As we head into the Christmas break, a lot of teams start easing off. The pace slows, projects wrap up, and everyone’s thinking about a bit of rest — and rightly so. But while it’s important to pause, it’s also a great time to think about what comes next. Because leadership doesn’t stop when the…
Pressure has a funny way of revealing what’s underneath. When things get tough, people don’t rise to the occasion; they fall to the level of their preparation. I remember running training sessions where we’d deliberately add a bit of pressure. Maybe shorten the time, use game position scenaros, increase the pace, or throw in unexpected challenges….
Before every match, I used to gather the players together. It wasn’t a long speech, just a few minutes to centre everyone on what mattered most that day. Sometimes it was about focus, sometimes trust, sometimes just reminding them to enjoy the game. That short talk often made the biggest difference. It gave direction, energy,…