#463 - Stevie Ward - Truth Speaker

If you visit Stevie Ward's website, its current headline is Captain, Winner, Truth Speaker. Stevie is a former professional rugby player and part of the golden generation at the Leeds Rhinos, one of the most successful teams in Super League history. He became the youngest grand final winner ever, winning two more Grand Finals and 2 Challenge Cups, and was named captain at just 26. Amongst the highs, Stevie endured ten operations and several mental health struggles. This adversity inspired Stevie to launch Mantality in 2016 to promote mental health for men through counselling, life-coaching services, and a stigma-breaking podcast.Summary of the PodcastIntroductions and casual conversation The participants, Kevin Appleby, Stevie Ward, and Graham Arrowsmith, engage in casual conversation and banter, discussing topics like Stevie's background in rugby league, the participants' accents and regional origins, and some technical issues with Stevie's video background.Stevie Ward's rugby and personal journey Stevie shares details about his early experiences playing rugby, including transitioning from union to league as a child and the intensity and physicality he brought to the sport. He discusses being one of the youngest captains in Leeds Rhinos history, winning a Grand Final at age 18, and the highs and lows of his professional rugby career, including injuries and a brain injury that led to his retirement at age 26.Stevie's work as a speaker and coach Stevie explains how his experiences in rugby, including the challenges he faced, have shaped his work as a speaker and coach. He describes his approach of using stories and metaphors to help leaders and teams explore concepts like vulnerability, psychological safety, and authenticity. Stevie shares how he aims to create transformative experiences for his clients by inviting them to inquire into their own thoughts and feelings.Reflections on the Conversation The hosts, Graham and Kevin, express their appreciation for Stevie's honesty and vulnerability in sharing his personal journey. They acknowledge the unique perspective and insights Stevie brings and suggest that his experiences and approach could be valuable for a wide range of organizations and leaders.The Next 100 Days Podcast Co-HostsGraham Arrowsmith Graham founded Finely Fettled ten years ago to help business owners and marketers market to affluent and high-net-worth customers. Graham founder of MicroYES, a Partner for MeclabsAI, which combines the world's biggest source of 10,000 marketing experiments with AI. Find Graham on LinkedIn.Kevin Appleby Kevin specialises in finance transformation and implementing business change. He's the COO of GrowCFO, which provides both community and CPD-accredited training designed to grow the next generation of finance leaders. You can find Kevin on LinkedIn and at kevinappleby.com