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© November 2014
THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE SPORT PSYCHOLOGY & MOTOR BEHAVIOR
One Heartbeat: A Coach’s Guide to Team Cohesion
Brennen Salmon, B.S. Master’s Student: Sport
Psychology & Motor Behavior The University of Tennessee
Tyler Strong, B.S.
Master’s Student: Sport Management
The University of Tennessee [email protected]
Table of Contents
Introduction ii One Team: Why Does Cohesion Matter? 1 One Process: Is Your Team Cohesive? 4 One Identity: Who Is Your Team? 11 Proximity 13 Distinctiveness 15 One Family: What Makes a Team? 18 Roles 20 Norms 24 Goals 28 Communication 30 One Vision: Who Will Lead the Way? 37 Transformational Leadership 39 Leadership Behaviors 43 Players as Leaders 49 Conclusion 57 References 58
A heartbeat. A heartbeat supplies blood to every part of the body. It is the central, and arguably the most important organ in the entire body. There is no substitute for a strong and healthy heart. The heartbeat is a great indicator of that strength and health. The heart and its heartbeat are powerful symbols of a team. A closely connected, cohesive team is similar to a strong and healthy heartbeat. It indicates the status of your team’s heart. A team that is positive, supportive, and encouraging is a powerful force. In this manual, we will equip you with the tools to strengthen the heartbeat of your team – it’s cohesion. Cohesion is central to your team’s success. There are three critical factors that influence team cohesion: environmental factors, team factors, and leadership factors. The following pages will highlight the various aspects of these factors, and help you create a team with good communication, strong leadership, high standards and a collective identity. We hope that you find this manual to be a great resource, and you can begin to see your team become more cohesive. We hope that you begin to a see a team with one unshakeable will, one unbreakable bond, and one undeniable heartbeat.
Introduction to Manual
One Team: Why does team
cohesion matter?
“Togetherness.” -Kobe Bryant on what wins
championships
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There are a number of roles that a coach has on a team. The job description of a coach varies from team to team and situation to situation, but there are some outcomes that almost every coach desires.
As a coach, what are some things that you expect out of your team/players? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Many of the goals a typical coach has for their team – such as success, motivation, and fun - can be influenced by team cohesion.
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Of course success is a focal point of many – if not all – teams. Research shows that teams reporting more cohesiveness had higher winning percentages than teams with lower reported cohesiveness (Carron, Bray, Eys, 2010).
Outside of winning and success, many coaches also want their athletes to be motivated, confident, and hard working. Members of cohesive teams display increased amounts of motivation, confidence, and work ethic (Bruner & Spink, 2011; Kozub & McDonnell, 2000; Prapavessis & Carron, 1996).
Additionally, cohesive teams enjoy their sport more. Athletes on cohesive teams report higher levels of satisfaction (Widmeyer & Williams, 1991).
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One Process: Is your team cohesive?
“Build for your team a feeling of
oneness, of dependence on one another and of strength derived by
unity.” - Vince Lombardi
4
Team Cohesion Awareness Assessment The purpose of the following assessment is to give you an awareness of the cohesion of your team. The assessment measures four factors that strongly influence the cohesion of a team (Carron & Eys, 2012). Think about where your team is right now when answering the following questions. Here is how questions should be answered using the scale within the assessment:
1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Agree Strongly Disagree Nor Disagree Agree
1. My players seem to enjoy being around one another. 1 2 3 4 5
2. My players contribute equally to team tasks. 1 2 3 4 5
3. My players seem relaxed before and during competition. 1 2 3 4 5
5
4. My players spend time together outside of
practice and competition. 1 2 3 4 5
5. My coaching staff is typically available to my players. 1 2 3 4 5
6. My team has a unique identity. 1 2 3 4 5
7. My players seem to understand and embrace their roles on the team. 1 2 3 4 5
8. My players have and adhere to positive group standards. 1 2 3 4 5
9. My players communicate well with their teammates and coaches. 1 2 3 4 5
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10. My players encourage one another. 1 2 3 4 5
11. There are clear leaders on my team.
1 2 3 4 5
12. My players seem to hold one another
accountable to positive team standards.
