Today I watched the Firebirds win back to back titles in the ANZ Championship Netball League. I saw them win last year as well and thought that was a heart stopping game, but today took it up another notch. Scores were level at the end of the game, and level again at the end of extra time, before the Firebirds converted an intercept and then scored from their centre pass to reach the magic two points up required to win the match.
Captain Laura Geitz was interviewed on court after the game and asked what had turned the Firebirds from the competition easy beats into the only team to win back to back titles. She replied that things changed when coach Roselee Jencke was appointed in 2010 and changed the team culture. Not the drills, not the training – although I’m sure that changes were made in those areas too – but culture was what Laura, and her fellow team members when asked the same question, said made the Firebirds the champion team they are today.
This really resonated with me, because it’s the exact same answer we give when anyone asks what has been the major contributor to the business success we’ve experienced. Our culture is our number one business asset, it’s not listed anywhere on our balance sheet but the value that it delivers is extraordinary.
It was great to have some of our champion Epic Pharmacy team there today as part of the #purplesquad to cheer on another team who put culture first, and see them reap the rewards that approach delivers.
Congratulations Firebirds, you gritted your teeth and hung in there today when things got tough and it was fantastic to see the way you stuck together as a team and brought home the win. Go Firebirds!