Skipper does hard yards at the podium

Tana Umaga settles into his work at the Thrive Auckland event. Picture / Kenny Rodger

All Black captain Tana Umaga turned his leadership skills to the boardroom yesterday.

It was an unfamiliar pitch at the Aotea Centre and it took a while for him to settle his nerves.

Tagged as an "outstanding inspirational leader" at the Thrive Auckland business leadership event, he was welcomed on to a smoke-filled stage with a spirited haka. But at the podium he was taciturn about his leadership style.

Sticking firmly to his notes and the security of the lectern, he told an audience of about 1800 that he found it hard to talk about inspiration and admitted to sweating before taking the stage.

Of rugby and leadership of the national team he said: "I'm just doing what I love."

An All Black since 1997, he said he had given 100 per cent of himself to the sport.

The inner passion that drove him to be an All Black was in everyone, he said.

"Outcomes are determined by the choices we make and whether we follow the burning desire in us - whether that's towards a career in business, or as a nurse or a housewife."

Then, after a couple of aphorisms about leadership and the importance of teamwork he perfunctorily left the stage.

Now in its third year, Thrive Auckland was initiated by the Employers & Manufacturers Association to celebrate and inspire business success.

Yesterday's $180-a-head event was just short of a sellout.

The speakers included Prime Minister Helen Clark, Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide chief executive Kevin Roberts, Telecom chief executive Theresa Gattung, bungy entrepreneur A. J. Hackett, and TradeMe online auction founder Sam Morgan.