Technology, statistical method and fashionable ideas change day by day.
Gloucester coaches Nigel Davies, Rob Thirlby and Alex Brown explain how the central principles of leadership always stay the same.
THE drumming drip in the depths of Cardiff's dilapidated Arms Park cut the confusion.
In the drear old dank of a changing room long since out of commission Nigel Davies was confronted with a pyramid drawn on a flip-chart.
New coach Alan Davies was explaining Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
The Welsh squad were nonplussed by this new ground.
A coach espousing American psychology and asking players' opinions was a bold step in an age of bark-orders-first management.
Llanelli centre Davies was impressed – so too, eventually, were his team-mates.
Against the odds Wales swiped the 1994 Five Nations crown, shrugging off an era of wretched results.
In Maslow's order of need, young playmaker Davies and Co had been wallowing in the 'safety' doldrums – confused, rudderless and simply warding off criticism.
New boss Alan Davies taught them how to command control of rugby's mental forces.
That dingy dressing room meeting nearly 20 years ago has since formed the bedrock of Nigel Davies' successful coaching career.
"We had never seen a flip-chart before," explained Gloucester rugby director Davies. "I can hear the water dripping now.
"It was the first time ever I had had a coach who would speak to me, and ask my opinion.
"And this was a guy no one had ever heard of, he wasn't a former Wales international, and that was very unusual.
"That year we won the title, and some of the methods really opened some eyes.
"What is fundamental to us now, really was not the case then."
Cherry and Whites boss Davies enthralled Capita staff in Kingsholm's Legends Lounge, explaining his experiences on leadership, in both business and sport.
The Aim High seminar boasted fascinating insight into professional rugby's inner workings, from Gloucester analyst Rob Thirlby, stalwart lock Alex Brown, and boss Davies.
Warwick Business School's professor Alan Betts chaired the event, put together in aid of Kingsholm second row Brown's benefit year.
Full-back Thirlby did everything in his decorated first-class rugby career bar gain a full cap.
While at Bath he played three midweek matches on England's 2000 South Africa tour.
The Sevens specialist spent two playing years at Kingsholm, but is now a vital member of Gloucester's backroom staff.
Thirlby charted a ten-year technological leap from VHS match recordings to near real-time streaming, where iPads are as vital to set-piece training as a scrum machine.
Projecting a sea of statistics onto the Kingsholm wall, Thirlby explained how it is his job to sift an almost endless amount of information, filtering the right data to coaches and players.
The coding and data can be a very powerful weapon – but only in the right hands.
"When Nigel arrived we set out an entirely new system, and we have been refining that all season," Thirlby explained.
"We probably won't know exactly what is totally useful and what is not until we can review everything in the summer.
"We do know we are closing in on exactly what we want though, and now it's a question of tweaking the formula.
"The challenge is to be selective with what we make into an issue though.
"All the footage and data we capture forms the basis of match previews and reviews, for coaches, the players as a group and individuals.
"Each player learns differently though, so we have to cover off each learning style – and that means adapting presentations to fit."
A debilitating shoulder problem that not even surgery could completely fix ended Brown's stellar career in December.
The gutted 33-year-old has quickly carved out a coaching niche in Gloucester's backroom staff though, assuming specialist lineout work among other duties.
And the former Bristol and Bath lock explained how to stay in control in the ever-changing, complex world of rugby's aerial set-piece.
"I always felt I had to have massive knowledge to gain trust and for people to follow me," admitted the first-class lineout coordinator. "I had to be prepared ahead of lineout sessions with the squad when I was leading that area as a player.
"I wanted to be able to answer any questions that would come up, as well as welcoming positive challenges.
"I felt that was how people would invest trust in me.
"There were times over the years when you would not be entirely convinced you were making the correct decision – but you would have to show total conviction – and if you had already gained that trust, then people would respect you and follow your call.
"The biggest thing for me is adaptability – you can examine opponents' strategy all you want, but then you get on the field and they do something completely different.
"Planning is vital, but being able to react and adapt is maybe even more crucial."
For more information on the Aim High event and future leadership seminars, log onto www.alexbrownbenefityear.co.uk.
