Displaying items by tag: sportsman

An article by Greg Baum, chief sports columnist and associate editor

On the release of Make Your Mark (Wilkinson Press).

(https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/leading-from-the-back-20190531-p51t98.html)

"Leading from the Back"

As soon as the Hawthorn players boarded their bus for a pre-season camp at Phillip Island in 1994, the driver began to screen an X-rated movie. Sitting in the very back seat, ruckman Steve Lawrence squirmed. "Even when averting my eyes, the sound effects left little to the imagination," says Lawrence. Their destination was two hours away.

Lawrence was 24, well established, a premiership player, but circumspect still in that group of big names and vast personalities. "But I knew I had to do something," he says. The march down the bus, accompanied by a chorus of "whhhhoooo", took forever. "My knees felt weak and my mouth dry from nervousness (as) I wondered what to do," he says.

Steve Lawrence, a passionate speaker and story-teller, is a giant of a man whose mission is inspiring and equipping good leaders to become great.

He played twelve seasons of professional Australian football with Hawthorn (Australian Football League), was the Player of the Finals series in the 1991 Premiership team, and had a pivotal role in the 2008 Sydney World Youth Day as its Director of Evangelisation and Catechesis.

Steve’s many adventures include living on three continents, running an international school of Mission in Rome with the Emmanuel Community, transforming youth minstry and Catholic educational institutions at secondary and tertiary levels, and starting his own leadership business.

Married to Annie, and with six children aged between 26 and 14 years, they have run programs for married couples and families for many years.

Steve has degrees in Humanities, Education and a Masters in Theology (John Paul II Institute), and has published two books. His second book, Make Your Mark: Five Hidden Keys to Great Leadership (Wilkinson) was launched in May 2019. His third book (The Tiny Book for Giant Men) is due to be published in late 2020.

The mission of his speaking and coaching business – Altum Leadership Group - is to inspire and equip good leaders to become great.

Interview of Steve Lawrence by David Kobler of Your Choicez