I remember it like it was yesterday. The first day I met Eddie Jones. It was a day much like today in Canberra. Bright blue skies, fresh clean air and a sense of optimism and nervousness. Back then I was worried the team leadership had made a poor choice and we would be stuck with a young dud coach, today I’m nervous about pulling off a 24 global government communication festival. No pressure.
Happily I was wrong then and perhaps in a little over a week, I will have found once again, there was no need for concern. Eddie Jones has proven himself time and again as a rugby coach. One of the best ever. It comes from his passion for the game and his care for his players. His appetite for hard work, his humility in always looking to improve and his ability to communicate a vision.
In an interview which will play at the GovComms festival, I caught up with him just south of London, two days after he had secured his latest rugby title, the Six Nations. Eddie had once again taken himself away from the glory and the backslappers to find a quiet place to think and to learn.
There is a parallel between the opportunity government communicators have to lead their organisations through digital transformation and the way Eddie Jones leads his England team. Be sure not to miss this very personal conversation.
Trust me. You will learn something.
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