Rich Hunwicks - Leadership Lessons from Two Decades in Pro Sports
Nov 25, 2024
Episode 163: In our first episode of the Sports Performance Leadership show powered by Inform Performance, Pete Mcknight interviews Rich Hunwicks, an established authority in applied high-performance sport & leadership. Rich is a World Cup Finalist, Challenge Cup and Super League winning performance coach, who currently delivers as keynote speaker in the corporate sector whilst coaching high-level executives in lifestyle & leadership principles to maximise productivity & function in both sport & business.
Topics Discussed
- â Transformational Leadership in Action
- â Resilience: The Key to Leadership
- â Seeking Support and Building Connections
- â The Importance of Care in Leadership
- Transitioning from Sports to Corporate Leadership
- â The Role of Family and Personal Connections
Key-Points
- Leadership qualities can manifest in various roles throughout one's career, including personal relationships and voluntary positions. These roles might not initially be recognized as leadership opportunities, but upon reflection, they often reveal significant leadership experiences. This realization often comes retrospectively, as individuals look back on their careers and personal lives to see how they have led in different capacities.
- A unique journey into high-performance sports coaching often begins in unexpected places, such as hospitality or outdoor activities. For instance, starting a career in the Alps coaching winter sports can provide foundational experiences in leadership and interpersonal skills. This initial exposure to coaching not only involves teaching skills but also requires caring for individuals' well-being, setting the stage for future roles in sports and performance coaching. Such diverse experiences can shape a leader’s ability to connect with and motivate others in various contexts.
- Consistent effort to improve daily, weekly, and yearly is a fundamental principle for achieving success and becoming world-class in any field. This principle emphasizes the importance of continuous self-improvement and dedication, regardless of the specific role or industry. It suggests that applying effort consistently is key to standing out and differentiating oneself in any professional environment.
- Humility is crucial when entering a new leadership role, especially in a different cultural context. Recognizing past achievements while understanding the unique challenges of a new environment is essential for effective leadership. This involves acknowledging what has been accomplished but also being open to learning and adapting to new cultural norms and expectations.
- Effective leadership in a multicultural setting requires adapting communication styles, learning new languages, and embracing local culture and beliefs to connect with team members. This approach helps build trust and improve performance by aligning with the values and expectations of the team.
- Three key leadership styles identified for success are serving others by understanding and meeting their needs, being transformational by raising expectations beyond perceived limits, and being strategic by prioritizing actions for maximum impact. These styles are essential for fostering an environment where individuals feel supported, challenged, and aligned with organizational goals.
- Building trust is a critical aspect of leadership, achieved through consistent behavior, demonstrating competence, and fostering positive relationships over time. Trust allows leaders to influence their teams effectively, creating an environment where team members are willing to go above and beyond their standard duties.
- Displaying gratitude and acknowledging exceptional performance can significantly impact team morale and strengthen relationships. Recognizing achievements beyond expected duties fosters a culture of appreciation and motivates individuals to excel further.
- Cultural differences, such as greeting customs like kissing in France, can initially be challenging but may offer unexpected benefits like increased trust and positive physiological effects when embraced. Understanding these cultural nuances can enhance team cohesion and create a more inclusive environment.
- Reflecting on past leadership experiences allows for the identification of core values and strategies that contributed to success. This reflection provides valuable insights for future leadership roles by highlighting effective communication, strategic thinking, and transformational influence as key components of successful leadership.
Where you can find Rich:
•â â Website
•â â Instagram
•â LinkedIn
Sponsors
VALD: makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.
Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.
Teambuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.
Remaker: The Portable Strength Tracking Ecosystem. Remaker provides real-time insights to optimise your performance, making even the smallest improvements in your strength training visible in an engaging and powerful format. Remakers integrate seamlessly with the exercise equipment you already use, and the app provides meaningful metrics for every rep, of every set, of every exercise.
