Jack Clark - Grateful for Everything, Entitled to Nothing – [Invest Like the Best, EP. 215]

My guest today is Jack Clark, head coach of the University of California Varsity Rugby team. Jack has one of the highest winning percentages not only at the collegiate level but in sports history, winning an incredible 90% of games since his start as a coach in 1984. That includes a 98 game winning streak from 1990 to 1996 and a 115 game winning streak from 2004 to 2009. In our conversation, we dive into how Jack builds high-performing teams, the shared vocabulary he creates across his organization, and his work with companies applying what he's learned on the field to operating businesses. Please enjoy this conversation with Jack Clark. 

 

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

-----

This episode is brought to you by Tegus. Tegus has built the most extensive primary information platform available for investors.

 

With Tegus, you can learn everything you’d want to know about a company in an on-demand digital platform. Investors share their expert calls, allowing others to instantly access more than 10,000 calls on Affirm, Teladoc, Roblox, or almost any company of interest. All you have to do is log in. Visit tegus.co/patrick to learn more.

------

This episode is brought to you by MIT Investment Management Company. MITIMCO is the endowment office of MIT. New and small investment funds listen up. MITIMCO is looking to find investors starting funds today.

 

MITIMCO is partnership-driven, long-term focused, and has an extensive history of backing investors early in their careers. These partners are key in delivering the outstanding investment returns required to support MIT's pursuit of world-class education, cutting-edge research, and groundbreaking innovation. MITIMCO is focused on finding and partnering with the best investors across the globe, no matter the market environment. No firm is too small, too young, or too non-institutional.

 

If you or someone you know is currently in the process of starting a fund or recently launched, please email [email protected] or discover more on their website at mitimco.org/partner.

------

 

Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus Inc. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

 

Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus

 

Show Notes

[00:03:44] - [First question] - Overview of his playing and coaching career

[00:06:02] - The importance of creating a set of values for a team

[00:07:53] - Why selflessness is such an important trait he looks for in teams

[00:09:20] - Examples of selflessness in the teams

[00:10:06] - The Winner Within: A Life Plan for Team Players

[00:10:24] - Lessons on gratitude and entitlement

[00:11:34] - Being a meritocracy on the team

[00:12:55] - Rewarding merit as a coach

[00:14:18] - Improving a team today, the power of the basics and fundamentals

[00:15:29] - Defining toughness for players and teams

[00:17:29] - Mark Bingham, the epitome of toughness

[00:18:33] - Why he created and how he uses a glossary

[00:22:09] - Creating a high rate of conversion in recruiting

[00:25:01] - What qualities did the teams that beat him share

[00:27:22] - Take on pride and something he is exceedingly proud of

[00:29:17] - Translating the concepts from the court into the business world

[00:32:20] - Where companies have room to improve

[00:33:16] - Changing a company culture

[00:34:21] - Coaches he has learned from 

[00:36:00] - The power of non-cognitive grit

[00:38:45] - Advice for companies creating a value set

[00:40:40] - Kindest thing anyone has done for him