Coach's comment: The book all leaders should read

"I suggest coaches, not just in sports but leaders in business and organisations, read Owen Eastwood’s book called Belonging."

• Lance Smith is an athletics coach with 40 years of experience. He says a book written by Owen Eastwood, a born and bred Southlander, has prompted him to re-phrase his coaching philosophy in Māori terms.

The acceptance of Maori and general Polynesian values (including language) has radically altered in the last 2 or 3 generations. Examples are many – in language where three generations ago Maori was beaten out of speakers, now Te Reo classes are over-flowing and Te Reo words and phrases are commonplace on radio and TV.

Or entertainment where a generation ago a song with Maori lyrics didn’t make radio playlists until they proved too popular to leave out (The Bridge, Poi E), but nowadays Kapa Haka and Polyfest competitions and festivals are significant events.

Sure, things aren’t perfect yet, but having grown up in the ’40s and ’50s and lived through the ‘60s I’ve seen massive changes in my lifetime.

My principal interest is athletics coaching. I have coached for 40 years and still do in my retirement. I whakapapa to Pakeha, Ngai Tahu, Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Mutanga and have been incorporating Māori values in my coaching for many years, but like Māori principles of two or three generations ago, they were expressed in European terms.

But recently I read a book written by Southland born and bred Owen Eastwood (Ngai Tahu). Owen is now an internationally recognised performance coach and lawyer. *

This inspired me to re-phrase my philosophy in Māori terms. My coaching hasn’t changed. My coaching approach is the same but the words are different, and I feel they better define my coaching philosophy.

It’s a philosophy that has underpinned my coaching for 40 years, but are now voiced in Māori values, crystalising a viewpoint prompted by reading Eastwood’s book.

Namely:

Whakapapa - the traditions, strengths and heritage that has come before that shape what we are today. You stand on the shoulders of those who come before you. In time others will stand on your shoulders. Are you strong enough? Whakapapa also signifies a progression of learning. Newer squad members are helped and inspired by older experienced ones. They in turn were helped by their peers. And so on back.

Mana - can be increased or lessened by deed. The mana of an individual adds to the mana of the group. That’s why I maintain that a squad (or team) member’s success is everyone’s success. Even if you never win a medal, your support, encouragement, training accompaniment and camaraderie supports those who do. Their mana is your mana too.

Rangatira - raranga means weaving, tira is group, so rangatira is weaving together a group - us. Leadership from the squad is from all of us - we are all rangatira. (This allies with my own philosophy that coach and athlete are a team but athlete is the team captain).

Iwi - us. The tribe is stronger than the individual. In our case, it’s the squad. Everything said above contributes to the strength of the squad (or team, group, business, organisation) - and the individual.

I suggest coaches, not just in sports but leaders in business and organisations, read Eastwood’s book called Belonging.

He worked with South African cricket, Scottish rugby and many other international teams, so the coaching lessons and examples are invaluable. And there’s also a fascinating insight to growing up in Southland and Eastwood’s Ngai Tahu whakapapa.

*Belonging, Owen Eastwood, Quercus, 2021.