1 2 3 4 5
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Team Cohesion Awareness Assessment Results
As previously mentioned, the purpose of this assessment was to measure the cohesiveness of your team using four factors that contribute to team cohesion. Questions 1-3 measured personal factors within your team such as your players’ satisfaction and anxiety levels during competition. Questions 4-6 measured environmental factors within your team such as the amount of time your players spend with one another. Questions 7-9 measured team factors within your team such as player roles and team standards. Questions 10-12 measured leadership factors within your team such as player accountability and encouragement.
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Team Cohesion Awareness Assessment Results
Now that you have taken the Team Cohesion Awareness Assessment, and have an idea of what it is intended to measure, it’s time to get an idea of how cohesive your team currently is by using your answers on the assessment! Add up the numbers you indicated in your answers for questions 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Once you have your totals for each grouping of questions, here is what your answers indicate: - A total score between 1 and 5 indicates that your team rarely exhibits characteristics of the particular team cohesion factor. - A total score between 6 and 10 indicates that your team moderately exhibits characteristics of the particular team cohesion factor. - A total score between 11 and 15 indicates that your team frequently exhibits characteristics of the particular team cohesion factor.
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Your Cohesion Goals Now that you have an idea of how cohesive your team is, what are some specific cohesion goals that you have for your team? In other words, where would you like to see more chemistry and growth within your team? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Within the areas you want to see improvement, what are some obstacles you or your team may face while trying to reach your goals? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
[Figure from Carron & Eys, 2012]
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One Identity: Who is your team?
“I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is
the ultimate champion.”
– Mia Hamm
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Introduction to the Environmental Factors of Team Cohesion
In the following chapter we will discuss environmental factors of cohesion and equip you with some strategies to encourage them within your team. So what exactly are environmental factors of team cohesion? Environmental factors are the characteristics of the environment in which your team interacts. When these characteristics positively impact your team, it can increase the cohesion of your team (Eys, Burke, Dennis, & Evans, 2013). Some examples of environmental factors that we will discuss in this manual are: • Proximity ! does your team spend quality time
together? • Distinctiveness ! does your team have their own
unique identity?
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Environmental Factors: Proximity
To put it simply, proximity is your team spending time together. When it comes to proximity, the more time your team can spend together, the more cohesive your team will be (Eys, Burke, Dennis, & Evans, 2013).
Point of Emphasis: Time spent together is time spent creating an environment that encourages team cohesion.
Environmental Factors in “Remember the Titans”
In “Remember the Titans,” Coach Herman Boone realizes that his team lacks cohesion – especially in regards to personal relationships with one another. In response to this observation, Coach Boone tells his players that each of them will take time out of their summer camp to get to know one of their fellow teammates. In this particular example, Coach Boone desires the white players and black players to develop relationships with one another. At the end of camp, this strategy – along with a few others – resulted in a football team with an unbreakable bond. This is a strategy that you as a coach can also introduce to your team. If your players take the time to actually get to know each other on a personal level, cohesion should be a result.
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Environmental Factors: Distinctiveness
When your players feel that their team has a distinct identity, it can increase their feelings of closeness with one another (Eys, Burke, Dennis, & Evans, 2013). Encourage your players to create a nickname for their team that they can identify with during the season. There have been multiple teams in sports that have created distinct identities and used them to develop team chemistry and have success in their sport. Some examples of those teams are:
• The Seattle Seahawks’ 2013-2014 Defense self-identified as the “Legion of Boom” which held them to a standard of aggressive and relentless performances.
• The 2012 Olympic gymnastics team called themselves “The Fierce Five”.
• The 1991 Michigan Basketball “Fab 5 “ was known for their counter-cultural style. The team wore tall black socks and baggy uniforms which gave them a unique identity and swagger.
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Environmental Strategies for Enhancing Team Cohesion (Continued)
You want your team to have a unique identity. It should be one that players can buy into and sets them apart from other teams. Here are a couple strategies for you to develop distinctiveness on your team (Eys, Burke, Dennis, & Evans, 2013): • Provide the team with unique
identifiers (e.g. shirts, logos, mottos, etc.).
• Emphasize any unique traditions and/or history associated with your team.
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Environmental Strategies for Enhancing Team Cohesion
Even outside of practices, competition, and mandatory team activities, there are ways for you to encourage additional interactions amongst your players. Here are some examples: • Organize and
encourage your players to organize voluntary team activities or outings (e.g. team dinner, volunteer or philanthropy work, movie night, etc.)
