Nick Turnbull's Proven Strategies for Effective People Management

Ever wished you could navigate the art of people management with ease and authenticity? Look no further. We've got Nick Turnbull, renowned Rugby Coach, sharing the secrets to his success in our latest episode. Nick shows us how he builds rapport with his team early in the season, learning their communication styles, and understanding their unique motivations. His approach is subtle, respectful, and genuine. He's not about imposing himself on others, but rather about fostering connections and creating a positive environment for constructive feedback. 

Nick also guides us through his strategy of identifying influencers within his team and forming individual relationships with them, which is a nugget of wisdom that could be a game-changer for any leader. Tune in and absorb the key lessons from Nick's effective leadership style - being present, understanding your audience, and being authentically you. By the end of the episode, you may find yourself viewing people management in a whole new light. Don't forget to leave us a comment or review, as we'd love to hear your thoughts on the episode. 

This is Craig Bartlett, your host on the Quintessentially - You Podcast, where we explore men and what makes them tick. 

Listen in, and let's grow together.

You are listening to the Quintessentially - You Podcast, where we share journeys and shift minds because #everymancounts.

Transcript

Craig Bartlett: 0:00

If you're a people manager, whether that's in a sporting context or at work, you'll understand that connection with your team is really important. I posed the question to Nick Turnbull to understand how he creates the environment so that he can deliver constructive feedback, so that it lands well or as well as it can be expected. And this is his reply.

Nick Turnbull: 0:23

How much thought do?

Craig Bartlett: 0:24

you put into delivering that message when you know that that individual isn't at an emotional intelligence level that some of the other players in and you may understand that it could land in a way, be received in a way that won't be a positive experience for them.

Nick Turnbull: 0:46

The individual. I really start very early in the season. I'm not trying to impose myself on anybody.

Nick Turnbull: 0:54

I just sit watch, learn and try and get a connection with everybody, whether it's just an eye nod because I know a lot of Pacifica boys eye contact can be deemed disrespectful. So just learning how to communicate with them, finding out because people do interest in I'm generally interested in those people because people interest in them. But how they operate, what they do, where they're in their life, just get to know them and don't be too judgmental early in the season. Just observe, you can see if they're putting effort. If they're not, hey mate. Hey, everything all right. Yeah, mate, I'm good and it's just shut down, no worries. Hey, mate, how's your day? Yeah, mate, I'm good, and I'd go to the gym with the boys and say nothing. I'd just be in the gym doing my thing, just be around them.

Nick Turnbull: 1:47

They're seeing that these are just 50 year old fat bugger turning up telling them stuff. That you're there and they said and it's kind of like glue that holds the bricks together, and I don't know how you put it down. You want it, but I certainly made a conscious decision not to be one of these fly and fly coaches. It turns out this is what we're doing bubba, bubba. Whatever.

Nick Turnbull: 2:08

You've got to be around them as much as you can, but you're never going to be one of them. So don't try to be one of them, but be available to them and get to know them and then for any hard conversations you have after that, they're not too hard Collectively, you know, probably five might be rocket atom after a game because I didn't think they scripted it. They know that I don't regret the way I did it, but I could have done it better. But I think, because we had that foundation of time together and I don't fly off my rocket really that often that meant something to me. I cared about them and I cared about the result and I didn't want that repeated and I'll hold you to account as a group. You hold me to account as a coach.

Nick Turnbull: 3:01

But we knew each other kind of in that sense that I wasn't there. I was there for them for the right reasons. I'm there purely for me. We all have self-motivations, but I generally want these lads to be everything they can be as rugby players and to drain myself of every resource I have, any scary knowledge I have to gain and give it to them to help them be better. I think they understand that and then it was just a simple identification of who are the influencers of this group, who they don't need to see, who has the respect in this group that they listen to, who has a point in certain areas, and then developing individual relationships with those guys, knowing that I could put influence between the two or three guys which we'd get through.

Craig Bartlett: 4:02

Some great lessons there. I think there are four key takeaways for me. One, be available to your people. Two, don't impose yourself. Three, understand who your audience is and lead. Sorry, Nick describes or makes reference to the Pacific Island boys. And then four, just be yourself. Don't try and be one of the great coaches. Just be authentic, be genuine and be you.

Craig Bartlett: 4:28

So that's another episode done. Hope you've enjoyed it. You know it'd be really great, as if you know you've liked the episode, please leave us a comment. If you're on whichever podcasting app you're on, please leave us a review, like and share. That would mean the world Always wanting to get feedback. What I'm wanting to do is just bring great people's stories to you guys to have a listen in so that you may get some value out of it. My name's Craig Bartlett. You've been listening to the Quincecentralia podcast. You know we're looking to take a sneak peek behind the curtains to see what make men tick, because for me, you know, I'm looking to change one person's life at a time, because I believe that every man counts. Thanks for listening in. Bye for now.