What Is A Club In Any Case
The thoughts I’ve recorded here have all been inspired by the wise people I’ve met, books I’ve read, podcasts I’ve listened to, people I’m coaching and the insight they have given me. I thank them all of them for going deep to find their wisdom.
My goal is to match their generosity by sharing some brief ideas, quotes, as well as a recommendation each Friday for you to ponder.
The concepts are taken from years of daily journaling and in the moment note-taking in my Moleskine journal.
This Saturday, two clubs will do battle in the AFL Grand Final. One of those clubs, Richmond, is the reason I love the game. I fell in love with the Tigers before I fell in love with the game.
It is therefore no surprise that this quote from the remarkable Sir Bobby Robson, a legend of the world game, is a favourite.
It reads:
“What is a club in any case?
“Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes.
It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city.
It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at the hallowed stretch of turf beneath him, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.”
In our game, it is a parent holding a child’s hand, as our sport is becoming a game for everyone.
All of us can relate to that child. The day you fell in love with something and not being able to do a thing about it. It stays with you, and then as an adult, you get to watch your kids do likewise. From dinosaurs and superheroes, to rockstars and sport, and a new set of heroes.
But how does this apply to your world and your organisation?
What if we were to change the Bobby Robson quote just a little, exchanging the word ‘club’ for the ‘name of your organisation’.
ie. “What is (name of your organisation) in any case?
This conversation goes to the heart of your organisation’s purpose.
It is not a ‘faster, higher, stronger’ conversation that most people associate with elite sport as per the Leunig cartoon below. It is a ‘slower, deeper, wiser’ discussion, so often avoided or lost in our sense of overwhelm…the busy.
In my experience, there is no competitive advantage in your Inbox, but that prospect exists if you can build a habit of reflection into the rhythm of your life, and that of your organisation.
The ‘deep work’ starts with two simple questions:
Who we are?
Why we do it?
From this process of reflection you are trying to find meaning, connection and belonging, three core components of purpose, and with that that a deep sense of belief, something that sport is inherently good at, but ultimately as leaders, a higher-purpose goal to aim for, remembering:
“People want to believe in something bigger than themselves.”
Enjoy the footy.
Go Tiges.
Perhaps they are the five characteristics for anyone seeking to master a craft, particularly one so sure to test you as leg spin bowling surely will.
Sounds also like she would be a wonderful teammate, and a joy to coach.
I always enjoy the opportunity to talk all things culture and high-performance, and the development of leaders to achieve it.
Here are a few of ways to start the ball rolling:
I like to share the ‘bruises’ of my lived leadership experiences as a 25 year CEO in the AFL with leaders as part of our Learning Leadership event for senior leaders. We have run this event for the past few years, and the feedback has been excellent. We have now transitioned the event online. There is no cost as we recognise that time allocated to learning is perhaps our most precious resource, and therefore we have also provided a number of dates from which to choose, please use this link.
Sign up for the “More to the Game” weekly email, and receive a copy of my “What business can learn from football” White Paper. The emails are short leadership reflections, no more than a couple of minutes to read and we will always treat our communication with respect. Please use this link.
Download my book “More to the Game”. In this publication, I have combined my writings and drawings with the beautiful imagery of Michael Willson, the premier AFL photographer. It is free to download (no sign-ups) at “More to the Game – What leaders can learn from football”
You can also contact me at cameron@designCEO.com.au and let me know how you think we can work together.
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