• If you are a high school or college coach, encourage your players to take classes together (Eys, Burke, Dennis, & Evans, 2013).
• When your team travels, mix up which players room together.
Point of Emphasis: These interactions create a culture of closeness
and accelerate group development.
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One Family: What makes a team?
“Team building is not about a recipe, it is about taking the necessary time to
build this team for this purpose.”
– Mike Krzyzewski
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Introduction to the Team Factors of Team Cohesion
In the following chapter we will discuss team factors of cohesion and equip you with some strategies to encourage them within your team. So what exactly are team factors of team cohesion? Team factors are simply the characteristics that make up your team and the processes that take place among members of your team (Eys, Burke, Dennis, & Evans, 2013). Some examples of team factors that we will discuss in this manual are: • Team Roles ! what roles do you players fill? • Team Norms ! what standards does your team
adhere to? • Team Goals ! what does your team want to
accomplish? • Team Communication ! can your team clearly
and effectively communicate?
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Team Factors: Roles
A role can be defined as the expectations and responsibilities that a player assumes within a team (Eys, Burke, Dennis, & Evans, 2013). Roles can fall under two specific categories (Mabry & Barnes, 1980):
1. Formal Roles – clearly defined by the group or team (e.g., team captain or specific position during competition)
2. Informal Roles – not clearly defined, but develop as a result of interactions within the team (e.g., enforcer, mentor, or comedian)
In his book, “The Gold Standard”, Coach Mike Krzyzewski mentions the importance of two common roles on teams: veteran players and young players. Coach K says that veteran players bring experience and an understanding of legacy while young players bring excitement and freshness to a team. The next few pages will address the elements of roles that can influence whether roles contribute to or hinder team cohesion.
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Role Elements for Sport Teams
Roles typically only contribute to team cohesion if a few elements of the roles are fulfilled for each player. The following role elements can help ensure that roles are a contribution rather than an obstacle to the cohesiveness of your team (Eys, Burke, Dennis, & Evans, 2013).
• Role Ambiguity – players should have a clear
understanding of what their role is on a team. If a player is unsure of what role they play on a team, they may experience anxiety during competition (Kahn, Wolfe, Quinn, Snoek, & Rosenthal, 1964).
A player should understand four specific aspects of their role(s) (Beauchamp, Bray, Eys, & Carron, 2002):
1. What are their responsibilities? 2. What behaviors are expected of them? 3. How will their role performance be assessed? 4. What are the consequences if they do not fulfill
their role? Players that have an understanding of their role on a team are more satisfied, less anxious, and view their teams as more cohesive (Eys, Carron, Bray, & Beauchamp, 2003; Beauchamp, Bray, Eys & Carron, 2003; Bosselut, Mclaren, Eys, & Heuze, 2012).
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Role Elements for Sport Teams (continued)
• Role Acceptance – do your players accept the
roles – either formal or informal – that they are given?
• Role Efficacy – are your players confident that
they can carry out the responsibilities and expectations that come with their role(s)?
• Role Conflict – does a player on your team have
more than one role, and is your player capable of fulfilling them at the same time?
• Role Overload – are any of your players
overwhelmed by the responsibilities and expectations that come with his/her role on the team?
• Role Satisfaction – how happy are your players
with their roles on the team? • Role Performance – what are the behaviors
associated with the roles on your team, and do the players that fill those roles display those behaviors?
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What Can You Do About Team Roles?
The most important part that you play in the roles your players adopt is facilitating the healthy development of roles for each of your players. Here are some practical ways for you to communicate and foster healthy roles for the members of your team: Coach-Athlete Interviews (Paradis & Martin, 2012):
1. Write down the beliefs you have regarding each player’s role(s) on the team.
2. Have players write down what they perceive their role(s) is/are on the team.
3. Have a discussion with each player about the beliefs and expectations you have and he/she has about his/her roles.
Roles List (Paradis & Martin, 2012):
1. Have your team develop a list of every role deemed necessary for your team to be successful.
2. Have each player present to the team roles he or she currently plays or hopes to play in the future.
It is important for you emphasize to your team that each role is important and that roles are dynamic (Eys, Burke, Dennis, & Evans, 2013).
Quick Quote: “When you give time to
a person and explain their ever-evolving role, it makes them feel good. It is a reminder to them
that their role is important enough to warrant explanation.”
