Book SummaryLegacy, by James Kerr

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Legacy

The All Blacks are considered one of the most successful sports teams in history. (Shortform note: Their name references the all black uniform the players wore in the early years of the team.) They’re famous for their consistent winning record and dominant performance in international rugby. As New Zealand’s national rugby team, they represent the pinnacle of New Zealand sport and are of immense cultural significance for their nation. But they weren’t always the best.In the early 2000s, the All Blacks went through years of defeats, a crisis, and, eventually, a rebirth. Legacy tells the story of how the All Blacks hit rock bottom and made it to the other side as a better team by focusing on creating a lasting and meaningful legacy.

James Kerr—a speaker, coach, and consultant for elite teams like the US Special Forces and Google—spent several...

Legacy Summary The All Blacks’ Crisis and Comeback

Before we explore how the All Blacks’ strategies can help you turn your organization into a powerhouse, we’ll start with some context on what led to their transformation. This section will tell the story of how the All Blacks hit rock bottom and started over to become a better team.

A Painful Defeat

Kerr writes that the All Blacks hit their low point in 2004 when they suffered a devastating 40-26 loss to South Africa, finishing last in the annual Tri-Nations tournament. (Shortform note: The Tri-Nations tournament was an annual rugby competition between New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa, held from 1996 to 2011. In 2012, it was rebranded as the Rugby Championship after Argentina joined the competition. In the year of the All Blacks’ devastating loss, they were last with 9 tournament points, following Australia with 10 and South Africa with 11.)

After the defeat, the players forced each other to drink dangerous amounts of alcohol as punishment for their poor performance. Later in...

Legacy Summary Foundational Element #1: The Culture

The All Blacks’ rebirth began by transforming their team culture. Kerr explains that the leadership team nurtured a culture where each member was inspired and able to contribute to the team’s legacy. In this section, we’ll illustrate this concept with the story of how the All Blacks renewed their signature pre-game ritual, the Kapa O Pango haka—a ceremonial dance from Māori culture that the All Blacks perform before each game. Then, we’ll explore the specific strategies used to nurture the team’s culture: honoring the past and the future, creating a shared language, and performing meaningful rituals.

(Shortform note: Kerr points to organizational culture as the force driving the All Blacks to continue building their legacy. Their focus on action aligns with how other leaders characterize organizational culture. Horowitz (What You Do Is Who You Are) stresses that a team’s culture is defined by the actions it promotes. There are many aspects to an organization that...

Legacy Summary Foundational Element #2: The Team

Kerr states that the All Blacks’ culture sustains the second foundational element of success: a team that’s stronger than the sum of its players. In this section, we’ll begin with the story of how a last-resort player saved the All Blacks in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, demonstrating how the team’s strategies enable success even in the most challenging circumstances. We’ll then discuss four strategies that sustain the team: nurturing humility, being ready for change, sharing the lead, and practicing continuous learning.

Story: A Fourth-Choice Player Saves the Day

Kerr recounts that during the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the All Blacks made it to the final, but they were weak in one key position: the fly-half. (Shortform note: You can think of the fly-half as a second quarterback. This position is crucial because it determines how to approach each opportunity for attack.) Their star fly-half and his substitute had been injured one after the other. Now, they had one player left to play that position for the final—but no substitutes.

The team had to adapt rapidly. The coach asked Stephen Donald for...

Legacy Summary Foundational Element #3: The Player

While the All Blacks team is stronger than the sum of its players, each player is still held to the highest standard. Kerr explains that the final foundational element of the All Blacks’ comeback is a strong player who lives the team’s ethos on and off the field. This section will narrate the story of how the All Blacks redeemed themselves in the 2011 World Cup final, showing how the players developed the mental and physical tools to perform at the highest level. Then, we’ll discuss four characteristics of an All Black: purpose-driven, committed, honest, and ready to win.

(Shortform note: Other leaders agree that the quality of each individual member can make or break the performance of the team. In Principles, Dalio explains the hidden penalties for hiring the wrong person: a loss of morale among competent team members and a sense of diminishing standards. He stresses that you should hire people who have great character and capabilities; one without the other is dangerous. People with great capabilities who do not have great...

Shortform Exercise: Strengthen Your Team’s Culture

Kerr believes the lessons he learned from the All Blacks can help any leader transform their team into a winning superpower. Reflect on how these lessons can strengthen your team.

How can you engage team members on goals that benefit future generations? For example, if you’re leading a startup, you can discuss how you’re building the foundation for the organization to grow over the years to come.