As coaches or teammates, we all know that having good team
chemistry is an important aspect to performance success. Without team
chemistry, a unit struggles to come together an accomplish goals that are set
for the group. This article will explore what coaches and players can do to
encourage, create, and maintain a positive group atmosphere and great team
chemistry.
Coaches –
As the leaders of your team there is a lot of responsibility on your shoulders
to set the tone and encourage team development and support amongst all members.
You must understand your team’s dynamic, build a positive relationship with
your players, set team rules/goals (and stick to them), hold everyone to the
same accountability, provide feedback, create and maintain a positive atmosphere
and come up with different techniques to help your players bond. It’s a lot,
but it is something that can be accomplished.
Athletes –
You are on the team for a reason. Whether you enjoy competing, love the sport
you are playing, or enjoy having a social atmosphere to go to, you show up to
training and games because you want to be there. It is every member of a team’s
responsibility to lead through example, support your teammates and coaches,
commit to team rules and goals, be positive and help out when you can. It is
also helpful to leave the excuses or complaints at home. A lot of these aspects
are habits that you can improve throughout your season or athletic careers and
can have enormous impacts on your enjoyment level and your team’s success.
To
understand group and team dynamics, we must first understand how teams form and
what occurs throughout each stage of development. The performing model of group
development (Tuckman, 1965) shows us that a group goes through four stages:
forming, storming, norming, and performing.
Forming: The forming stage is the beginning of a team’s
creation. There is high dependence on the leader for both guidance and
direction, team members are getting to know each other, the goals of the team
are not agreed, and individual members do not understand their roles yet.
Coaches,
this stage is where you set the tone and lay down the expectations of the team
as a whole and the roles of the individual athletes who form the team. This is
your opportunity to start building positive relationships with your players,
establish and enforce team rules, start to understand your team’s dynamic and
begin to develop team goals in a positive environment. Pre-season team meetings
are a good place to lay out the team’s expectations and individual development
meetings are a chance for you to get to know what each player is thinking and
why they are on the team.
Athletes,
this stage provides a chance for you to begin developing relationships with
your fellow teammates, learning the team’s rules and expectations, and
understanding your role within the team. Bringing a positive attitude to all
events related to the team will help encourage other teammates to do the same
and team social events can help bolster team support for one another.
Storming: The next stage is the
storming stage. This stage includes difficult team decision making, team
members vying for position on the team while establishing themselves within the
group, and the formation of cliques occurring, but, the focus of the team and
its goals are clearer to everyone involved and the coach takes on an advisory
role.
Coaches,
this is a tricky stage for you as players now try to establish themselves
individually within the team. By reinforcing the team’s rules, expectations and
goals, you can continuously promote the aims of the group and strengthen the
team’s focus and commitment. Holding all players accountable is important, as
athletes will begin to notice if certain members are being treated differently
to others. Integrating your team’s aims into practices and games is a good
technique to use during this stage and can be accomplished by discussing
different drills and practice focuses by how they relate to what the team is
trying to achieve.
Athletes,
during this stage you are trying to find opportunities to show what you can do
and will start to drift to others who have the same motivation as you do.
Understand that each individual on your team will bring something different to
the team that is crucial to its success and remain positive with all players
who might be at a different level than you. Encouragement during practice and
team socials are useful during this stage.
Norming: Following the storming
stage, developing teams enter the norming stage. There is a more solid agreement
of the team and its purpose, roles and responsibilities of individual members
are clear and generally accepted, decision making becomes a team discussion,
commitment and chemistry are stronger (as noticed by more social and friendly
interactions), and the respect for the coach is established and mutual.
Coaches,
if your team can reach this stage you are on the right track! You have
established group aims that are accepted by all team members and they all know
their individual roles. However, do not forget that the season is a long and
arduous one, and communicating roles and addressing any changes is an important
area to keep on top of. Again, individual meetings with players or captains is
a good strategy. This stage also allows you to hand more responsibility over to
your players. Include them in decision making, practice planning (what are some
areas they may feel they need to focus on more), and delegate decisions
throughout the team to build a sense of responsibility to the team.
Athletes,
this stage is a chance for you to maintain the atmosphere that you want for
your team, support and promote teammates to the next level of performance, and
get a chance to take on responsibility for different aspects of the team.
Respect for the coach is established and if this area, or any other areas, are
lacking, take time to have team discussions and work through any issues that
may be occurring. Remember, establishing a positive environment in these
meetings is key! Teammates will have differing opinions and everyone needs to
be in a frame of mind that is supportive and compromising in order to get the
most out of team chats.
Performing: The final stage of
group development is performing. Coaches and athletes alike strive for this
stage and enjoy it once they have entered into it. During this stage team
strategies, aims, focus, goals, and support are clear and agreed with everyone.
Teammates trust each other and their coach, and the coach trusts their players
to get the job done. While there still may be disagreements, due to the
established team dynamic, these can be resolved in a positive and efficient
manner. Some strategies to employ during this stage include continued
utilization of tools, techniques, and player development to maintain the groups
accomplished level of team chemistry.
By
understanding how a group develops, you may be able to know which stage your
current team is in and start to develop techniques to use in order to progress
on to the next stage. Keep in mind, the establishment of your team’s rules,
expectations, and goals is not a one and done kind of thing. Early and often is
the best way forward and quickly dealing with any disruptive members is a key
to keeping the team on track to achieving success.
Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. - Vince Lombardi
-Cat
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