Jonny Wilkinson set his own culture
Steve Black talks to Peter Glynn about working with Jonny Wilkinson and how they developed a winning culture.
Steve Black was stood with Alan Irvine, Newcastle United’s Academy manager at the time. The pair were staring out of the window at the Magpies’ Academy building.
It was 1997 and the Premier League club shared the facility with the city’s rugby club Newcastle Falcons.
“What’s that lad doing? What’s he done wrong?” enquired Irvine. Outside a lone teenage rugby player was practising his kicking technique. From one end of the pitch to the other he went, a bag of balls in tow. “He’d just kick, kick, kick then walk back down the other end and do it again,” Black explained. Half an hour later Irvine’s stare was still focused on the figure.
He checked again if it was some form of punishment. Black laughs that he had to explain that he was “just practising”. “Astonishing” replied Irvine. “You’d never get that in football.”
An hour and a half later, “the kid” - as Irvine called him - was still practising. It’s then that Black explained what he was witnessing. “I said ‘That’s Jonny Wilkinson. He’s going to be special’.”
And so it turned out. Wilkinson’s 500 weekly kicks (Black’s estimation) during the 17 years which have followed have led to 91 England caps, two British and Irish Lion tours and, most famously, the drop goal which won England the Rugby World Cup in 2003.
Even after such a decorated career the same intensity and determination which burned in the teenager is still evident now in the 34 year-old currently plying his trade in the south of France with Toulon.
Black attributes Wilkinson’s desire for the game to an unwavering focus and appetite for self-improvement. He should know. He has been Wilkinson’s coach for 17 years. Black spends a week a month in Toulon with Wilkinson.
“He continues to be the most dedicated sportsman I have ever met. In his chosen activity, he is as dedicated a person I have ever met in any activity; whether that is in business or any other industry. He absolutely does the right things,” explained Black who, during their 17-year association, has been described as Wilkinson’s personal coach, mentor, advisor, fitness conditioner and psychologist.
Two hours in Black’s company races by. More anecdotes strengthening the mythology of Wilkinson’s ferocious training regime follow. “Eerie” is the word Black reveals that RFU Director of Rugby Rob Andrew used on witnessing him train.
Jonny looks at what he has done that particular day and assesses whether he is happy with it or not
Laughter follows when Black momentarily halts his enthusiastic Geordie flow to say “the only thing he’s not great at is relaxing”. Black even conjured a remedy for that, challenging the restless perfectionist in Wilkinson to become the ‘best rester’ when the time for recuperation was necessary.
“His standards are sky high. He has got his own sub culture. We talk about how he should behave, why he should behave that way; what quality he expects out of life, what interactions he is having, what results he is expecting, the overall sub culture and how adhering to it will help him get there.”
The culture surrounding the performer is key. The environment Black and Wilkinson have cultivated over the years is integral to the continued success.
“You have to do things right: make sure you are living right, sleeping well, eating right, drinking enough water, getting to bed, all these types of things.
“Are you surrounding yourself with good people and good things? If you are going to read, you are reading good books and you are watching and listening to good things and having conversations with people who make you feel great and people who love you and care for you.”
A cycle of review, reflection, planning and preparation and crucially, rest, are some of the accompanying ingredients which help shape the culture.
“There’s a quality control which is a day-by-day thing we do where Jonny looks at what he has done that particular day and assesses whether he is happy with it or not. He can be very honest with himself about that.”
Black explains that Wilkinson has a simple 1-10 ranking system which he uses at the end of every day. Marks are given on: quality of effort; quality of contribution - focusing on decision-making and execution; quality of support and interaction with colleagues; and a final mark for the results of that days endeavour.
Penning a reflective journal is another daily routine; a diary of emotions, moods and feelings as much as schedules, processes and achievements.
Black believes the reflective diary is a tool both players and coaches can utilise and something he has used in his own career for years. His own writing flourished with the realisation that if learning really mattered to him he needed to take note of it.
You have got to be able to form good relationships with people. Relationships are everything. If someone likes you they will listen to you
What price are they prepared to pay to do all of these things? Are they prepared to train when they have to train and at the required intensity? Are they prepared to rest when they need to rest?
Black says most people fail to be world class because they don’t know what the requirements are. Equally, for those that do know what is required many then do not possess the dedication and discipline to follow the process.
“What price are they prepared to pay to do all of these things? Are they prepared to train when they have to train and at the required intensity? Are they prepared to rest when they need to rest?
“What is the aim? Is the aim to be a recreational athlete or the world’s best? Both sides have merits and no judgements there, but you have got to know which one is the aim of that person or that team.”
After the interview I probe Black further about what prevents people achieving in their chosen field. Black says that the very best simply don’t engage with what he terms the ‘C word’: compromise. It’s something Black and Wilkinson have banished from their sub-culture.
“His preparation is superb. Before every game he couldn’t be more confident and why couldn’t he be more confident? Because he has prepared well.
“So if you have talent and you add to it all the great work that we have spoken about then you get Jonny Wilkinson; Jonny does it all.”
Part of developing an effective sub-culture is surrounding yourself with positive resources. Steve Black has a library of over 3,000 books, here are his top 15:
- As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen
- Winning, by Jack Welch
- The Success Principles, by Jack Canfield
- Managing Oneself, by Peter Drucker
- Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell
- Mans Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl
- Going for Gold, by John Maxwell
- The Competitive Advantage, by Michael Porter
- The Leadership Challenge, by Jim Kouzes
- What got you here won't get you there, by Marshall Goldsmith
- What it takes to be number one, by Vince Lombardi Jnr
- The Pyramid of success, by John Wooden
- The seven habits of highly effective people, by Stephen Covey
- Game plan for life, by Joe Gibbs
- Tackling Life, by Jonny Wilkinson and Steve Black
Steve Black provides coaching consultancy services across a number of sports and businesses. Article image courtesy of Richard Lee/BPI/REX/Shutterstock.