Learn with the Crusaders
I've benefitted from the Crusaders Leadership Programme each time I've joined. Let's explore why.
The Crusaders Leadership Programme (CLP) is an online course that I’ve benefitted greatly from.
The programme has been a community for me, when I’ve been actively taking part or in the discussions when the course is over.
Part of why I’m writing this article is to give back to the course I’ve benefitted from and the community I’m now part of.
I found the CLP at a time when I was struggling with certain aspects of coaching education. I find some of coach education that I’ve experienced to be over reliant on tickbox assessments rather than a process that utilises conversations.
The CLP has cohorts that they run a few times a year. If you sign up, you get to give yourself a few weeks of focus upon your team and coaching practice.
During those weeks, there’s a course handbook, modules and calls with leadership legends (Sir Wayne Smith is just one example).
The modules are focused around different topics: culture counts, play to your strengths, person first player second and coach as servant leader.
The culture check ins within the handbook are really useful. They enable you to have a reflection checkpoint with where you are and where your team is in terms of culture.
They’re just for you, they’re not shared. I find they help to honestly think about where a team is and where they might need to be.
One example is: mark your team on a continuum from “Our team is a group of individuals that deliver together” to “Our team has an identity stronger than any individual. On our team, we belong to something bigger than ourselves.”
You’ll also join a Slack group. For me, this is where a lot of the magic happens. Within the Slack you’ll chat to other participants. I love these discussions and always learn so much by reading and sharing.
There are also course leaders on the Slack who are there to listen, guide and stimulate discussion. Shane Fletcher, who was the Crusaders team manger and is now NZ Women’s High Performance Campaign manager, was on the Slack as a leader the last time I signed up.
The course gives you insights and examples from the Crusaders which allows you to turn the mirror into yourself and consider your own team and practices.
For me, it’s a space to learn and check in with myself. When I first joined the course, I really needed that space and support.
I’ve found some of the most valuable Ask-Me-Anything’s (AMAs) have been with Sir Wayne Smith. I enjoy hearing his reflections on coaching the Black Ferns and the All Blacks.
The Crusaders does have a women’s team linked with them. Matatū represents the whole of the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Although we don’t get to hear about Matatū within the CLP, I had the joy of finding out more and learning from coach Whitney Hansen and team manager Sarah Munro when I went to spend two weeks with the Crusaders as part of their Crusaders International Academy Coaching course (which I’ve spoken about before).
What strikes me every time is how open everyone is on the AMAs. Everyone discusses their coaching processes, where they’ve experienced challenges and learnt. This openness is what makes the programme work. It can be difficult to engage and learn if secrets are kept locked up.
This is a club, a team, who have been at the top for so long, experienced a lot of success both through the Crusaders and at international level. They don’t keep those secrets to themselves, they share them and invite people to engage and reflect.
That’s another reason why I wanted to write this article, I don’t want to gatekeep the brilliant experiences I’ve had.
Guess what? Readers of Coaching Care Creativity can get a 20% discount. Join the next cohort by entering coachingcarecreativity at the checkout or register via this link to get your discount.
Plus, join the August 2025 cohort and get access to a bonus AMA with Steve Hansen.
Find out more from course leader and legend Kaila Colbin
I saw the impact the CLP had on you. You were struggling with coach development (so called) in this country (England).
You enrolled on the first of your many CLP engagements and wow what a difference.
Watching you struggle, with your confidence drop off a cliff, then witness the impact and positivity gained from the CLP.