Scott K. Wilder’s Post

🚀 5 Key Learnings from a Personal Development Course with Rugby NZ's High-Performance Team 🚀 1️⃣ Cross-Code Collaboration & Connection: Personal development thrives when we share experiences across different sports and industries. The value lies in connecting with others to exchange ideas and grow together. 🤝 2️⃣ Reflect & Improve: Make time each day to reflect on your progress. Small, consistent reflections lead to big gains in performance. 📈 3️⃣ The Art of Clear Conversations: Keep discussions focused—whether it's about care, performance, or selection. Clarity is key to staying aligned and making informed decisions. 💬 4️⃣ Empower Courage: Strong relationships breed courage. Teach your team that the standards they walk past are the standards they accept. Lead by example to create a courageous, self-reliant team. 💪 5️⃣ Invisible Reps Matter: "Invisible reps" are the secret to mastering skills over time. Muscle memory is built through repetition, even when it's not seen. Remember: availability is your best ability! ⚡ #HighPerformance #Leadership #Coaching #PersonalDevelopment #RugbyNZ #GrowthMindset #TeamCulture #CoachingLife Craig Philpott Alex McKenzie New Zealand Rugby

A brilliant article by Louise K. Allen drawing parallels between sports & business leadership. 3 key aspects I concur with (exp. while business is a team effort, tennis is an individual genius) a) Importance of Mental Fortitude - " Navigating extreme volatility with keen sense of calmness" b) Quick strategic decisions - " Backhand or forehand? Volley or slice? Cross-court or down the line? Power or spin? -> organizational strategic planning is no longer an annual or quarterly undertaking " c) Pressure is a privilege that comes to those who earns it.

Hard work deserves recognition. When I coached girls’ field hockey, I promised the team ice cream if they gave 100% at practice. (I knew nothing about field hockey but I knew how to coach 🤣 ) It wasn’t just about the ice cream—it was about motivating everyone to put in their best effort, every time. The same goes for your team. Research shows that companies offering rewards see a 14% boost in productivity. 🚀 What rewards do you offer to motivate your team? 👇 #TeamMotivation #LeadershipTips #WorkHardPlayHard #EmployeeEngagement #ProductivityHacks #BusinessLeadership #MotivationMonday #RewardYourTeam #HardWorkPaysOff

How volleyball taught me how to become a better leader: One of the biggest lessons I learned from volleyball is the importance of trust—a skill that has made me a stronger leader. In volleyball, no matter how skilled you are, you can't cover the whole court by yourself. You have to trust your teammates to do their job, whether that’s setting up the perfect assist or blocking at the net. Without trust, you’re trying to do too much on your own, and the team suffers. The same applies to leadership. You need to trust that they can fulfill their responsibility, and by doing so you build your team's confidence and empower them to take ownership. Whether on the volleyball court or in leadership, success hinges on trusting others to play their role. The more you trust your team, the more they’ll step up and deliver.

I just finished listening to Rassie: Stories of Life and Rugby by Johan "Rassie" Erasmus on Audible, and while it might not seem like your typical work read (or listen, in this case), it's packed with some top-notch leadership insights. Here’s a bloke who took on the rugby world and came out on top 🌍🏆—all at the same age I am now (cue the existential crisis, especially as I’m also diving into Elon Musk's book now 😅). In my latest blog post, I break down a few key takeaways: 🏉 The “siege mentality” and how it can unite a team. 💪 Leading with grit when the odds are stacked against you. 🤝 Why trust and transparency should be at the heart of every leader. Whether you’re a rugby fan, a leadership junkie, or just looking for an inspiring story of resilience, give the review a read here: #Leadership #Rugby #Resilience #Rassie #Audible #BookReview #OvercomingObstacles #Underachieving

I will never post about ice hockey 🏒 on LinkedIn.
 That’s what I thought until yesterday. Anyway, this is a post about ice hockey and you are welcomed to read it (or skip it). Witnessing the gold medal game of the #IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship live in the arena yesterday was a lifetime experience. It was not only a spectacular sports event, great and entertaining show, but also a „platform“ that actually reminded me of many similarities between #sports and #business and as such served as a great inspiration for me to further improve myself - both professionally and as a human being. 🏆 Here are my TOP 10 takeaways 🏆 1️⃣ Teamwork, determination and work ethic pays off big time and is the single most important quality giving you the chance to win and succeed as a team. All for one, one for all is your secret sauce. 2️⃣ Respect your opponents, don’t treat them as your enemies. Similarly, you have much bigger chance of closing a deal or building a long lasting partnership, if you respect your partner or business competitor. Show the same appreciation and respect to your competitors no matter how small or big they are. 3️⃣ Setting roles and respecting the roles others were assigned - everyone is unique and the sooner you realize it and accept your role in the team the higher odds of a success for your team and org. 4️⃣ Don’t underestimate the importance of a coach and a leader. You need them. You need to have someone who is able to decide tactics, strategy, set the roles, set the rules and make sure they are followed and respected. 5️⃣ Stay humble but be hungry. There is nothing wrong with winning, achieving more and eating bigger piece of a pie. 6️⃣ Play with heart 💙. Be passionate. Don’t overreact. In sports as well as in business, the mistakes you make can be costly. Especially if it is stupid mistakes, that could’ve been avoided by keeping your focus and right mindset. 7️⃣ Play fair at all times. Losing is always hard, but being able to lose with grace will show your class and will make you stronger for the next battles. Just put in everything and play your best game. If the competitor is stronger - fair enough, congratulate them. 8️⃣ Never give up. You need to believe in your strengths and stay positive at all times even if odds are against you. The road to success is often not straightforward, it has many bumps and you will likely suffer losses along the way. All this is crucially important to experience as it will make you ready for the endgame. 9️⃣ Have luck 🍀. Sometimes you do everything right and still lose. It happens, wait for your lucky star. 🔟 Enjoy the sweet reward if you win. You never know how long it can take to repeat it, if at all. In this case I had to wait 39 years to enjoy the same feeling.🥇 To demonstrate some of the above points, I picked the empty net goal scored in the last minute. Big heart, amazing team work and determination as well as bit of luck. Will be remembered for a long time. 🤍❤️💙

