England Women’s Rugby captain Katy Mclean joined the leadership team at EY’s Birmingham office to talk about developing a winning culture and how leadership in sport can be transferred into the workplace.

Ms Mclean, who led her team to victory at last year’s Rugby World Cup, discussed her 'leadership journey' with EY staff and clients and shared her perspectives on what it takes to win at a global level.

EY’s association as the official business advisor for the Rugby World Cup 2015 forms part of the firm’s quest to find better ways of working. The firm is working with rugby coaches and captains to draw out how leaders and teams in sport and business can work better.

Ms Mclean said: “As part of a winning team, I know it takes hard work and determination to achieve your goals.

“Going into the 2014 World Cup, we had a mantra that we were going to do things differently.

“As a result, not only were we stronger, fitter and quicker, but also we were better prepared to manage the pressure and stress of the tournament.

“This mind-set can be adapted to deal with any situation and I’ve enjoyed talking to people at EY about my experiences, particularly how failure can be turned into success and the importance of teamwork in achieving your goals.”

Sara Fowler, EY’s senior partner in the Midlands, spoke at the event about the values of the game and why they translate into the business world.

She said: “Our association with Rugby World Cup 2015 gives us the opportunity to explore how leaders and teams in sport and business can work better, enabling their organisations to compete better on the global stage.

“As such, the campaign forms part of our quest to find better ways of working, and will help to convey and amplify our purpose of building a better working world.”