– Coach Mike Krzyzewski
Example of Team Norms
When Coach Mike Krzyzewski coached the Men’s United States basketball team, he and his players developed a set of standards that they would adhere to during their run to a gold medal at the Olympics. These standards are a great example of norms developed by a team to reach their goals and become more cohesive (Krzyzewski, 2009): “Gold Standards” What we do all the time and what we hold each other accountable for:
1. No Excuses 2. Great Defense 3. Communication 4. Trust 5. Collective
Responsibility 6. Care 7. Respect 8. Intelligence
9. Poise 10. Flexibility 11. Unselfishness 12. Aggressiveness 13. Enthusiasm 14. Performance 15. Pride
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How Should You Go About Establishing Team Norms?
Establish norms and standards early in the team building process. It’s hard to change established norms (Jacobs & Campbell, 1961). Your team should work together to develop its norms. Developing standards as a team will promote teamwork and cohesion (Krzyzewski, 2009). Additionally, if team norms are established together, there is a greater chance that the norms will be understood and embraced at a deeper level (Krzyzewski, 2009). Enlist the leaders of your team as “active agents” or players who will accept and adhere to standards – other members of the team will follow their lead (Eys, Burke, Dennis, & Evans, 2013). A last resort should be to release players who are resistant to or rebel against team standards (Eys, Burke, Dennis, & Evans, 2013).
Point of Emphasis: Team Norms should be positive.
Strategy for Establishing Team Standards One way that you can go about establishing team standards and getting your team to closely identify with them is by presenting an image or picture that is associated with your team’s core values (Elmore, 2014). For example, let’s say “unity” is one of your team standards. An image or picture you can introduce to your team is links of a chain. Post these images in the locker room, the team meeting room, or the weight room. When your team competes, they can think of these images to inspire themselves and remind themselves of what your team stands for.
Point of Emphasis: Images engage thoughts and emotions. They
capture an entire set of values.
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Your Team’s Norms Now that you have an idea of what team norms are and the purpose they serve, what are some positive norms/standards you observe on your team? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What are some negative norms/standards you observe on your team? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What are some norms/standards you want to see on your team? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Team Factors: Goals
Setting goals for your team can be accomplished by answering one question: What do you want to accomplish this season, and what will it take to get there? What will your team’s legacy be? Things to consider when setting goals with your team (Krzyzewski, 2009): • Your goals should invigorate you. • Your goals should give you purpose. • Your goals should unite you. • Your goals should prepare you.
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So How Should You Go About Setting Team Goals?
Widmeyer and Ducharme (1997) give a few suggestions for how a team can effectively establish goals in a way that will increase team cohesion: • Long-term team objectives should be
acknowledged. • Create specific short-term and long-term goals
that will help you reach your ultimate team goal(s).
• Measure your progress in reaching your team goal(s) throughout the season.
• Reward progress made toward reaching your team goal(s).
• Foster team confidence in your team goals.
Point of Emphasis: All team members should have input into the
team goal-setting process (Widmeyer & Ducharme, 1997).
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Team Factors: Communication
Communication on a team goes beyond talking and listening. Effective communication that encourages team cohesion is connecting with people in a meaningful way (Yukelson, 2013). Poor communication is at the root of personal conflict on a team (Yukelson, 2013). A team that communicates well and address personal conflict will be more cohesive (Orlick, 2008). If a team is to function effectively, they communicate openly and honestly with one another (Yukelson, 1997). Communicating effectively is how you ensure that your team is on the same page and moving forward together (Krzyzewski, 2009).
Quick Quote: “Eventually, two people
who communicate and trust one another develop the
ability to act as one.” – Coach Mike Krzyzewski
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Team Factors: Communication
Good communication – and as a result team cohesion – starts with you, the coach. So how do you facilitate and encourage a culture of effective communication within your team? As a coach, having credibility, along with the trust and respect of your players is the cornerstone of communicating effectively with your team (Orlick 2008; Yukelson, 1984). You can gain credibility, respect, and trust by obtaining the consensus and commitment from your team. Seeking input from your players regarding what needs to be done for the team to be successful is how you can go about getting consensus and commitment (Yukelson, 2013).
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Communication Principles for Coaches
As a coach, you can use the following principles to guide your communication with your team (Yukelson, 2013).
