Leadership lessons don’t always come from boardrooms or management books; sometimes they’re learned on the pitch, through teamwork, pressure, and shared responsibility.
In this episode of KnowThyBrand, host Giulia Iannucci is joined by Eamon Reily, originally from New Zealand and a member of Rugby Club Luxembourg (RCL), for a thoughtful conversation about what rugby teaches us far beyond the game itself.
From communication and composure under pressure to resilience, humility, and volunteering, Eamon reflects on how rugby shapes people into better leaders, colleagues, and community members. The discussion explores how leadership is distributed, why every role matters, and how learning to handle mistakes can build confidence and character.
This episode offers practical and relatable insights into leadership, belonging, and the power of showing up – both on the pitch and in everyday life.
Topics Covered:
- Rugby as a Values-Based Sport: why rugby is built on respect, teamwork, and shared responsibility; and how every role matters, not just the star players.
- Transferable Skills from Sport to Life and Work: how communication, body language, composure under pressure, and decision-making on the pitch directly translate into leadership and workplace dynamics.
- Resilience and Handling Mistakes: why learning to accept referee mistakes, setbacks, and unfair moments builds mental strength and how turning frustration into focus can change outcomes.
- Leadership Without Ego: why leadership in rugby is distributed, not hierarchical and how asking the right questions can be more powerful than giving instructions.
- Camaraderie and Belonging: creating lifelong friendships across cultures, professions, and generations.
- Hard Work and Preparation (“Hard Mahi”): the importance of effort, preparation, and showing up; earning success rather than expecting it.
- Volunteering and Giving Back: why clubs survive because of volunteers and why those who benefit from communities have a responsibility to give back.
Resources Mentioned:
- Connect with Eamon on LinkedIn
- Connect with KnowThyBrand on LinkedIn and Instagram
- Subscribe to KnowThyBrand for more episodes
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Flo Williams – Inspiring change via sport
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