Helping Organisations Thrive with Julian Roberts · 2026-02-16 · 45 min
In this episode, Julian is joined by Justin Fitzpatrick, former Irish international rugby player turned business CEO and creator of the Resilient Leaders Playbook. With 26 caps for Ireland and a Heineken Cup winner's medal with Ulster in 1999, Justin shares the hard-won lessons from his playing career and how they translate into building resilient teams in business. From handling the brutal highs and lows of professional sport to navigating his forced retirement through injury in 2010, Justin offers candid insights on what it really takes to bounce back - including his favourite Churchill quote: "If it's not fatal, it's not final." The conversation explores the power of pre-mortems over post-mortems, why feedback is simply "a vehicle to improve," and how psychological safety isn't about being soft - it's about creating environments where people can challenge each other and grow together. Justin also reflects on his transition from player to coach to CEO, building a professional rugby franchise in Houston from scratch, and why doing things that "make your heart sing" has been the thread running through every chapter of his career.
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