1. Impart – share relevant information regarding team goals, plans, and objectives to your players and coaching staff.
2. Inspire – communicate enthusiastically with your team. Infuse a sense of passion, pride and belief into your team.
3. Monitor – keep track of team goals and adjust
them as necessary. Challenge your players to get better everyday.
4. Clarify – make clear what needs to be done to
achieve team goals.
5. Reinforce – give your players positive and emotional support. Encourage your players and correct mistakes in a constructive fashion.
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Strategies for Improving Communication on Your Team
The following activities can be used to foster open and respectful communication between you and your players and amongst your players. Mutual Sharing Activity – this activity allows your players to be a support system for one another. You can use a Mutual Sharing activity to allow your players to get to know each other, in addition to setting a standard for open communication on your team. One example of a Mutual Sharing activity is to get in a circle and discuss player and team strengths. You can also have players draw a timeline of their lives and share with the team life events that have impacted them as a person or an athlete (Yukelson, 2013). These activities may seem vulnerable, and they are, but vulnerability breeds vulnerability. The more open your players can be with one another, the more inclusive and cohesive they will be (Yukelson 2013).
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Strategies for Improving Communication on Your Team (Continued)
“The One Minute Drill” – Russ Rose, the head coach of the Penn State Women’s Volleyball Team implements a strategy he calls “The One Minute Drill.” In “The Drill, Coach Roe randomly pulls aside individual players throughout the season for a one-minute meeting. During the meeting, Rose tells the player what they are doing well, what they need to improve upon, and how they can further contribute to the team. This drill gives open feedback directly to the player. This drill can be useful to develop one-on-one communication between you and your players (Yukelson & Rose, 2014). Team Video Highlights – The Penn State Women’s Soccer coach, Erica Walsh, films her team during competitions. She will put together highlights of her team’s poor body language during a game in order to show them how negativity destroys team energy and cohesion in competitive settings. This strategy can make your team aware of the importance of nonverbal communication, and makes them responsible for the attitudes they display as a team (Yukelson, 2013).
Active and Reflective Listening The last few pages have focused on how to talk to your players to improve communication, but listening well may be even more critical to effectively communicating. Players will feel valued and respected if you can engage in active listening while communicating with them. An active listener is attuned, connected, engaged, and caring. An active listener genuinely wants to understand the person that is speaking to them (Rosenfeld & Wilder, 1990). If you want to your players to know that you are actively listening to them, engage in reflective listening. Reflective listening communicates to your players that you are actively listening to them and seeking to understand them (Rosenfeld & Wilder, 1990).
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Reflective Listening Techniques Here are some reflective listening techniques you can use to deepen your connections to your players (Egan, 1994): • Questioning ! Ask open-ended questions about
what the player is saying.
• Encouraging ! use head nods and verbal affirmations to encourage the player to continue talking.
• Summarizing ! summarize everything your player has said back to them so they can know you understood.
Active and reflective listening will allow you to better gauge the mental and emotional states of each of your players. As a result, you will be better equipped to respond to their needs in addition to gaining their trust and respect (Lorimer, 2013).
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One Vision: Who will lead the way?
“Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration, motivated by
passion, generated by vision, produced by conviction, ignited by purpose.”
– Myles Munroe
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Introduction to the Leadership Factors of Team Cohesion
In the following chapter we will discuss leadership factors of cohesion and equip you with some strategies to encourage them within your team. So what exactly are team factors of team cohesion? Leadership factors are the behaviors exhibited by you and your players that help your team maintain its standards and accomplish its goals. Some aspects of leadership factors that we will discuss in this manual are: • Transformational Leadership • Leadership Behaviors • Players as Leaders
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Leadership Factors: Transformational Leadership
Leadership is not about manipulating those around you. It’s about empowering, inspiring, and motivating them (Sterrett & Janssen, 2013). There is leadership and then there is transformational leadership. A coach who demonstrates behaviors associated with transformational leadership can increase their players’ perceptions of the team’s cohesiveness (Price & Weiss, 2013). What is transformational leadership? Transformational leadership involves teamwork between the leader(s) and the followers. It encourages interdependence, collaboration, and holding one another to high standards. The values your team has as part of its identity guide your interactions and leadership behaviors (Bass, 1990).