🏒📈 Uniting Ice Hockey's Team Spirit with Business Success! 🏒📈 Last weekend our Ice Hockey team won the championship for the 3rd year in a row. Fast forward to Monday morning at the office, I was constantly drawing correlations between the hockey team and the teams at work. In the world of ice hockey, every player understands that success isn't individual; it's a collective endeavour. From forwards to defensemen, goalies to coaches, each member of the team contributes unique skills and strengths towards a common objective: winning the game. This spirit of collaboration, where every player supports, trusts, and relies on their teammates, is what elevates a good team to a great one. Similarly, in the realm of business, success is seldom achieved in isolation. A thriving company thrives on the cohesive efforts of its employees, managers, and leaders, all working in harmony towards a shared vision. Just as in hockey, where the sum is greater than its parts, businesses flourish when individuals collaborate effectively, pooling their talents to overcome challenges and achieve collective goals. It’s truly amazing what can be achieved when everyone is aligned towards a shared goal! #Teamwork #Collaboration #BusinessSuccess #SharedGoals

Basketball, at its core, is a masterclass in teamwork and adaptability. As Team USA’s gold medal victory at the Paris 2024 Olympics reminds us, success on the court – much like in business – hinges on strong leadership, seamless collaboration, and the ability to pivot under pressure. I’m struck by how basketball exemplifies key principles of effective teamwork, and that reminds me to thank  Alexander Turgeon, Anmoll Upadhyay, Anđelo Brzoja, Bryan Granados, Jedidiah Horne, Juan Drets, Mavi Martinez and all Valerians for our amazing teamwork in Valere. Now, reflecting on this spectacular win: - Diverse Skillsets: Like a well-rounded company, Team USA’s roster blended various talents and specialties. - Adaptability: Facing tough opponents required quick strategy shifts – a crucial skill in today’s fast-paced business world. - Leadership at All Levels: From LeBron’s veteran presence to Curry’s clutch performance, leadership emerged when needed most. - Resilience: Overcoming challenges, especially in the nail-biting semifinal against Serbia, showcased the team’s mental toughness. Key Highlights of Team USA’s Journey: - LeBron James named tournament MVP at 39, embodying lifelong learning and excellence - Stephen Curry’s game-changing 24 points in the final, including 8 crucial three-pointers - Balanced contributions from stars like Durant and Booker, emphasizing the power of collaboration This victory – Team USA’s 5th consecutive Olympic gold – is a testament to the enduring power of teamwork, adaptability, and leadership in achieving greatness. What leadership lessons have you drawn from sports? How do you foster teamwork and adaptability in your organization? #LeadershipLessons #Teamwork #Basketball #Olympics2024

Anyone who knows me knows I love sports (especially hockey). Personally, I prefer the Winter Olympics to the Summer, probably because of my passion for hockey, skiing, etc. But the Olympics as a whole are a great lesson in achieving greatness with humility. This fantastic article from the New York Times about the Paris Olympics highlights how real greatness isn't just about winning—it’s about bettering yourself, competing fiercely, and respecting your competition. You can be relentless and kind, disciplined and compassionate. Real winning is about the person you become and the relationships you build along the way. Real leaders should aspire not just to be ethical but to tap into all these traits that make us genuinely good human beings. That’s real leadership. Check out the article here: [NY Times Article on Paris Olympics](https://lnkd.in/ey4i9Fc4) #leadership #humility #winning

Ice Hockey World Cup Fever This weekend, the whole Czech nation was glued to the screen, thrilled by our team's success. It got me thinking about the essence of their achievement and its parallels with business teams. Clarity: Clear roles and responsibilities. Dependability: Relying on each other's competence. Purpose: Driven by a clear goal and meaning of work. Impact: Understanding the significance of their actions. Communication: Instant and effective interactions. Mindset: Unity and support, playing as one team! Winning the World Cup is rare, but building a successful team doesn't have to be. Focus and intention are key to turning luck into consistent success. My mind was also in Sweden—congrats on your bronze! #Teamwork #Leadership #Success #TeamCoaching Photo: @seznam.cz