Episode 11: How To Create A High-Performance Culture with Simon Thomas (Maori All Blacks & Crusaders)

Hi everyone, Today we welcome ST, otherwise known as Simon Thomas, a high-performance consultant from New Zealand. In this episode he shares his experiences and learnings from working with the world's most successful rugby club, the Crusaders, and his time with the Māori All Blacks. In this episode, we discuss what ancient Māori wisdom has taught him, how to create a story that unites your people, how to ensure you have the right people on the bus in the first place, and how to create a culture where people put the organisation’s success before their own self-interest. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, rate, subscribe and share it with others. Thanks, as always, for listening and I hope you enjoy it. 00:00 Intro 01:34 The Power of Purpose in High Performance 6:01 The Impact of Storytelling on Team Culture 17:22 3 Steps To Align Your People 26:22 Scaling Connection & Belonging 31:11 The Maori All Blacks Culture 44:01 How To Identify The Right People 50:29 Staying Aligned To Your Strengths & Values 53:20 Whole-Person Approach 1:00:00 Connecting People Remotely 01:07:15 How To Retain Your Best People 01:15:06 First Steps In A New Environment 01:22:59 Word Association 1:27:31 Summary & Takeaways