Bryan Habana on leadership lessons from sport and business
Springbok legend Bryan Habana talks leadership lessons from professional sport, the five non-negotiables he believes drive success, and what leading a mostly-female fintech team taught him about unlearning old habits.
Monday kicked off on a high note as the Jacaranda FM MANCOSA Business Breakfast took place at Vodacom World in Midrand.
Among the speakers was former Springbok star and businessman Bryan Habana, who shared insights into business success and the principles he considers non-negotiable when it comes to achieving one’s goals.
Speaking about some of the lessons he has learnt throughout his career, Habana said personality can go a long way in both business and life.
"Personality gets you a hell of a far," he said.
The former rugby star also spoke about his love for golf, joking that he is "horrible at it". However, he said the sport has taught him valuable life skills that extend far beyond the golf course.
For Habana, discipline is another key ingredient for success and one of the principles he refuses to compromise on.
He identified sacrifice, hard work, resilience and perseverance as other essential qualities that can help people achieve their goals.
"I think the transition, though, is in business. You need to apply those skill sets that professional sports taught you correctly," he said.
Habana believes these principles are not limited to professional athletes. Whether someone plays rugby, participates in another sport, works in the arts, makes music or runs a business, he said the same principles can be applied to achieve success.
"Whether you play rugby, whether you do sports, whether you're an artist, whether you do music, whether you’re in business, those five principles applied correctly in the form of whatever you're doing is critically important for success to be achieved," he said.
The importance of a strong team
Habana also highlighted the importance of having the right people around him and credited his team for helping him get things done.
"I think purely in terms of getting work done, I’m so grateful that I have 21 females as direct reports to me, because females work phenomenally hard, and they bring you a different perspective," he said.
He reflected on the value of having different perspectives in the workplace, particularly in environments that can traditionally be male-dominated.
Habana also touched on the importance of looking after yourself while pursuing professional success, highlighting the need to balance ambition with personal wellbeing.
For the former Springbok, success is therefore not based on one quality alone. Discipline, sacrifice, hard work, resilience, perseverance, personality and the ability to surround yourself with the right people can all play a role in building a successful career.
Listen to the full interview with Bryan Habana below.
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