Jo Andrews

But they did, because of this.

Let’s be honest.

The Lionesses didn’t play the best football in the tournament.

In fact, if you’re anything like me, you probably watched most of it from behind a cushion, muttering “Just clear the bloody ball!”

But they won.
Not because they were the most technically perfect team.

But because they had something even more powerful: trust, belief, and a leader who actually gives a damn about the humans.

Sarina Wiegman is being hailed (rightly) as one of the greatest leaders in sport.

But not because of her tactical genius (although she’s pretty damn good at that too…)

No one’s raving about her deep knowledge of formations or set pieces.

They’re talking about her character.
Her empathy.
Her unshakable belief in her players.
Her relationships.

She’s the kind of leader who combines the drive and determination of a Cheetah with the compassionate loyalty of a Dog.She sets the bar high, holds people to account and makes every player feel seen, safe and significant.

Because here’s the truth:

If you want long-term, sustainable success on the pitch, in the boardroom, or anywhere else, you’ve got to put people first.

Too many leaders still think:
👉 If I just master the strategy, the results will come.
👉 If I just hit the targets, the team will respect me.
👉 If I just look like I know what I’m doing, no one will question me.

But you’re not leading a spreadsheet.
You’re leading humans.

Skills matter. Results matter. But relationships are the multiplier.
When your team trusts you, they’ll go further. Fight harder. Stick together when it gets tough.

And let’s be real – it will get tough.

So if you’re still leading like it’s all about performance, here’s your halftime team talk:

Relationships first.
Results second.
That’s how you win.

(And if you’re only building relationships with the people who think like you? You’re not building a team. You’re building a fan club.

Don’t wait until the team falls apart. The Lionesses didn’t flinch in the panic of the penalties, because they trusted each other.
And that trust was built waaaaay before they travelled to Switzerland.

#SarinaWiegmanMasterclass #PeopleBeforePerformance 

Rock on.

I’ve just come back from holiday. (Sorry? Oh thanks for asking – Portugal.)

And for the first time ever… I didn’t take my laptop.

Not “didn’t open it much” – I mean, didn’t even pack it.

And wow.

I can’t tell you what a difference it’s made to my clarity, my energy, and my enthusiasm to get stuck back in.

My brain isn’t fried. My motivation isn’t flat.

And I’m more excited than ever about the training I’ve got coming up.

I was on a retreat with an old school friend – days filled with early morning lake swims, sauna sweats, ice bath screams, gym sessions, and full-on belly laugh snorts during mountain walks.

I even played volleyball for the first time since school – and blooming LOVED it. Turns out I’m quite competitive… 😉 #Cheetahallday

Honestly, by day three I couldn’t tell whether my abs were sore from workouts or from laughing.

And that’s when it hit me…

This is what real rest feels like.

Which brings me to this question:

Are you WFH?

(That’s Working From Holiday, in case you thought I meant your kitchen table.)

☀️ Your suitcase packed with sandals, swimsuits… and your laptop
📩 Your out-of-office lying through its teeth

The Wi-Fi password is the first thing you ask for at check-in.

You sneak into emails before breakfast.

And suddenly, that holiday you were so desperate for… feels suspiciously like work, just with more suncream.
#WFHolidays #LeadershipFatigue

But here’s the real question…

Why don’t you trust your team to step up when you’re away?

Is it because they’ve actually dropped the ball before?
Or because you’ve never really let them carry it?

If you’re hovering on holiday, you’re not delegating.
And if you’re not delegating, you’re not leading – you’re hoarding.
#DelegationMatters #LetGoToLead

Let’s bring in the #AnimalInfluencers, shall we?

🐶 Is it your Dog that feels guilty for resting, because you “don’t want to let anyone down”?
Reminder: burned out leaders aren’t helpful leaders. Oxygen mask. You first.
#BurnoutWarning #LeadWithBoundaries

🦁 Is it your Lion who just can’t bear giving up control?

Let someone else drive for once. Even you can’t be in the driver’s seat from a sunlounger.
#ControlIssues #LionLeadership

🐝 Is it your Honeybee, twitching at the thought of someone doing it differently (aka wrong)?
Their way might not be your way – and it might actually work.
#ProcessPerfectionist #HoneybeeHiccups

And while you’re busy micromanaging from your beach towel…

They’re tiptoeing around decisions, hoping not to mess up your version of right.

Because if the boss won’t step back, they assume they’re not ready.
#TrustYourTeam #PsychologicalSafety

So before you pack your charger alongside your passport… ask yourself this:

Did you really fork out thousands, fly four hours, and promise your partner/kids/friends real time together…
just to sit with your inbox in one hand and a mojito in the other?

Didn’t think so.

Rock on.

I was 7 months pregnant when I got made redundant from my lovely, secure, very ‘grown-up’ job at American Express.

