Every Game has a winner. Every winner has a Game Plan
Having already won THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP, the mighty All Blacks are out there on their own as the best rugby team in the world.
For them, it’s now about honing in on a world record 18 consecutive wins.
It’s all going to play out in Durban, but before then, let’s go inside their game plan, to see just what’s driving their burning desire for continual improvement.
Is it that they just have better players? I don’t think so.
It’s about the All Blacks having relentlessly and consistently built a powerful brand – a brand with identity – a brand that
serves as their compass in good times – and their scaffolding in challenging times.
Even given the recent retirement of their legendary captain, Richie McCaw and other All Black greats , the team has gone on to reach new heights, and that has a lot to do with the consistency created through power branding.
That’s just the way the All Blacks are. No one’s bigger than the game
You don’t want to get ahead of yourself and think that you’re bigger than the game. As soon as that happens someone’s going to tip you up and you’re going to look like an absolute dick : All Black lock forward Luke Romano
New Zealand Rugby, with Steve Hansen at the helm, has built a culture of wanting to dominate.
It happens when everyone from top to bottom, buys into what the brand stands for.
It happens when the Team ‘T ‘Brand and the Individual ‘I” Brands within the team begin to gel.
The three magical P’s of branding, namely Purpose, Priorities and Performance Goals get aligned – and a magical multiplier effect swings into action.
Winning becomes a habit.
Teams who struggle to articulate and agree on the 3P’s will always be chasing the game , not conquering like the mighty All Blacks.
The saying goes:
If you don’t give yourself a chance – you will never have a chance
Steve Hansen has fostered a high level game plan on and off the field of play – one which has helped the All Blacks make their fellow countrymen pretty proud of late.
Here’s All Black assistant coach Ian Foster’s take on it:
We’ve quite often talked about it. It’s about challenging ourselves to be the best we can be
Even though they are likely to rest some of their players, it’s now on to Buenos Aires and Durban to haul in that world record
Us trying to put in dominant performances on the road in two pretty hostile environments – that’s certainly up there.It’s not just about the players, it’s about the management making sure we are prepared”
And that takes staying true to a potently orchestrated brand identity – on and off the field of play.
There’s a honour code to uphold.
Please do let me know what you think : robopie@thegameplan.co.za
Rob Opie is a Brand Strategist, Author, Speaker, and Performance Coach to Business executives, Corporate teams, Sports teams and Individuals.
GET IN TOUCH . robopie@thegameplan.co.za
Find our more about his game -changing THE GAME PLAN METHOD .
- Rob’s latest book: The Game Changers: Good to Great to Greater is available FREE to readers as an instant digital download on his site : www.thegameplan.co.za
