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I attended the ScaleUp Summit last week. James Kerr, the author of Legacy, was one of the featured speakers. This article summarizes his talk in 10 key lessons.
->Reading tip: Legacy (Book Review)
James Kerr’s talk explores what makes high-performing teams tick, using the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team as a case study. More than a sports team, the All Blacks embody timeless principles of culture, leadership, and purpose that resonate in every field of endeavor—from business to personal growth. Their story is one of relentless pursuit, connection, and leaving a legacy. Kerr masterfully weaved their journey into lessons we can all apply.
1. The Core Idea: Lineage and Legacy
At the heart of the All Blacks’ ethos lies a simple yet profound belief:
Every player is a temporary custodian of something greater than themselves.
They’re part of an unbroken chain, stretching from the past to the future. The All Blacks phrase “Leave the jersey in a better place“ encapsulates this mindset. This brings them humility, expectation, and responsibility, which lifts their game. Players honor those who came before and pave the way for those who will follow.
This sense of lineage reminds us that our time is fleeting. Whether in sports, work, or life, we have a moment to write our chapter, fulfill our purpose, and contribute to something larger than ourselves.
2. The Glue of Values: Humility, Excellence, and Respect
The All Blacks operate on three core values: humility, excellence, and respect. But these aren’t just words on a wall—they’re lived out loud. For example, the players literally sweep the locker rooms after matches, regardless of their superstar status. This act symbolizes accountability, self-reliance, and respect for the environment they’ve left behind.
- Humility: Success can make us complacent. Staying humble ensures openness, curiosity, and continual growth,
- Excellence: “Relentless pursuit of excellence” is more than a slogan—it’s about perfecting the basics and striving to be the best in the world, every single day,
- Respect: Respect begins with oneself, extends to teammates and opponents, and ultimately honors the jersey and its legacy.
3. Leadership: Creating Exceptional Circumstances
Wayne Smith, a key figure in the All Blacks, defines leadership as creating “exceptional circumstances.” It’s about crafting an environment where world-class behaviors thrive, multiplying the talent in the room. Kerr summed it up with an equation:
Performance = Capability + Behavior
Talent alone isn’t enough. Small, consistent behaviors—how a team shows up, interacts, and executes—bridge the gap between potential and achievement.
4. Turning Beliefs into Action
The All Blacks are masters of turning beliefs into behaviors. Rituals like the Haka, which embodies their identity and purpose, reinforce their connection to each other and their history. Similarly, storytelling—such as recalling childhood aspirations before a match—grounds players in their “WHY,” fueling their commitment and focus.
Aligning beliefs, values, and actions creates a culture of accountability, connection, and trust.
5. High-Performance Teams: A Shared Challenge
Success is built on ownership in any elite group. Kerr explains that people rise to a challenge when it feels like their challenge. Leaders in the All Blacks rarely dictate; instead, they ask questions, fostering reflection and engagement. This creates a culture where everyone leads, whether they’re at the front or the back of the pack.
Psychological safety—a space where honest conversations can happen—is critical. In great teams, feedback is direct but constructive. The All Blkacks use language like “permission to enter the danger zone” to signal tough conversations, ensuring they remain solutions-focused rather than defensive.
6. The Ethos of Connection
Drawing from Māori wisdom, Kerr emphasizes that teams are not defined by individuals but by the connections between them. Leaders (Rangatira in Māori) are “Weavers” creating the connective tissue that binds a group. Empowerment follows naturally: when people co-create a vision and feel aligned with the team’s purpose, they perform at their best.
7. Marginal Gains and Pounding the Rock
The All Blacks exemplify the power of small improvements—doing 100 things 1% better rather than one thing 100% better. Like “pounding the rock,” success builds over time through consistent effort. The 100th blow isn’t what breaks the rock; it’s the 99 that came before it.
This principle applies universally. Focus on mastering the basics, perfecting details, and showing up consistently.
8. Legacy and the Tree of Life
The All Blacks use a powerful metaphor: a blank book. New players are handed this book, bound in black leather, with the silver fern on the cover. You open it up, and there’s the original All Blacks jersey, photographed in black and white, with no words. On the following page, there’s the next All Blacks jersey. So, decade by decade, jersey by jersey, page by page, the team’s history is told up to the most modern jersey. Then you turn to the next page, and there’s an image of a tree with empty pages waiting to be filled. It’s the responsibility of the new player to write the next chapter of the team’s legacy.
Kerr expanded on this idea with the “Tree of Life” framework:
- Roots: Your deepest beliefs and values,
- Trunk: Your character and strengths,
- Branches: Your vision and aspirations,
- Sunlight: Your purpose—the light that guides you,
- Ground and Atmosphere: The environment and culture that nurture growth.
Whether in a team or as individuals, understanding these elements helps us create lives of purpose and impact.
9. The All Blacks’ Secret: Culture as a Force Multiplier
The All Blacks’ culture isn’t just a “soft skill”; it’s a competitive advantage. Their rituals, shared language and lived values forge cohesion and clarity. Kerr shared that after reimagining their Haka into the Kapa o Pango (meaning ‘team in black’), their performance soared from a 75% win rate to 95%. The key is aligning beliefs, behaviors, and purpose to create unstoppable momentum.
10. Final Reflections: How Will You Be Remembered?
Kerr closed with a question: How do you want to be remembered? He challenged us to think about our legacy—not just in achievements but in how we impact others. Our character, our actions, and our presence define the stories others tell about us.
Just as the All Blacks live by their ethos, we can craft a story worth telling. By staying humble, striving for excellence, and building meaningful connections, we leave the jersey—and the world—in a better place.
How will you be remembered? What is your legacy? Let me know in the comment box below. I, and other readers of this article, look forward to read from you!
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Source:
Legacy, by James Kerr