(And yep, the hormones were raging, belly like a beach ball, crying at dog food ads… it was A LOT.)

This was back in 2002.

We’re talking low-rise jeans, flip phones, and Destiny’s Child on the radio.

It felt like the rug had been yanked out from under me by someone wearing steel-capped boots.

I hadn’t planned it.

I hadn’t asked for it.

And I definitely didn’t feel ready to leave the ‘safety’ of full time employment.

But here’s the thing about curveballs:

They often knock us straight out of our comfort zone… and into a whole new chapter we never saw coming.

If I hadn’t been made redundant, I know I wouldn’t have had the guts to leave.
Not then.
Probably not ever.

I would’ve stayed put, doing great work for someone else’s vision, never realising what I was capable of building on my own.

And The Training Rock?
Wouldn’t exist.
(Which means you wouldn’t be reading this glorious slice of truth right now. #SlidingDoorsMoment )

Right now, lots of companies are ‘resizing.’

Which is the corporate equivalent of:
“We’re gonna need your swipe card back.” 

It’s painful.
It’s unsettling.
It’s bloody hard not to take it personally.
#RedundancyFeelsReal 💔

And when it happens to you – or someone you care about – it feels massive.

Like your whole identity’s been shaken, stirred, and poured out on the pavement.

But let’s get one thing straight:

This moment might feel like everything right now…
But in the grand scheme of your life?
It’s just one chapter. Not the whole book.

And real talk for a second – was that job ever really that comfortable?

Or had it become your favourite uncomfortable jumper?
A bit itchy. Bit tight. But you stopped noticing because it was familiar.

Were you working for someone who didn’t really get you…
But you got used to it?
Stopped questioning it?
Started telling yourself it was “fine”?

Sometimes we don’t jump – not because we’re happy,
but because we’re used to it.

And redundancy? Well… it can be the nudge we didn’t know we needed.

I’ve had 23 years since that day in 2002.

Was it painful? Absolutely.

I was about to have my second child – I had a mortgage, a career I loved, and a whole lot to worry about besides growing another human. 🤰🏽

It felt like everything was unravelling.

And looking back? That redundancy was one of the best things that ever happened to me.

It cracked open a path I never would’ve taken on my own.

And I’m not the only one.

Most of the people I know who’ve been through redundancy?

They end up somewhere brighter, bolder, and more them.
#PlotTwistToPowerMove 💥

And while we’re at it, let me remind you:

✨ You still have all your strengths.
✨ You still have all your experience.
✨ You still have all your fabulous, sassy, skilled-as-hell self.

Nothing can take that away from you.

Your confidence might’ve taken a wobble—but your value? Rock solid.
#YouStillGotIt 🔥

Your next move?

❌ Don’t let fear drive your decisions.
❌ Don’t shrink to fit.
❌ Don’t let your inner Meerkat or Hedgehog take the wheel.

✅ This is your time to lean back into your strengths.
✅ To trust your instincts.
✅ To back your brilliance.

The world hasn’t ended.
It’s just giving you a new plot twist.

So throw on your big girl pants, take a deep breath,
and remember who you are.

✨ You’ve done hard things before. You can do this too. ✨

Rock on.

Loads of leaders ask me for leadership development book recommendations. But here’s the thing…

There’s zero correlation between how many leadership books you’ve read and how effective a leader you actually are. Nada. Zilch.

It’s like stocking your fridge with kale, kimchi, and turmeric shots for peak health—but never actually consuming them.

You don’t get fitter by joining a gym. You have to show up and put in the reps.

Same goes for leadership. You have to DO the stuff.

Theories, frameworks, and inspirational quotes are great… in theory. But when you’re in the thick of it—leading a tough conversation, building a strong culture, or trying to inspire a disengaged team—knowing what to do isn’t enough. You have to be able to do it.

That’s exactly why The Training Rock Method™ works. We don’t just talk about leadership—we embed the habits while we train you. So you leave already leading differently.

We bridge the gap between knowledge and action.

We don’t do passive learning. We don’t do fluffy theory that sounds good in a keynote but falls flat in real life. We train leaders to actually lead—practically, actively, and in real time.

Because let’s be real… some of the least effective leaders I’ve worked with? Oh, they’ve read all the books. They can quote them, reference them, and debate them endlessly.

But leadership isn’t a pub quiz. It’s about impact. And impact comes from action, not just knowledge.

Just look at what this leader (who finished our 8 week programme last week) said:

#justcallmeJiminy

If you’re ready to stop reading about leadership and start being a better leader, book a chat about coming to train with us.

Because your bookshelf won’t make you a better leader. But this training will.

Rock on.

P.S. If leadership books alone worked, your team would already be thriving, your meetings would be seamless, and you’d never have to have a difficult conversation again. Sound like reality? No? Then let’s do something that actually works. 🚀