30/05/2026
Westpac put on a breakfast with Richie McCaw & I was fortunate enough to attend. What a wise down-to-earth lovely man and ambassador for NZ.
Here’s the top 18 things I took away that I’m going to try implement:
1. Keep the team focused on where we’re heading.
2. Control the controllables.
3. See who can hang in there over time and competitors - keep them tough so we can be tough.
4. Rather than feeling helpless look at our attitude and look and be open for help and others to contribute to you.
5. My job is not to have the answers but find the answers (allows others to contribute) and be vulnerable to allow others to contribute and teach, train and give you tools to get better.
6. To get mental stability you’ve got to go through the tough times and learn.
7. As a leader you don’t gave to have all the answers - learn as you go. Learn to keep quiet, listen and allow it to be done, not your way.
8. Don’t fill the air space. If you don’t contribute, shut up. Best to have 8 people thinking different ways rather than 8 thinking the same way.
9. Set your team up so when you’re not there, they don’t miss a beat.
10. Have the real conversations around accountability and replay, look at your mistakes, talk about them. We called these inconvenient facts. we’re here to get better no matter who you are, captain included.
11. How do you progress forward when everything’s going wrong. This is what I’ve been working in for the last 4 years. This is our moment. So, change the mindset.
12. When you move on, leave the team as if you weren’t needed. You’ve installed the level of high performance standard.
13. Don’t look over your shoulder, otherwise you’ll always be disappointed. How do you replace the bits you love, when it’s time to move on. First identify them e.g. just before the start whistle goes. Replace those emotions in your next adventure in life. Don’t use that retire word. You have so much to contribute in many places and to many. If your identity was being a sportsperson, don’t give up your fitness.
14. Be a balance in your relationship, not necessarily at the same time but over the years.
15. Discomfort sets you up for life. Let others bitch & moan (including your children), be the example, and eventually they’ll appreciate the gem you’re trying to install in them.
16. Take a step back and see what we are doing well and see the opportunities, not the negatives or what’s wrong.
17. Be careful what you wish for, remember what’s important to you, like family time so before leaping into the next thing, how does that align with what's important to you, what's the sacrifice?
18. You can’t change what you can’t see. How do you get better at seeing things. Put yourself under pressure, until it affects your performance where there’s something on the line. Have a picture in your mind for when everything falls apart, so you can see it and change it, if you need to.
Thanks Richie, you are awesome ☺️
