What 3 World Cups Taught Me About Leadership
Dame Farah Palmer wasn't the most talented athlete in the room. She was nearly invisible at her first university orientation week. And then… someone from the rugby club noticed her.
In this conversation, Kaila Colbin sits down with one of New Zealand's most decorated sportswomen: three-time Black Ferns World Cup captain, Dame Companion, first woman elected to the New Zealand Rugby board, and one of the architects of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 in Aotearoa.
We get to the origin story most haven’t heard: the absent father, the eating disorder, the scholarship her mum found for her, and what it actually means to lead when you're not sure you're the right person.
Please note: this conversation contains discussion about eating disorders. If you or someone you know is struggling, free help is available through EDANZ — call 0800 2 EDANZ (0800 233 269).
This episode covers:
Growing up in Piopio and the sliding-doors moment at Otago University
Being shoulder-tapped for rugby at 16 and what it did for her relationship with her body
Being asked to captain the Black Ferns - and hiding behind the door afterwards
The "BTB" framework: Better Than Before and what it did for team culture
What she calls her “fourth World Cup” and why it means more than the three on the field
📖 Book mentioned: Who Moved My Cheese - https://www.unitybooks.co.nz/products/who-moved-my-cheese