Kilkenny Senior Hurling team Manager Brian Cody was the speaker at the Limerick Chamber Leadership talk hosted by Dell, Limerick last Monday – the leadership lessons he shared explains why Kilkenny stayed at the top of their game for so long.

To say Brian is an inspirational speaker is a huge understatement!

I come from a hurling background and totally understand the passion that people feel towards the fast paced, skilful and exciting game that is hurling.

‘Throughout his 24 years as manager with Kilkenny, Brian Cody took this speed, skill and passion to another level, leading the Kilkenny Cats to  win 42 major honours. These include 11 All-Ireland Championships (including a record-equalling four-in-a-row between 2006 and 2009), 15 Leinster Championships in eighteen seasons, 9 National Leagues, including 5 league championship doubles and 7 Walsh Cups.’ Wikipedia)

Brian Cody is an unassuming man but has immense presence, from the minute he took to the stage I was hanging on his every word.

Here are some of the Leadership Lessons Brian shared with us,

✅ 1. Cultivate an unbreakable spirit.

Brian spoke about the spirit of teams and individuals many times. As he did he gave a downward air punch showing that not only must you have an unbreakable spirit but you must have passion behind this unbreakable spirit. Brian explained it is this unbreakable spirit that keeps you and your team going and keeps you and your team focused during the hard times whether in sport or business

✅ 2. Be yourself and be confident in your own ability.

Brian suggests to be a great leader you must be yourself and be happy with being yourself and who you are. As well as being yourself, you must have the utmost confidence in yourself and your ability and know that there are no limits for you or for anyone on your team – the sky is the limit! When your team know you have immense confidence in them, the sky really is the limit.

✅ 3. Be a team player.

Brian spoke fondly of all the Kilkenny players he has managed and coached to success. He suggested that everyone has something to contribute and everyone has the potential to be a leader. Treating everyone fairly and with respect instilled the essential teamwork that has led Kilkenny through so many successful years

✅ 4. Have standards of excellence.

Brian is not the sort of man that accepts mediocrity. He expects standards of excellence from all of his players and all of the staff that work with and support the players. He holds high standards for himself and ensures he is the the leader who leads by example.

✅ 5. Be humble and remove the ego.

Many times Brian quoted the following ‘Nobody knows everything but everyone knows something’. It is such a true saying. Ego driven leaders believe they know it all and that everyone else knows very little! Humble leaders like Brian Cody know they have a certain skill set that is of utmost importance but also that their team have the other skills that are of equal importance and are necessary for success. A good leader like Brian, utilises his team’s strengths and skills to instil teamwork and make the team as strong as it can be

During the Q&A session Brian was asked ‘When will you step down’?.

Looking around at a mostly Limerick audience he smiled and said,

‘When Limerick win the All-Ireland’

💚 Limerick did win the All-Ireland that year and won 4 in a row in 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023 💚

Brian Cody retired from his position as manager of the Kilkenny senior hurling team on July 23rd 2022, after 24 years.

💚💚 Brian’s last game in charge was the 2022 All-Ireland final where Limerick won 💚💚

💚💚 Luimneach Abu 💚💚

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

x x
My mates Marie and Brian