Haka Team Building: Inspired by New Zealand's All Blacks

Leadership Management

Inspired by New Zealand's All Blacks

The Haka Team Building activity aims to teach participants through the example and lessons left by the incredible All Blacks.

New Zealand's win percentage over the last 100 years exceeds 80%. It's an incredible record, and an achievement unmatched by any other elite team, in any sport.

But in 2004, something was wrong. The 2003 World Cup had gone badly, and by the start of the following year, the All Blacks' most senior players were threatening to leave the team. Team discipline had been lost, disorder reigned, and to make things worse, the All Blacks were losing.

In response, a new management team led by Graham Henry began rebuilding the world's most successful sports team from the inside out. They wanted a fresh team culture emphasising individual character and personal leadership. Their mantra? "Better people make better All Blacks." The result? An incredible win rate of over 86% and a Rugby World Cup.

Here are five leadership lessons we apply in our Haka Team Building programme:

1. Sweep the sheds

Before leaving the changing room at the end of the game, some of the biggest names in rugby, like Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Mils Muliaina, stop and tidy up their things. Literally, not just figuratively, they "sweep the sheds".

Former All Black Andrew Mehrtens describes it as an example of personal humility, a core All Blacks value.

Although it might seem odd for an all-conquering team, humility is fundamental to their culture. The All Blacks believe it's impossible to achieve outstanding success without having your feet firmly planted on the ground. This is a key concept we start with in our Haka Team Building activity.

2. Follow the spearhead

In Māori, whanau means "extended family". It's symbolised by the spearhead.

Although a spearhead has three points, for it to be effective, all its force must move in a single direction. Hence the mantra used by the All Blacks: "No dickheads", a term unashamedly borrowed from the Sydney Swans.

The All Blacks select both the person and the talent, which means some of New Zealand's most promising players will never wear the black jersey: considered dickheads, their inclusion would be harmful to the whanau.

3. Champions do extra

Another mantra, this time from Brad Thorn, the former All Blacks player, says "Champions do extra", and it helped him become one of the most successful players in rugby history.

The philosophy simply means finding additional ways to work harder: in the gym, on the pitch, or for the team. It's very similar to the marginal gains philosophy used by Team Sky.

A focus on continuous improvement, on building an environment of constant learning, and a willingness to bleed for the jersey were at the core of Graham Henry's All Black culture.

4. Keep a cool head

After their early exit from the 2003 World Cup, the All Blacks worked with forensic psychiatrist Ceri Evans to understand how the brain works under pressure. They wanted to overcome the mental-blank state they'd fallen into.

"Red Head" is a mental state where you find yourself out of resources and disconnected from the task at hand, panicked and ineffective. "Blue Head", on the other hand, is an optimal mental state where you're focused on the task and acting at your best.

The All Blacks use "triggers" to switch from red to blue. Richie McCaw stamps against the ground so much he literally buries himself, while Kieran Read stares fixedly at the farthest point in the stadium, looking for the bigger picture.

Using these triggers, players aim to achieve greater clarity and precision, so they can bring out their best under pressure. A great practice we carry out in Haka Team Building.

5. Leave the jersey in a better place

The All Blacks have always had a saying: "Leave the jersey in a better place". Their task is to represent everyone who came before them, from George Nepia to Colin Meads, from Michael Jones to Jonah Lomu, and everyone who follows them does the same. An "All Black" is by definition a role model for New Zealand schoolchildren.

Understanding this responsibility creates a genuine pursuit of a higher purpose. It's a good lesson for everyone: if we make the game bigger, we make the game more effective.

Better people make better All Blacks, but they also make better doctors, lawyers, bankers, business people, parents, siblings and friends.

At Kaizen, we want to contribute to improving every company, through team building activities like the one we've presented today, Haka Team Building, but also through our training programmes.

Thank you very much!!!!!