Kingsley Napley’s Post

The impact of Covid-19 on both businesses and communities has indeed been profound. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of relationships over transactions, emphasizing the value of collaboration, communication, and empathy. As businesses shift from a purely transactional approach to one that values relational dynamics, they foster environments where innovation and skill development thrive. This cultural shift towards nurturing soft skills and building partnerships can lead to more resilient and sustainable business models. Similarly, communities have faced challenges that require collective action and support. The pandemic has shown that community strength lies in unity and the ability to adapt and support one another. Coordinated efforts, whether through sponsorship, partnerships, or community initiatives, can help rebuild and reinforce community bonds, making them more robust against future adversities. The example of Westaway Sausages Ltd. and Newton Abbot Rugby Club illustrates how businesses can play a pivotal role in supporting and enhancing community spirit. By investing in local institutions and activities, businesses can contribute to the social fabric and well-being of the communities they are part of. In essence, the legacy of Covid-19 could be a shift towards a more relationship-oriented approach in both business and community settings, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, resilience, and mutual support.

Can any business help here ?

As a way to give back to our community and help out a local business. We have sponsored our hometown Rugby Club for this upcoming season. Here are the Glossop RUFC Junior Colts shorts! 🏉 - #grufc #growwithgrymm #Businessminds #ManchesterBusiness #HighPeakBusiness

A very disappointing day for rugby in Australia. It seems history is set to repeat itself with another Australian Super Rugby Team ceasing to exist. It is naive to think reducing the professional contracting opportunities by 20% will increase depth and competition. The NRL and AFL have 17 and 18 teams respectively, Rugby will have 4. Which code do you think juniors will steer towards? A 1/4 chance or a 1/17 or 1/18, less career opportunities will equal less depth as potential players seek certainty and better odds of making it professional. How could a governing body be ignorant to a franchise operating insolvent for multiple years? I question whether this failure of corporate governance raises more concerns for the future of professional rugby in Australia.

Love this post from David Clancy ☘️about athlete availability. In my years of working in high performance sport, and trying to push the boundaries of human performance through marginal gains and innovation, I always felt very grounded by the fact that above all else, an athlete who is available to train with the quality, frequency and consistency that has been prescribed by their programme, will be seven times more likely to reach their goal. Physical and psychological availability are like gold dust in sport. And that's why it's so interesting to me that we are still rubbish at quantifying and doing something about the impact that menstrual cycle symptoms have on availability of athletes. We've got pretty good at reporting that it's a real issue. The data is so consistent in every research paper that describes the proportion of active women and athletes whose quality or quantity of training is impacted by physical or psychological symptoms of their cycle. Another paper landed in my inbox today confirming (again) what we already know... that in a sample of 300 female athletes, 74% had physical symptoms and 63% had psychological symptoms related to their menstrual cycle. Follow up interviews found these symptoms decreased performance of these athletes, both in competition and training (Bugaevsky, 2023. J Clin Anesth & Res). Given that three quarters of athletes will have availability impacted by the menstrual cycle, and we know availability is key to successful performance (as brilliantly described by David below), what are we doing about it? Are we doing enough? Are we doing the right things (lots of below-par attempts to collect menstrual cycle data from athletes but do nothing useful with it)? Of course, it's complex. If availability was easy, every athlete would have nailed it by now. But it's affected by so many bio, psycho and social factors, some of which are unpredictable, that it's an ever present challenge in sport. But when it comes to the menstrual cycle, we know enough - we know symptoms are impacting availability, we know there are things we can do to help manage symptoms (if you don't, go buy our book!), and we have good tools to monitor the impact of interventions. So what's the problem? Again, it's complex. Some athletes are afraid to report symptoms for fear of judgement or selection consequences. Some are supported by coaches who are uncomfortable talking about the topic. Trainers and practitioners haven't historically had access to good information about how to help their athletes manage symptoms. And there is a deep rooted acceptance of suffering being a normal part of having a female reproductive system that we also have to undo. But for now, I believe we can all do better. We know the issue. We have solutions. We can measure their effectiveness. By helping athletes manage symptoms we can improve their availability, which in turn will improve their performance. What are we waiting for? #femaleathletehealth

The Controversy and Transformation of Leicester Rugby Clubs: Pre-CEO Season Journey Revealed Discover the intriguing backstory of Leicester Rugby Clubs before the current CEO's tenure. From finishing second from the bottom to the controversy surrounding salary caps, explore the events that paved the way for change. Reflect on the outcome and discuss if it was the right decision. #LeicesterRugbyClubs #CEOJourney #TransformationStory #ControversialSeason #SalaryCapsControversy #RugbyUpdates #SportsNews #RugbyCommunity #TeamTransformation #DebateTime

Creating a Winning Culture: How England Rugby Wins Over Customers Discover how England Rugby goes above and beyond to delight its customers and build a beloved business. Dive into the story of the Tirrit Arms pub, transformed for the Rugby World Cup. Learn the secrets behind fostering a sense of ownership among employees. #EngagingCustomers #RugbyWorldCup #CustomerDelight #CreatingCulture #EmployeeOwnership #WinningBusiness #CustomerSatisfaction #EnglandRugby #RugbyFans #BusinessSuccess

Yesterday, I had the pleasure in my capacity as DoR at Farnham Rugby Club spend some time with the Director of Rugby from Guildford Rugby Club - Aidan Turns. A great meeting (as all the previous meetings from my local clubs have been) and enlightening on so many fronts!! A couple of headlines... 1. The Reality of Building a Rugby Legacy - Guildford Rugby Club has evolved from humble beginnings in 1922 to a thriving hub for rugby excellence. This growth is a testament to the dedication of players, coaches, volunteers and its community. 2. We discussed the Do’s and Don’ts of Rugby Club development... Don’ts: ❌ Don’t overlook the importance of youth development. ❌ Don’t neglect facility upgrades. ❌ Don’t be afraid to be a leader - deal with all manner of day to day ‘rugby stuff’ that lacks integrity or not within our sports values. Do’s: ✅ Invest in youth rugby (girls & boys) - it's important!!. ✅ Continuously upgrade facilities and look after your finances robustly. ✅ Foster a sense of community - always!! Guildford Rugby Club’s success stems from these core principles and in no small measure I am sure, down to Aidan and his team. Good luck over the forthcoming season (not to much luck - obviously🙏😂😂)!! #RugbySuccess #GuildfordRugby #ClubDevelopment #RugbyLegacy #GuildfordRugby #Commitment

We do what we do best. When everyone talks we play the game. Simple