Boardroom Talk – Springbok lessons for all SA leaders; teamwork and chasing lost causes

By Alec Hogg.Apple founder Steve Jobs, who spent just six months at university, attributed his edge to a focus on intersections between disciplines. His particular interest was where design and tech overlapped – an obsession still evident a dozen years after his death in the beautiful products created by the company he founded..The weekend's Springbok victory over France was a reminder. As any student of the Rassie/Nienaber/Kolisi era well knows, two concepts dominate their thinking – every one of those 33 players in the squad works as part of a team, and the entire group believes in the merit of chasing "lost causes.".___STEADY_PAYWALL___.Using Jobs' 'intersections' philosophy, there appears to be an obvious merit in applying both of these Springbok core principles more broadly..In business, teamwork really does deliver a sustainable advantage. There are any number of great books that unpack this, led by Jim Collins's 'Good To Great' and William Thorndike's 'The Outsiders.' Plentiful research proves how businesses blessed with humble team leaders outperform those led by brilliant individuals..On a broader front, the 'lost cause' principle behind Cheslin Kolbe's charging down of that all-important two-point conversion should be embedded into the Multi Party Charterists..Sometimes, it seems SA's political opposition listens too closely to pollsters who say ANC supporters are too thick or too historically invested to vote rationally..Instead of waiting for the ANC to eventually self-destruct – maybe in 2029 – consciously ignoring pundits in favour of an obsessive belief in the 'lost cause' principle could deliver the only really rational 2024 election result..The obvious conclusion: It's time for Steenhuisen and Co to channel their inner Cheslin. Start by adopting a higher purpose that supersedes petty politics. Then forge a team to guarantee victory from the jaws of yet another electoral defeat. It's the very least deserved by the nation – and our super-charged rugby gladiators..Sterkte.Alec.Read also:.Unmasking the hidden side and demons of maverick Springbok innovator Rassie Erasmus – David O'SullivanPREMIUM from the FT: It's time we stopped talking about retirementCecil John Rhodes would have loved the ANC's new education bill – Andrew Kenny

Boardroom Talk – Springbok lessons for all SA leaders; teamwork and chasing lost causes

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