What will be your legacy?

Legacy - James Kerr

James Kerr was given unprecedented access to the most famous sporting team ever – The All Blacks. The book highlights the exceptional culture and legacy of the New Zealand All Black, which has resulted in their tremendous success.

The book combines anecdotes from those directly involved in the All Blacks’ success, to quotes and stories from some of the most successful coaches and people involved in sport. The chapters are packed with insights, candid quotes and irrefutable wisdom. The name of the book – Legacy, highlights the key theme of the book. The All Blacks have always worked to create a long-term successful culture.

The 15 lessons in legacy are:

Character, Adapt, Purpose, Responsibility, Learn, Whanau, Expectations, Preparation, Pressure, Authenticity, Sacrifice, Language, Ritual, Whakapapa and Legacy.

Legacy looks at the question of what makes the All Blacks such a successful team, and what is their competitive advantage. What could this team teach us about leadership?

“Central to their success is the phrase – Better people make better All Blacks”.  Do 'better' people make 'better' leaders, teachers and students?

It’s about character and around it they’ve built this extraordinary culture. If this mantra can be embedded into a school mindset, the possibilities are endless. Legacy strips leadership down to its raw basics.

“Champions do extra. They sweep the sheds. They keep a blue head” - Leaders do extra, roll their sleeves up and get dirty as well as keeping a strategic head focused on delivering the vision. 

The most recognisable sporting team in the world continually seeks perfection, they are relentless in their quest to achieve world class standards day after day. They repeatedly seeks ways of handling pressure, and always train to win at the highest level. The underpinning driving forces that are at the heart of every player to wear the iconic black shirt;

What do you leave behind you after you’re gone? What will be your legacy?

If these two simple questions are continually asked of our teams, teachers and students the schools we work in would be striving on a daily basis to be better and better. 

As leaders in education we must be seen to be doing the small things and doing them right to ensure the legacy we wish to leave is fully fulfilled, constantly being relentlessly optimistic and questioning 'how can we do it better?'
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