Views in Verse on 'change bringers'
Waratahs win maiden title in Super XV competition
on their belief in a mission!
Last Night in front of 62,000 people at Homebush Stadium in Sydney, the NSW Warataths beat the Crusaders 33-32 in what was a rousing game of rugby.
The latter being many times champions and recognised as the toughest team to beat in a final. The former a side of (well) 'showponies' who loved to perform but were often not committed to win or so it seemed to their long suffering supporters ...until last night.
What brought about this change? They always had good players. The club was always well funded. But over time they lost their fans owing to their erratic performances and a revolving door of players. What changed?
Last year they enlisted the help of a European Cup winning coach. An Australian as it turned out - Michael Cheka. He came to the table with an uncompromising style based in player belief and a mission to play the game as it is intended to be played - 'openly' and with firm regard to the fans enjoyment. One would follow the other as this resulted in the biggest Final crowd in Super XV history.
The key to it all : Cheka taught them to believe in their own success.
If in doubt go back to what you believe gets you there. As they struggled through the second half last night and the Crusaders began to spin their tight web of control on the game, it was refreshing to see the open 'trust in what we know' style return as they stormed off with the win.
I had of late heard Cheka's talk of trusting to 'let the head go' as the only thing that will deliver the required outcome. A lesson to any long suffering golfer who tries to steer the club-head onto the fairway only to be later found trudging off into the trees. I heard one of his key players reiterate it this week and then again Bernard Foley mentioned it after the game last night as one of their key success factors.
Cheka brought about a common belief (previously missing) among a group of what must be called 'star players' who will now go on to form the bulk of the Australian team to meet a lot of again common faces in the Crusaders team who will very soon roll up as "All Blacks" to meet the Wallabies.
However when asked to comment on this, the 'Tahs' captain Michael Hooper (also the Australian Captain) quickly corrected the reporter with "This is all about the Tahs mate ...all about the Tahs". Absolutely correct, as the common bond found here amongst these "star players" was the mission and the strategy shared by this group of players, provided by an uncommonly inspirational coach.
Cheka was later seen wandering around the ground in a very unpretentious way; in fact he could have been any of the fans who had wandered down from the stand. Well, every one of those fans (and not just the ones who were there) thanks you for delivering on what has been in many past years a painful leaderless mission.
You made the difference 'Chek'. A real Change - bringer!!!
You hear the word 'transformation' loosely thrown around these days in the corporate world in which I dwell. One of the latest management 'weasel words' used politically to reward faceless people who do sometimes very little towards real change in a loosely prescribed initiative. The team is often refreshed quietly every few years (see National Bank this week) for purposes of continuing the reward stream without too much fuss. Much in the way the Waratahs had been!
Perhaps trusting in "letting the head go" might resonate with the new team there if they're remotely interested in pursuing any clear objectives!
The Troubadour
He came to us
as one of us
With a want to try to sing
His songs
were not 'the usual'
but long complex things
He spoke out
on looking out
from beyond your own back door
His call was to lead
not follow ...as before
With no concession
to class or place
as our fathers readily bore
But as an uncompromising
bringer of change...
revolution at the door
Using words
Powerful words
That spoke of freedom and truth
Thoughts he shared
with a growing army
of anxious wide-eyed youth
Enter the Troubadour
Let him sing
for he has something to say
We yearn for change
we're pained by war
He's brooding there back-stage
A tidal surge
of youthful thought
We need this better way
The guards are sleeping
The tower rests
We'll leave this very day
As we go
we won't look back
There's little good we see
When they awaken
The only clue given
Will be one hand waving free
Luther King
The Kennedy's
All praised in their own way
For their part
in social change
the heroes of their day
Yet no engine starts
without a key
The facts are plain to see
A new dialogue
was required
for open thought to breed
Dylan surfaced
He provided that spark
in his shrill compelling voice
Truth spoken out
again and again...
it served enlightened choice
Establishment frowned
...in time gave way
leaving Richard Nixon alone
We all answered
in the western world
J Edgar took a long walk home
Enter the Troubadour
Let him sing
for he has something to say
We yearn for change
we're pained by war
He's brooding there back-stage
A tidal surge
of youthful thought
We need this better way
The guards are sleeping
The tower rests
We'll leave this very day
As we go
we won't look back
There's little good we see
When they awaken
The only clue given
Will be one hand waving free
From my I-pad - Grahame J Flynn
