Business TV: Sir Clive Woodward shares performance expertise for business

In yBC’s latest business TV interview, Rugby World Cup winning Head Coach Sir Clive Woodward OBE discusses leadership, winning teams, the 2012 Olympics, and working with Harvey Thorneycroft Ltd.

With the England vs Fiji fixture set to open the Rugby World Cup on Friday, all rugby eyes are on England this week.
The last time England became Rugby World Champions back in 2003 they were being guided by coaching genius Sir Clive Woodward OBE.

Woodward is one of the incredible sports professionals in Harvey Thorneycroft Ltd’s network of speakers. yBC was given the opportunity to interview these speakers and capture some of their inspiring stories and unique insights into everything from psychology to military operations for business TV briefings which Harvey Thorneycroft Ltd is offering to businesses for free in order to help them maximize performance.

World Cup

Woodward told yBC about his experience coaching the Rugby World Cup team in 2003, which included now iconic players Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio and Jason Leonard. Woodward said:

“They weren’t yes men, if they didn’t agree with me they would tell me, we could have a real open conversation and I would, you know, listen to them, but normally I wouldn’t change my mind either.”

London 2012

After coaching this winning team Woodward later became Team GB Director of Sport for Beijing 2008, the Winter Olympics 2010, and London 2012 where he had the challenge of working not just with the Rugby team but each of the sports teams that made up TeamGB. He said:

“It’s like twenty six different companies. The difference between, say, British cycling and British hockey is huge, just the culture, the way they run things.”

Woodward’s wealth of experience in sport can be applied brilliantly to a business environment. He talks about how “marginal gains” can make a team “100% better”.

Woodward has also had success in the business world. He worked at Rank Xerox and ran his own IT Leasing Company in the UK.  It is this combined experience and knowledge that informs his work with Harvey Thorneycroft Ltd.

Business events

Harvey Thorneycroft Ltd gives clients access to a network of amazing people and places enabling them to create exceptional experiences for their business. Woodward told yBC:

“I’m there to try and put my experience across in business and sport. To allow people listening to actually go away with something that they can take back to their job and say, ‘Yeah that actually works’. That’s what we pride ourselves on.”

The interview will be available to watch at www.harveythorneycroft.co.uk. Clips from this and other interviews will be used in Harvey Thorneycroft’s fortnightly Brilliant Minds briefings. You can sign up to receive the business TV briefings by email here.