RugbyWorldCup

Rugby is often considered an exemplary demonstration of team work due to the sport's emphasis on cooperation, communication, and interdependence between players. In rugby, success is achieved not by individual brilliance, but through the collective efforts of the entire team. Players must work together to move the ball up the field, defend their own territory, and score points. This requires each player to have a specific role and to communicate effectively with their teammates to execute strategies and respond to the constantly changing dynamics of the game. Additionally, rugby players must rely on each other for support and motivation throughout the game, fostering a strong sense of camaraderie and team spirit. Ultimately, the sport's emphasis on teamwork and collaboration is what makes rugby such a thrilling and inspiring spectacle. #rugby #motivation #communication #collaboration #teamwork #success