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Components of Transformational Leadership
There are four main principles of transformational leadership that you can use and impart to your players (Bass, 1990):
1. Idealized Influence – leaders are role models. Leading by example will gain the respect and trust of those within your influence.
2. Inspirational Motivation – challenging others and giving them purpose will motivate and inspire them. Put those within your influence in a position to succeed. Bring passion and positivity to team meetings, practice, and competition.
3. Intellectual Stimulation – encourage others to be
creative and to learn about how to be better leaders themselves. Participate in goal setting, planning, and keeping one another accountable.
4. Individualized Consideration – transformational leaders support and mentor others. They seek to help others grow and develop by communicating with, giving feedback to, and attending to the needs of others.
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Effects of Leadership
Here is a list of positive effects that strong leadership can have on your team (Michaelisin, Karau, Tangpong, 2007): • Leadership encourages respect for teammates.
• Leadership maintains group harmony.
• Leadership fosters positive group experiences.
• Leadership encourages openness among team
members. • Leadership discourages deviant team members
from exercising negative influence on the team. The relationship between leaders and followers is (Gardner et. al., 2005): • Open, transparent, and trusting
• Directed toward worthy purposes
• Focused on follower development
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Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s Thoughts on Leadership
In his book, “The Gold Standard,” Coach Krzyzewski shares some of his ideas pertaining to leadership (Krzyzewski, 2009): • Leading takes a commitment. Take the time to
cultivate leadership.
• Try to recognize different leadership qualities of each of your players.
• The best leadership a team can have is a blend of your strengths and your players’ strengths; you will make up for one another’s weaknesses.
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How Can You Lead Well?
Now that you have an idea of what effective leadership looks like, and what it can do for your team, here are some optimal leadership behaviors that you should seek to incorporate into your coaching (Sterrett & Janssen, 2013):
1. Lead Yourself First
2. Provide a Roadmap
3. Connect
4. Empower
5. Cultivate
The next five pages will explain each of these behaviors in detail, and give you some suggestions regarding how to display them.
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Lead Yourself First Leading yourself means keeping your composure, making ethical decisions, acting in a way that reflects your values, and serving your team well. • Understand your core values and identify
behaviors you can display to your team that reflect those.
• Ensure that your standards for leading your team cannot be compromised.
• Keep yourself accountable to encouraging
and praising your players during practice and competition.
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Provide a Roadmap Providing a Roadmap means inspiring your players to work hard and communicating a vision of what is possible for your team to achieve. • Discuss with your team what kind of team
culture you want to have.
• Create goals and action steps to achieve those goals with your team.
• Share stories of success that other teams of
have had in order to inspire your players. • Publicly reward players that compete and
work hard.
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Connect Connecting means developing positive and sincere relationships with your players. • Display care and interest in your players’
lives outside of athletics.
• Learn each of your players’ personalities. • Use active and reflective listening when
having conversations with your players. • Communicate well with your team.
• Work with your
players to help build their confidence.
• Help your players identify personal goals.
• Ask for
feedback from your players and make use of it.
• Provide your players with opportunities to
demonstrate their leadership abilities.
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Empower Empowering means assisting your players in developing the skills and confidence they need to fulfill their roles and responsibilities.
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Cultivating means highlighting desired behaviors and giving constructive feedback after effective and ineffective performances. • Point out the aspects of a player’s
performance that were positive and then provide technical instruction for aspects that need improvement.
• Recognize and use relaxation strategies to reduce anxiety experienced by any of your players.
Cultivate
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How Can You Identify Your Leaders?
Almost as important as leading well yourself is identifying players on your team who can lead effectively. Coaches that share their power and influence will increase their impact on a team (Sterrett & Janssen, 2013). You can identify candidates for leadership roles on your team by (Sterrett & Janssen, 2013): • Recognizing your players’ individual strengths
• Analyzing how each player’s strengths can equip
them to lead • Talking to other coaches and players to guarantee
buy-in and support for potential designated leaders.
• Asking yourself if potential leaders will have a
positive influence on the team, help the team maintain standards, and help the team reach its goals.
• Having a team dialogue to collectively identify
characteristics, skills, and behaviors of a leader.
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How Can You Choose Your Leaders?
