At first glance, rugby is a brutal sport with a huge emphasis on physical strength and skill. But scratch the surface and so much of the game is driven by what happens off the pitch.
Success or failure is shaped by developing the right mindset, values, team culture and leadership structure off the pitch.
Few can talk about this better than John Barclay. A natural leader who has put his body on the line for club and country during an illustrious career, John has seen this first hand during his experience of the extreme highs and lows of professional rugby.
In his inspiring talks, John shares his insights on the impact strong leaders can make on a team and the importance of getting the best out of people to benefit performance.
He draws on his experiences of playing for Scotland during a career which saw him win 76 caps and play in three World Cups. His talks include looking at coping with being thrown into the deep end of the Scotland squad a month after his 18th birthday; the challenge of making his debut against New Zealand, the world’s toughest team; dealing with falling out of favour and being left out of the Scotland squad for two years; and coming back from injury to captain his country on the highest stage.
Now retired from international rugby, John is sharing his learnings from the pitch to inspire others to get the best out of themselves.
He draws on his experiences on and off the pitch to explore themes such as:
- helping to implement change
- the importance of positive cultures
- establishing core values and standards
- leadership and how to help individuals and teams deliver stronger performances and fulfil their potential
