This week, Colin chats to former rugby union player and Air force Flying officer Rory Underwood.

Many people know of Rory’s illustrious sporting and military careers, but may not also be aware that since leaving both behind him, he has become a renowned management consultant and motivational speaker.

In the second part of Colin’s chat with Rory, you’ll hear about Rory’s views on accountability, the business lessons he learned from the Air Force, how to increase business awareness, and the common operational business mistakes he sees too often.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Blame creates a divisive culture. It all boils down to trust within the organisation. We need to empower people and give them a sense of autonomy, but we also need to accept responsibility when issues arise. Empowerment and accountability done right will engender trust. 

 

• Too many companies focus on the deliverables, and on the numbers. This needs to be done, but awareness of how the business itself is operating, and ensuring it is achieving its full potential, is being too often ignored.

 

• Rory’s training can’t magically turn someone into a better manager, but it does provide the tools, knowledge and direction, so that you can become a great manager yourself.

 

• Every employee should have a core imperative; a knowledge of the main objective of the business. Everyone should be working towards this ultimate objective.

 

• Far too much time is spent on working out who is to blame for issues that have arisen, rather than fixing the problem.

 

• People think risk is a black and white scenario. It isn’t. Potential risks are just that. Increasing awareness of potential hazards and risks is paramount.

 

• Running your own business is a challenge. There is always pressure, because performance impacts not just you, but the people you support.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Empowerment but accountability’

’All we’re trying to do is give you the knowledge and tools to help you do the job’

‘You’ve got the knowledge, but have you got the skills to deliver it?’

’The best salesperson doesn’t always make the best sales manager’

‘Do you understand what your core imperative is?’

‘I didn’t do it for the buzz. I enjoy the job I did'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Interesting Health And Safety Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/training-competency-creating-effective-plan-process/id1467771449?i=1000452692837 

Wingman - https://www.wingmanltd.com

Wingman LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wingmanltd/

Wingman Twitter - https://twitter.com/wingman_ltd?lang=en-gb

ABOUT THE GUEST

Rory Underwood MBE  is an English former rugby union player. He is England's record international try scorer with 49 tries in 85 internationals between 1984 and 1996. He also played for Middlesbrough, Bedford Blues and the Royal Air Force, as well as touring with the British and Irish Lions in 1989 and 1993, playing in six tests and scoring one try.

ABOUT THE HOST

Colin Nottage

‘Making health and safety as important as everything else we do.’

This is the belief that Colin is passionate about and through his consultancy Influential Management Group (IMG) is able to spread into industry. Colin works at a strategic level with company owners and board members. He helps business leaders establish and achieve their health and safety ambitions.

He has developed a number of leading competency improvement programmes that are delivered across industry and his strengths are his ability to take a practical approach to problem-solving and being able to liaise at all levels within an organisation.

Colin also runs a company that vets contractors online and a network that develops and support H&S consultancies to become better businesses.

Colin chairs the Construction Dust Partnership, an industry collaboration directly involving many organisations, including the Health and Safety Executive.

He is a Post Graduate Tutor at Strathclyde University and a highly sought-after health and safety speaker and trainer. He has a Post Graduate Certificate in Safety and Risk management, an engineering degree and is a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).