Proud to again be part of school rugby: What School Rugby Teaches Us About Better Business Leadership
This season we are again part of school rugby as one of the sponsors of Helpmekaar Kollege in Johannesburg.
At The Alternative Board® (TAB), we sponsor all the rugby teams at Helpmekaar Kollege. Our decision to support the school is partly about visibility, but it is also about alignment of values.
One of the Oldest Rugby Competitions in South Africa
Helpmekaar participates in the Virseker Noordvaal Cup, not just another school competition.
It is:
- Over 100 years old
- The first tournament was played in 1920
- More than 20 000 schoolboys participate every year
- More than 200 schools compete
- Schools come from five provinces
- Six rugby unions are represented
This makes it one of the largest school rugby competitions in the world.
But what makes this competition special is not just the size or history.
It is the community behind the teams.
Rugby Is Never Just About the First Team
In school rugby, people often focus on the 1st XV.
But anyone who has been part of school rugby knows the truth.
A rugby programme is much bigger than the first team.
It includes:
- Under-14 teams
- Second teams
- Third teams
- Development squads
- Coaches
- Parents
- Teachers
- Supporters
- Old boys
- The entire school community
Every team matters.
Every player contributes.
Every age group builds the future.
When Helpmekaar Kollege plays a match, it is not just one team representing the school.
It is the entire rugby culture of the school standing behind them.
And this is where the lesson for business becomes powerful.
Help Each Other
When translated into English, Helpmekaar means “Help Each Other.”
And that phrase captures something incredibly important – not just in sport, but also in business leadership.
Because the reality is simple: No successful team – whether on the rugby field or in the boardroom – succeeds alone.
Business Leadership Can Be Lonely
Many Business Owners and Leaders experience something very similar.
From the outside, it looks like they are leading a strong organisation.
But behind the scenes, leadership can be incredibly lonely.
Business Owners and Leaders often carry:
- Strategic pressure
- Financial risk
- Employee responsibility
- Customer expectations
- Growth decisions
And they frequently do it without a trusted sounding board.
Unlike large corporations with big executive teams and boards of directors, many Business Owners and Leaders make decisions in isolation.
That is risky.
Because just like rugby, leadership is a team sport.
Help Each Other
That belief lies at the heart of everything we do –
- Peer Advisory Boards
Get clarity and confidence with guidance from peers who truly care about your business.
- Leadership Coaching
Get matched with a seasoned business professional who gets and keeps you focused on turning your vision into action.
- StratPro®
Our transformational program fuses proven strategic tools, expertly facilitated leadership workshops and structured follow-up sessions to define your strategic goals and ensure execution and accountability.
- HI-MAP™ (High Impact Manager Accelerator Program)
Our comprehensive management development platform turns high-performers into innovators who are ready to lead.
- Blueprint™
Our digital platform designed to help Business Owners lead strategically, so you’re driving the business – not reacting to it.
The Helpmekaar Principle: Help Each Other
The name Helpmekaar captures a philosophy that applies equally well to business leadership.
Help Each Other.
In rugby, players rely on each other constantly.
The prop depends on the lock in the scrum.
The flyhalf depends on the forwards winning the ball.
The fullback relies on the defensive line.
Nobody succeeds alone.
And when one player struggles, the team supports him.
This exact principle is the foundation of Peer Advisory Boards.
The Power of Peer Advisory Boards
At The Alternative Board, we bring together non-competing business owners and leaders in confidential Peer Advisory Boards.
These groups meet monthly to help each other tackle real business challenges.
Each board typically consists of 6–10 Business Owners and Leaders.
They bring experience from different industries, backgrounds and leadership journeys.
But they share one powerful common goal: To help each other become better leaders and build stronger businesses.
Just like a rugby team, the strength of the group lies in:
- diverse perspectives
- mutual accountability
- shared experience
- honest conversations
No single person has all the answers.
But together, the board often finds better solutions.
