Who does this Inspire?
Who does this inspire?
Last week we kicked off a new series looking at The Bok Way: what the World Champion Springboks can teach us about creating a welcoming, high-performing culture that brings out the best in its people. As input, we use insights from multiple interviews with coaches and players and the Chasing the Sun 2 documentary series to outline our perspective on what this team is getting right. We aim to structure and package these insights in a way you can use in your environment to create and foster a more engaging experience for the people you are responsible for.
Part 2: They know exactly why they do what they do.
This is probably the most obvious insight of all – this group of players, coaches and support staff have a very distinct purpose: we are playing for South Africa. Listen to any interview you can find and they will mention it. The same message time and again. They want to inspire and prove to the nation that great things are still possible, to bring hope, encouragement and joy to a people who often have to go without. Coach Rassie clearly says in one team talk: “We are the only thing that works in South Africa!” They genuinely believe they can make things better by being a great rugby team.
Now flip the script and listen to the players from other international teams. Since this point comes across so clearly, observers have started to ask players from other countries what their team’s purpose is. From what I have seen, none of them can answer easily. They give answers like playing for the jersey, for my family, for the team, but their answers are not aligned to a single point of impact. And that, I believe, is a significant difference. Yes, the Springboks also play for the jersey, their families and friends, BUT there is one overarching purpose that unites all of them. They are all pushing in this very specific direction. When Handre Pollard lined up what became the match-winning penalty in the quarter-final against France you could hear Bongi Mbonambi shouting through the referee’s microphone “For South Africa!”
International players who have recently played against the Springboks say plainly that they believe this overarching purpose is what makes the players get up quicker to make one more tackle, carry the ball one meter further, and chase harder when it seems like a lost cause. They are just willing to put in the 1% more effort, because they know why it matters.
We agree.
When we come across companies and teams with a clear, unifying purpose, we immediately notice the difference. These people try harder, they are more patient with difficult customers, they pay more attention to the details, they are more likely to keep their promises, they take it personally when things go wrong, and they just care more because it matters so deeply to them. They have a very clear understanding of who their work matters to, and whose life it makes better.
Do you know who your work matters to? Who experiences the impact when you put in that extra bit of effort? Can you picture a face or a place? It might be a client, a colleague, a family member or an environment. Knowing why is one of the most profoundly impactful experiences you will ever have. And if you don’t, everything feels like a waste of time.
If you find yourself in the latter group, not clear on why you are showing up every day, we can help you change that. If you feel like your business or team is just going through the motions, with low levels of impetus and oomph, please get in touch. We would love to help you get your mojo back. You can reach us at info@purposeworks.co.za.
At PurposeWorks we are all about Making You and Your Work Rock. Our focus is on Organisational Health and Design, Employee Centered Culture, Leadership Development and Performance Coaching. For more information on how we can help you create a work environment that rocks, develop a great team, become an inspiring leader or unlock your personal excellence talk to us at info@purposeworks.co.za.
