In the video, we introduced the Maori concept of “whakapapa,” which essentially means “to plant trees that you’ll never see.”
This powerful idea is at the heart of the New Zealand All Blacks’ approach to building a lasting legacy. Let’s delve deeper into this concept and its implications for leadership and team building.
Whakapapa
While often translated literally as “genealogy” or “lineage”, whakapapa in Maori culture represents a deeper understanding of one’s place in the world. It encompasses not just family lineage, but also one’s connection to the land, to history, and to the future. In the context of the All Blacks, it speaks to their commitment to building something that extends far beyond their own careers or even lifetimes.
James Kerr, in his book “Legacy” highlights how this principle shapes the team’s approach:
1. Long-Term Thinking: The All Blacks don’t just focus on the next game or season. They consider how their actions today will impact the team decades from now.
2. Stewardship: Players see themselves not as owners of the jersey, but as guardians for a time. Their role is to leave it in a better place for those who come after.
3. Continuous Improvement: There’s always a focus on how to make things better, not just for now, but for the future of the team.
These principles are embodied in the small black book that every player receives upon their callup to the squad. The first pages show the jerseys of the teams through the years, starting with the 1905 Originals, until the present day.
Then the book details the principles, the values and the ethos of the team.
And at the back of the book are blank pages – Kerr details the reason for this:
The rest of the pages are blank. Waiting to be filled.
It’s time to make your mark. Your contribution.
It’s time to leave a legacy. Your Legacy.
Legacy, James Kerr