Leadership Is a Contact Sport
Rugby is often described as a contact sport.
Leadership is too.
Business Owners and Leaders face constant pressure:
- Market shifts
- Competitors
- Staff challenges
- Cashflow constraints
- Strategic decisions
- Growth risks
Sometimes you take hard knocks.
Sometimes you get tackled.
Sometimes you lose a game.
What matters is how you respond.
And that is where the right support system becomes invaluable.
The Role of Coaching
Every rugby team has coaches.
Even world-class professional players still need coaches.
Why?
Because great coaches:
- challenge assumptions
- identify blind spots
- develop strengths
- create accountability
- build confidence
The same is true in business.
Through TAB Leadership Coaching, we work with Business Owners and Leaders to help them:
- clarify their strategy
- strengthen their leadership skills
- navigate difficult decisions
- build better leadership teams
Just like a rugby coach watching from the sideline, an external perspective can often see things that players on the field cannot.
Strategy Wins Championships
Another lesson from rugby is the importance of strategy.
Talent alone does not win tournaments.
Winning teams have:
- clear game plans
- structured preparation
- disciplined execution
- adaptable tactics
In business, strategy plays the same role.
This is where our StratPro and Blueprint strategic planning processes come in.
They help Business Owners and Leaders answer the critical questions:
- Where is the business going?
- What does success look like?
- What are the priorities?
- What needs to happen in the next 90 days?
Many businesses operate reactively.
Great businesses operate strategically.
HI-MAP: Building Stronger Leadership Teams
Rugby teams also understand something else.
The best players do not always make the best combinations.
Successful teams build balanced lineups.
You need:
- leaders
- thinkers
- communicators
- problem-solvers
- disciplined players
- creative players
The same applies to leadership teams.
Our HI-MAP leadership assessment helps Business Owners and Leaders understand:
- leadership styles
- behavioural strengths
- potential blind spots
- team dynamics
This allows leadership teams to operate more effectively – just like a well-balanced rugby squad.
The Importance of Accountability
Another similarity between rugby and business is accountability.
On the rugby field, everyone knows their role.
If a player misses a tackle, the team feels it.
If someone drops the ball, momentum is lost.
In a TAB board meeting, accountability works in a similar way.
Board members commit to:
- strategic priorities
- leadership actions
- growth initiatives
At the next meeting, the group checks in.
Did it happen?
What worked?
What didn’t?
What needs to change?
This structure helps Business Owners and Leaders move from good intentions to real progress.
Why “Help Each Other” Matters More Than Ever
In today’s business environment, the challenges facing leaders are growing.
Economic pressure.
Technological disruption.
Skills shortages.
Increasing competition.
Geo-politics.
No single leader has all the answers.
But leaders who surround themselves with the right people often make better decisions.
Just like a rugby team relies on teamwork, communication and support, great business leaders recognise the value of collective wisdom.
And that is exactly what Peer Advisory Boards provide.
From the Rugby Field to the Boardroom
Watching school rugby reminds us of something powerful.
Behind every successful team is a group of people committed to the same goal.
Players helping players.
Coaches guiding players.
Communities supporting teams.
Helpmekaar – Help Each Other.
That philosophy applies just as strongly in business leadership.
The most successful business owners rarely succeed alone.
They succeed because they build strong teams, surround themselves with trusted advisors and remain open to learning.
A Question for Business Owners
Ask yourself:
- Who challenges your thinking?
- Who helps you solve difficult decisions?
- Who holds you accountable for your strategic goals?
- Who understands the pressures you face?
If you do not have that support structure, leadership can become unnecessarily difficult.
But it does not have to be that way.
Call to Action
Leadership should never be a solo journey.
Learn how The Alternative Board can help you make better decisions and grow your business with greater confidence. We invite you to start a conversation.
Because in business – just like rugby – the strongest teams win.
And the strongest teams understand the power of helping each other.
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