This is the 6th episode of a 9-part series on the 1924 New Zealand ‘All Blacks’ rugby team forever known as “The Invincibles”.This series is both the telling of an epic story and an extraction of timeless lessons around shared identity, team culture and leadership.In each episode I am joined by a guest who helps navigate the events that unfold, and sheds light on insights that have a contemporary significance.In this 6th episode I’m joined by my mate Ian Mitchell. Mitch is a proud Welshman, and the Head of Performance Psychology at Newcastle United, who play in the Premier League. He has previously been the lead sports psych for both the Wales and England men's national football teams. Prior to that Mitch was an academic for a number of years, as well as working with Swansea City in the Premier League.This episode is called “Redemption” and explores the team’s navigation of the first two test matches - against Ireland and then Wales, including:the wider social context of their visit to Irelandthe rest and recover focused build up of the team to the test against Irelandthe players desire to strongly engage in the communities they visitedthe test match against ireland at Lansdowne Road, Dublinhow the team commemorated Remembrance Day on 11 November 1924key matches against Cambridge and Oxford universitiesthe drama and consequences of Cliff Porter not being selected for the test against Walesthe 'redemption' test match against Wales - the only team to have beaten the 1905 'Original' All Blacks teamIn this episode Mitch and I traverse these events and explore in conversation:how engaging with local communities helped build the All Blacks resilienceWelsh identity expressed through its rugbythe Invincibles' anti-burnout measuresthe relationship between Process and Outcomedelivering your full Identity in the biggest gamesClick here to purchase a copy of Owen's book, Belonging.
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Ep.5 - Momentum
This is the 5th episode of a 9-part series on the 1924 New Zealand ‘All Blacks’ rugby team forever known as “The Invincibles”.This series is both the telling of an epic story and an extraction of timeless lessons around shared identity, team culture and leadership.In each episode I am joined by a guest who helps navigate the events that unfold, and sheds light on insights that have a contemporary significance.In this 5th episode I’m joined by my friend Pippa Grange. Pippa is a world class performance psychologist and culture coach. She has an amazing CV which includes working as the England men's football team's Sports Psych under Gareth Southgate, and publishing her bestseller "Fear-less".This episode is called “Momentum” and explores the team’s finding of its on and off field identity as the tour progresses, including:shifting external perceptions and expectations of the teama close call against Newport - but also an example of deep composure under pressureincursions by outsiders into the locker rooma highly emotive context of playing Leicester on the anniversary of the death of 1905 Originals All Blacks captain Dave Gallaher (at the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917)the team building momentum, and finding pockets of flow, in the north of England In this episode Pippa and I traverse these events and explore in conversation:healthy team culturesCliff Porter's leadership strengthsprofiling some players past trauma and the power of this experience on their wellbeingthe concepts of momentum and flowClick here to purchase a copy of Owen's book, Belonging.
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Ep.4 - The Intervention
This is the 4th episode of a 9-part series on the 1924 New Zealand ‘All Blacks’ rugby team forever known as “The Invincibles”.This series is both the telling of an epic story and an extraction of timeless lessons around shared identity, team culture and leadership.In each episode I am joined by a guest who helps navigate the events that unfold & and shed light on insights that have a contemporary significance.In this 4th episode I’m joined by my friend – Kieran Read. Kieran is a former New Zealand All Blacks rugby player who earned 127 Test caps, was an integral member of their 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup victories, and captained the All Blacks 52 times. Since retiring from professional rugby, Kieran has established a highly respected leadership development practice.This episode is called “The Intervention” and traces the first few weeks of the tour - that heavily shaped what was to come.This episode includes the story of:weak early tour formexternal pessimismweak internal standardsthe captain & player leadership group formulating a new 'culture code'a player only intervention meetingthe re-setting of standardsIn this episode Kieran and I traverse these events and explore in conversation:the power of player ownershipthe echoing down the decades / whakapapa of the Invincibles influencethe power of aligning key leaders & giving them a common languagemanaging external media and fan noise (along the spectrum of complete doom to wild optimism)The visual version of this episode, including images of players and events mentioned, is available on YouTube here: XXXClick here to purchase a copy of Owen's book, Belonging.
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Ep.3 - The Voyage
This is the 3rd episode of a 9-part series on the 1924 New Zealand ‘All Blacks’ rugby team forever known as “The Invincibles”.This series is both the telling of an epic story and an extraction of timeless lessons around shared identity, team culture and leadership. It is about storytelling and learnings – not scrums and lineouts.In each episode I am joined by a guest who helps navigate the events that unfold & and shed light on insights that have a contemporary significance.In this 3rd episode I’m joined by my friend – Wayne Smith. Smithy is a former All Black who earned 17 caps in the 1980s before transitioning into one of rugby’s most successful and respected coaches. He played a pivotal role as assistant coach in guiding the All Blacks to Rugby World Cup triumphs in 2011 and 2015, and later guided the NZ women’s rugby team – the Black Ferns - to their 2022 World Cup victory. .This episode is called “The Voyage” and traces the 'forming' stage of this team during their 39 day boat voyage from Wellington, New Zealand to Plymouth, England.This episode includes the story of: a new captain ... without a plancreation of a Player Leadership Groupdeveloping an innovative daily rituala deep story of the team value of "caring"sacrifice in action by the new captainIn this episode Wayne and I traverse these events and explore in conversation:the power of team Identitythe importance of connecting talent to the shirt they wearthe power of tracking team values back in timeplayer empowerment as a coaching philosophythe power of ritualsthe benefits of big picture framing in high performance pursuitsThe visual version of this episode, including images of players and events mentioned, is available on YouTube here: XXXClick here to purchase a copy of Owen's book, Belonging.
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Ep.2 - Born into Chaos
This is the 2nd episode of a 9-part series on the 1924 New Zealand ‘All Blacks’ rugby team forever known as 'The Invincibles'.This series is both the telling of an epic story and an extraction of timeless lessons around shared identity, team culture and leadership. It is about storytelling and learnings – not scrums and lineouts.In each episode I am joined by a guest who both helps navigate the events that unfold, and shed light on insights that have a contemporary significance.In this 2nd episode I’m joined by my friend and colleague – Luke Donald. Luke is a professional golfer, former world no.1 player and 2-time European Ryder Cup campaign – including Bethpage, New York this year . This episode is called “Born into Chaos” and explores the team’s very challenging beginnings before departing for the United Kingdom, including:allegations of racismrumours of a World War One contentious objector in the teampolitical interference around team selectionpoor form in pre tour matchesbeing written off by an iconic former playerlast minute change of captainIn this episode Luke and I traverse these events and explore in conversation:the importance of a team’s sense of its unique Identityconnecting people to something greater than themselvesdeep focus on controllableschallenging negative beliefs through facts and datadealing with chaos and negativitythe leader prioritising (1) a legitimate Plan to compete; and (2) Team CohesionThe visual version of this episode, including images of players and events mentioned, is available on YouTube here.Click here to purchase a copy of Owen's book, Belonging.
A 9-part series on the 1924 New Zealand All Blacks rugby team forever known as “The Invincibles”.
This series is both the telling of an epic story – but also the extraction of timeless lessons around shared identity, team culture and leadership. It's about storytelling and learnings – not scrums and lineouts.
In each episode I am joined by a guest who both helps navigate the events that unfold and shed light on insights that have contemporary significance.
Ireland