Legacy is a book by James Kerr that concentrates on the All Blacks, New Zealand’s national rugby team. This book offers insight into the history, culture, and extraordinary values that enabled the All Blacks to create a lasting winning heritage. In it, Kerr uses stories of past and present All Blacks to offer valuable lessons that have been used through the years. This summary provides an overview of the book chapter by chapter.
Chapter 1 (“What is Legacy?”): The chapter explains what legacy is and how the All Blacks have built the legacy. It explains how the team-came togetherto show strength and resilience though their resolve to never give up, and how that led to their amazing success
Chapter 2 (“The Scars of the Family Branches”): This chapter examines how the All Blacks have passed on their Maori roots and values from one generation to the next. It explains how these values have been articulated through stories, songs, and rituals that help reinforce the team’s unity and loyalty.
Chapter 3 (“The Act of Leadership”): Kerr talks about how important leadership is to the All Blacks’ legacy, and how it’s been demonstrated through the years. He speaks about the importance of powerful leadership to the team's success, and highlights some of the greatest leaders they've had.
Chapter 4 (“The Art of Preparation”): This chapter discusses the significant preparation and practice that the All Blacks put into their game, such as the legendary captain’s run-throughs, which ensure top performance regardless of the circumstances.
Chapter 5 (“The Gift of Connection”): This chapter looks at how the All Blacks emphasize the importance of connection. They focus on cultivating deep relationships among their players and the wider community. Their strong bond of loyalty through connections helps the team come together and stay together for the common goal of victory.
Chapter 6 (“The Challenge of Work”): Kerr talks about the need for the All Blacks to build the team’s strength and spirit through hard work. He explains how the effort to work and to better oneself are turning points for the team.
Chapter 7 (“The Challenge of Humility”): This chapter examines the value of humility that All Blacks emphasize. Through humility, they can maintain their practices and stay focused on their mission instead of getting distracted by the accolades of success.
Chapter 8 (“The Amendment of High Performance”): This chapter examines the culture of high performance that the All Blacks possess. They strive to go above and beyond the norm, creating a culture of success and team-building, with each member of the team doing their part.
Chapter 9 (“The Price of Legacy”): In the final chapter, Kerr looks at the sacrifices and hard work that have been made and continue to be made by the All Blacks so that the legacy will remain intact. He looks at how the team has met and overcome problems over the years and still maintain their highest standards.
For example, when the All Blacks faced one of their biggest hurdles when the death of a beloved player in 1923, the team honoured his memory in the form of the toa kaharau ceremony. For the next two decades, this ceremony continued to be played before each game, as a way to remind the team to never give up, no matter what. This is an example of the All Blacks' connection to their culture and how they communicate through stories, songs, and rituals to help reinforce team-bonding and commitment. The legacy of the All Blacks is an inspiring story that can help motivate anybody or any team striving for greatness and success.
