Applying Rugby’s Feedback Culture into Internship Performance

2 - 3 minute read

Jake Turnbull is Loosehead Prop who captains Anthem Rugby Carolina in the MLR and is a USA Eagle. He holds a degree in sports business from ACPE in Sydney. In line with his background and intentional leadership, he chose to write about rugby's feedback culture and how it effects internship performance. Future Academy members, take note!

How can the mindset and feedback culture of professional rugby empower insurance interns to accelerate their learning and performance in a client-focused industry?

Throughout my journey as a professional rugby player, captaining Anthem Rugby Carolina and representing the United States, I’ve learned that the quality and effectiveness of feedback can make or break performance. In rugby, feedback is direct and treated as a “sink or swim” characteristic of growth; a player who struggles to digest feedback can find themselves falling out of favor with coaches quite quickly. The best teams and athletes understand that the right type of feedback doesn’t attack character; it improves overall performance in all aspects of their game. Constructive criticism helps people improve.

Some players take feedback better when it’s direct and straight to the point, while others respond more to open conversations where the coach guides them with questions to help them get where they need to be.

I started at the bottom grades of my rugby club, but through honest feedback and learning from my weaknesses; I was able to work my way up the ranks; I was the type of player who constantly sought feedback so I could focus on the areas I needed to improve for the week; I was definitely not a naturally gifted rugby player as I did not make my international debut until I was 30 but I only achieved my dream by constantly seeking out areas of where I needed to improve.

During my time working in the corporate world before transitioning to a full-time professional rugby career, I noticed a common theme: In corporate environments, especially those that are highly technical and client-focused, workers often approach feedback with hesitation or are completely against it altogether.

Criticism can be taken as a personal failing rather than an opportunity to hone a skill. Yet the reality is that both environments, either on a rugby pitch or an insurance office, operate best when feedback is exchanged openly, acted upon quickly, and viewed as a pathway for personal improvement.

In a client-focused industry like insurance, where trust and responsiveness matter, adopting the rugby mindset to feedback can be extremely beneficial. As an intern, it allows me to ask questions openly when a new concept is introduced, to view setbacks as a chance to learn, rather than as a failure, and to view feedback as an investment in my future effectiveness. It breaks down the stigma that can accompany “getting it wrong” and replaces it with a mindset that embraces growth and development.

Overall, when anybody in any walk of life, no matter what their role is, internalizes feedback as a resource rather than a threat, their learning accelerates, their resilience grows, and their performance improves. The habits built through rugby-discipline, teamwork, and striving for improvement can and should translate to the corporate world. In doing so, anyone can evolve from passive learners into active contributors, aligning their growth with their team’s objectives and their clients’ best interests.