A Little Organisation Goes a Long Way – the Inside Track on an Extraordinary Season

It may be the start of a Lions summer, but don’t forget that amazing finish to the end of the domestic season in England. After picking themselves up off the turf to subdue Saracens’s sublime inner confidence in a gripping semi-final, Exeter Chiefs defeat of Wasps to lift the Aviva Premiership Final was nothing short of exceptional.

The question is, how did a local team promoted to the top flight for the first time in 2010 evolve to become Premiership champions in just seven years?

Here’s our take on three organisational strengths that helped the Chiefs turn their dream into a reality:

 1.    Off-field Stability

Exeter has an off-field stability that is intrinsically tied into their location and heritage. From the very top, the Chiefs are solid. An owner with a clear vision, a streamlined leadership team reporting into the CEO and Chair, four trustees acting as main shareholders (to represent the original membership), and a Board of Directors providing the business focus.

The mission is simple – to produce rugby players for the Premiership and beyond. This is governed by a total belief that “by developing the person, the ‘player’ will follow”.

2.    One Community

The Chiefs are fully woven into their local fabric and community, drawing strength from it and repaying the favour through entertainment, pride and competition.

In training and development, they stay resourceful by utilising a number of local facilities throughout each season – including the University, Devon and Cornwall Police HQ, and pre-season training on the sand at Exmouth Beach.

From grass roots to Sandy Park, Exeter’s Academy programme, which is supported by government partnership funding, is wholly integrated into Exeter University and other high level clubs, and supplemented by a full time community development team. The Academy vision is to produce a first team squad of 20 full time graduates all competing for Premiership and European selection by the year 2020. Impressive.

As well as this, their charitable arm – ‘The Exeter Foundation’ – provides the city of Exeter and its surrounding areas with a ‘trust’ to promote the community and pursue the vision of the people who live and work there.

3.    Winning Culture

“The culture of a rugby club is what the players make it.” Rob Baxter, Head Coach

The Chiefs drive their culture from the very front line, devised by the players and built around work ethic, heart, passion, and the ‘community club feel’. Employees throughout the business are characterised as ‘omnipotent’, the players stay visible and active in the local community, and to the Chiefs, the ‘collective’ is always more important than individual players.

The turning point? What the team said 12 months ago after losing the 2016 version of the Premiership Final to Saracens:

“We immediately said ‘right, how do we win this next year?’ rather than it’s been a great season.’’ Rob Hunter, Forwards Coach

“We talked very much about building and being champions next year.” Gareth Steenson, Fly Half

“Every time we stepped on to the field we didn’t contemplate losing…we had such good belief in ourselves.” Henry Slade, Centre

The Inside Track

Exeter’s story is one to learn from. It proves that through strong leadership, clear strategy, and players and staff who define and understand organisational key values, you can create a pretty rock solid platform upon which to build success.