After identifying potential candidates for leadership roles on your team, you should determine how you are going to go about choosing your leaders/captains. Here are a few methods that you can choose from to formally select your team’s captains (Janssen, 2004):
1. Choose the team captains yourself.
2. Allow your players to elect the captains for your team.
3. Allow your players to nominate teammates for captain positions and then make the final decision.
4. Seniors or veterans are automatically named team
captains.
5. Develop a team council.
6. Do not have official captains. Allow for informal leadership roles to develop throughout the season.
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How to Develop Your Leaders
Once your team leaders/ captains have been chosen, it should be one of your priorities to develop these leaders. You and your leaders need to develop a close relationship – trust and communication is key. Meet regularly with your team leaders, so your leaders know that you believe in them (Bucci et. al., 2012). When you meet with your leaders, discuss these four questions with them (Sterrett & Janssen, 2013):
1. What are realistic coach expectations of an athlete-leader?
2. What are realistic leader expectations of a coach?
3. How do we define leadership on our team?
4. What are we, the leadership team, trying to accomplish?
Emphasize to your leaders that they are role models. They should do the right thing on and off the field, model team values, and act selflessly.
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How to Develop Your Leaders (Continued)
Pair current team leaders with proven leaders outside the team or team leaders from the past to create a mentoring relationship and develop leadership skills. You can also create a culture of leadership by developing a “Buddy System,” which entails veteran leaders mentoring younger players. This system can establish a tradition of strong leadership and high team standards that will endure for future seasons (Walker, 2012). Equip your leaders to resolve conflicts within the team by introducing them to the D.E.S.C. method (Sterrett & Janssen, 2013):
1. Describe an unwanted behavior 2. Express why the behavior is an issue 3. Specify a possible solution and alternative to the
behavior. 4. Consequences should be made clear for if the
behavior continues.
The D.E.S.C. method is effective because it separates the individual from the unwanted behavior. It is not the individual being challenged – it is the behavior.
How to Develop Your Leaders (Continued)
Give your team leaders ownership over their team by giving them various leadership responsibilities such as (Sterrett & Janssen, 2013): • Running the warm-up in practice or an off-season
practice.
• Organizing huddles before and after practices in order to focus the team.
• Managing logistics that come with team travel.
• Facilitating team-building activities. • Making difficult decisions concerning whether to
keep team members that are detrimental to team cohesion.
Reflection for Team Leaders
As a coach, it is critical that you reflect on your actions and abilities as a leader, so it is important for you to equip your team leaders to develop their leadership skills through personal reflection. The Captain’s Weekly Monitoring Sheet is a useful tool for reflection (Janssen, 2004). Encourage your leaders to participate in active reflection and leadership development by giving them the monitoring sheet as a resource. Additionally, Janssen (2012) offers a list of “12 Daily To Do’s For Leaders.” These 12 To Do’s are another resource you can direct your leaders to so they can keep themselves accountable to their leadership responsibilities. The following pages consist of examples of “The Captain’s Weekly Monitoring Sheet” and the “12 Daily To Do’s For Leaders.”
Captain’s Weekly Monitoring Sheet Self-Leadership How would I rate myself as a leader this past week on a 1 (terrible) to 10 (great) scale? What went well? (highlights) What didn’t go so well? (concerns) What might I do differently next time? (lessons) Team Leadership What is the mood of our team right now? • Distracted or Focused • Scared or Confident • Passive or Aggressive • Conflicted or Unified • Fatigued or Fresh • Apathetic or Motivated • Frustrated or Having Fun
Who is struggling right now – how might I reach out to her or him? Is there anything I need to prepare for/guard against this coming week? Other Observations/Comments:
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“12 Daily To Do’s For Leaders”
1. Be the hardest worker at practice today.
2. Be a spark of energy and enthusiasm today.
3. Model mental toughness today.
4. Connect with a teammate today.
5. Compliment a teammate today.
6. Challenge a teammate today.
7. Support a teammate today.
8. Constructively confront negativity, pessimism, and laziness today.
9. Build and bond your team today.
10. Check in with your coach today.
11. Remind your team how today’s work leads
to tomorrow’s dreams.
12. Represent yourself and your team with class and pride today.
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Conclusion
Thank you for taking the time to go through our team cohesion manual! A team does not become cohesive over night. It takes time, energy, and commitment to a process just like anything worth doing. We hope that this manual has been informative, and that you will find the strategies and suggestions useful for seasons to come.
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