Growing up on the east coast of Scotland, GAA wasn’t that well known.
Since relocating to the Emerald Isle 🍀 I still only seem to have developed what could generously be described as a basic understanding of the sport.
Despite this, I was particularly pleased to have been invited along to the Saffron Business Forum lunch on Friday and to hear Jim McGuinness speak about his journey to the highest levels of amateur sport, his experience in moving into professional sport and working in Scotland, Japan and the US.
What is quite apparent is that sports are sports - apart from some fine technical analysis on certain rule changes within the game, what was said could have been applied to any competitive team sport or indeed, any successful business.
I suspect I may be doing Jim a slight injustice here but some of the key takeaways (for me at least) were as follows;
Values - What you do is more important that what you say you do. Those ‘values’ you put on your website? Not important (Jim put it more 'succinctly' that that!) IF you don’t demonstrate and adhere to those values with your staff and customers/clients.
Culture and philosophy - Vital to creating a successful team (and business) but they can’t be dictated...they need buy-in from the whole team.
People – if a team member was worth the effort the Thursday before they broke their leg, they are worth the effort in getting them back fit. Everyone can go through ‘seasons’ whether that is partners, customers/clients or employees. Sometimes the reason for a drop in performance is clear (eg broken leg). Sometimes its not. Maybe it’s personal, maybe it’s professional. Either way, remember that person’s value and help get them back on their feet.
3 conversations – notwithstanding the above, if someone isn’t meeting expectations or buying in to the team in the way they should, they
get 3 conversations. I don’t think I would like to have that third conversation with Jim.
45 metre line rule change – genuinely I have no idea. Something about the 15 metre line was talked about too but now I know what goes through my wife's head when I try to explain rugby’s 50:22 kicking laws.
Well done to all the organisers and sponsors for an excellent event and thanks of course to Agnew Leasing for the invite!
#saffronbusinesslunch #johnsons