Philtronics' Path to Innovation, Growth and Partnership

Insights from Sport: Steve Kerr’s Lessons in Leadership

At the event, Simon and Anne were reminded sports and business management have a natural affinity, a theme echoed by none other than the legendary Steve Kerr, team mate to Michael Jordan, and five times NBA Champion, whose insights on leadership reinforced our own core values of teamwork, respect and innovation – principles at the heart of Philtronics.

Steve Kerr’s presentation was both inspiring and motivational, focusing on how lessons from sport can be applied to business. Whether it’s basketball, rugby or football, success doesn’t come from one star player – it’s about every individual working together, executing a strategy and adapting to challenges. In business, it’s no different: teamwork, perseverance and strategy are essential for fostering growth and staying competitive.

One of the key takeaways was the importance of leadership in building resilience. In high-performance sports, great leaders – whether coaches or team captains – help their teams build resilience by pushing through setbacks, learning from losses and maintaining focus on long-term goals. Similarly for us at Philtronics, leadership means fostering an environment where every challenge is seen as an opportunity to grow stronger. Leaders who encourage adaptability empower their teams to embrace change and innovate quickly, ensuring you stay agile in a fast-moving industry.

Andries Pretorius: Fostering Leadership and High-Performance

At Philtronics, we’ve been fortunate to work with Andries Pretorius,  a former Wales rugby international player, and now Founder of the immersive learning and training company, One Step North. Andries is a long-term friend and collaborator of Philtronics and has provided leadership training that complements the lessons shared by Steve Kerr in San Francisco. With a background in business psychology and his passion for high-performance sport, Andries has given our teams new insights into resilience, collaboration and strategic thinking.

Andries has helped our leadership team understand and apply some invaluable insights taken from the mindset and practices of professional athletes to the business world. Focusing on personal wellbeing, Andries highlighted the connection between self-care and effective leadership, emphasising that leaders perform best when they are physically and mentally prepared, which in turn helps foster an excellent working environment for all. He also drew parallels between communication on the field and in the workplace. The right mix of ability, competency and character can create a cohesive, strong unit.

Andries encourages leaders to always reflect on behaviours that positively impact the team and the business – behavioural economics. Steve Kerr endorsed the same behaviours at the KLA Supplier Day, reinforcing the importance of collaboration, trust and support. It’s the combined actions of each player that help the team win the match or make it to the championships; so being able to effectively communicate and work well together is vital.

Andries’ parting adage: “What’s rewarded is repeated,” reinforced the significance of celebrating positive behaviours. At Philtronics, we believe in recognising and rewarding this, whether that’s through employee awards, perks such as a gym membership or team building days. Through these gestures, we aim to show that good behaviours help us work better together, and when we work together, we can achieve great things.

Expanding Our Commitment: Great Days Golf

These lessons have played a significant role in helping Philtronics cultivate the kind of organisational culture that drives innovation, growth and partnership. Why is this so important to us? At Philtronics, we believe that innovation and growth are best achieved through collaboration. Just as teamwork is key in sports, so partnership in business helps us accomplish more together than we could alone.

In line with these values, we are very pleased to announce our partnership with Action for Children in support of Great Days Golf's new Inclusion Academy.  This initiative will give disadvantaged and disabled children and young people the chance to enjoy the beautiful game of golf in a fun and inclusive way.

This programme resonated with us. Through our own Philtronics Academy, we understand the importance of accessibility and showing individuals that they have the capacity to achieve more than they initially believe. Whether in business or sport, providing opportunities for growth, learning and empowerment is key to creating strong, resilient teams. We ensure this through our career pathways and apprenticeships, which help to dispel the myth that certain careers are impossible for young people to access without the relevant training, skills and qualifications.

Great Days Golf follows this same ethos and will be offering a scholarship for a young person to pursue their passion for golf professionally. This shows how sport can be a powerful pathway to new beginnings, opening doors to futures that might have once seemed out of reach. At Philtronics, we believe in the transformative power of both business and sport to shape lives, and we’re proud to support this incredible initiative.

As we move forward, we remain committed to leading through innovation, collaboration and strategic partnership. To follow our journey, connect with us on social media (LinkedIn and X) or sign up for our newsletter.