Ruck & ROI: Business Insights from a Rugby Maverick

Welcome to season two of intheOffice Cast.

In the first podcast of season 2, episode 1 features a conversation between Jon Kent and Andy Long, an ex-England rugby player and performance coach. Listen as he shares insights from his career in professional sports and his transition to coaching in business. One of Andy’s key strategies around mindset is the concept of ‘red to blue’, a framework to help teams and individuals create more predictable performance and outcomes, aimed at reducing and controlling the negative emotions in high performance situations.

Key Points:

1. Performance Management: Andy discusses the importance of performance management in both sports and business, emphasising the need for cohesive teamwork in hybrid working environments.
2. Background and Career: Andy shares his journey from being a professional rugby player to becoming a performance coach, highlighting his experiences and the lessons learned along the way.
3. Coaching Philosophy: Andy explains his coaching philosophy, which focuses on helping individuals and teams perform at their best by managing pressure and maintaining a positive mindset.
4. Red to Blue Head Concept: The podcast delves into the "Red to Blue" head concept, a tool used to manage mindset and attention under pressure, which is applicable in both sports and business.
5. Impact of Pressure: Andy discusses the impact of pressure on performance and the importance of being prepared for it, whether in sports competitions or business challenges.

Key Takeaways:

1. Mindset Management: The "Red to Blue" head concept is a valuable tool for managing mindset and attention under pressure, helping individuals perform better in high-stress situations.
2. Adaptability and Resilience: Andy's journey from professional sports to business coaching underscores the importance of adaptability and resilience in achieving high performance and overcoming challenges.

Andy Long Biography:

Andy Long has had an impressive and diverse career, transitioning from professional sports to business coaching.

From Rugby to Business Coaching

Andy Long began his professional rugby career in 1996, joining Bath Rugby as part of the first crop of academy professional rugby players. His career in rugby spanned 16-years, during which he experienced many highs and lows. Notably, he was capped for England in 1997 as a 20-year-old, making him the youngest post-war player in his position to achieve this. He also played for Bath Rugby and was part of the squad that won the Heineken Cup in 19983/4. Unfortunately, his rugby career was cut short in 2012 due to a neck injury.

Transition to Coaching

After retiring from rugby, Andy transitioned into coaching. He started coaching Bishop Stortford Rugby Club and also began working as a performance coach. Coaching had always been a passion for Andy, and he had been involved in coaching young players even during his rugby career. His coaching philosophy focuses on helping individuals and teams perform at their best by managing pressure and maintaining a positive mindset.

Business Coaching and Impact-2

Andy eventually moved into business coaching, leveraging his experience in sports to help individuals and teams in the corporate world. He worked with various technology companies, including Visa and IBM, and learned a great deal about project teams and the corporate environment10. In 2015 he founded his own business, Impact-2, which focuses on helping people perform at their best and feel at their best. Through Impact-2, Andy works with individuals, teams, and organisations across different industries, providing one-to-one coaching, team coaching, and helping to embed positive culture within organisations.

Key Concepts and Philosophy

One of the key concepts Andy uses in his coaching is the "Red to Blue" head concept, which helps individuals manage their mindset and attention under pressure. This concept is applicable in both sports and business and is part of Andy's broader coaching philosophy that emphasises the importance of mindset, structure and skillset in achieving high performance.

Andy Long's journey from professional rugby to business coaching underscores the importance of adaptability and resilience in achieving high performance and overcoming challenges. His diverse experiences and insights make him a valuable coach and mentor in both sports and business contexts.