Team Chemistry

I've not been writing as much as I am actively involved as an assistant coach / GK coach with a high school team. It's difficult to write in-season and not use the team I am coaching as material for the articles so I have refrained from writing at all. I'm breaking away from that line of thinking today because I believe there is something happening worth sharing with you. It involves team chemistry.

To be honest, our team chemistry is average at best which is to say we have good days and some not so good days. I've been doing a lot of thinking of ways to improve the team's chemistry and I'm not talking about the ever popular team bonding activities although those certainly have value. If you are a regular follower of this blog you will appreciate that my mind often takes the path less traveled and perhaps that is the case in this situation as well.

Not to say that our team has a problem, but I believe it important to properly identify any situation before attempting to address the situation.  What factors are involved and at play influencing the situation? This is what I have come up with for team chemistry in our situation.

People
As individual members we are drawn together as a group by a common interest. In this case that common interest is soccer.  We are a diverse group in more than a few ways. This diversity brings a complexity dynamic to the group that I believe is a key to our team chemistry. As we witness in the world about us, diversity can tear us apart or make us incredibly strong.  I am not sure we as a team have fully determined which it will be for us at this point in time. Diverse team members will have diverse points of views based on their experiences, knowledge and skill levels. The respect afforded to each diverse opinion might actually be more important than the opinion itself which brings us to,

Interactions
How members of a group interact with one another directly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of a groups performance. In a basic sense each player must have and accept a defined role. In a broader sense each player must embrace his role within the standards set by the team. There must also be appropriate enforcement of the standards set for the team.

The most prominent or noticeable role on a team is that of leadership.  When there is no formal leadership structure in a group setting different people will step in to fill the role of leadership at different times, If the group is blessed with a multitude of quality leaders this might be a good thing - I have been part of teams who operated under a leadership council rather than captains. It has been my experience teams operate best when there is a single unified direction for the team orchestrated by a single voice or perhaps two voices in harmony with one another.

Effective teams are not led by dictators.  Each individual of a team is equally important as any other individual. Therefore secondary leadership roles are important to acknowledge, foster and grow. In a high school setting, those filling secondary leadership roles are often next years leaders in waiting. It is important these secondary leaders accept their role as subordinate to the present team leaders,

A struggle for leadership of the team can be necessary at times, but be assured a team will not perform to its full potential during a time of struggle for leadership. There might be flashes or glimpses of what the team is capable of, but when the leadership voice is not unified peak performance will be difficult to sustain.

In a battle for leadership it is often an individual who feels slighted over not being a named leader who attempts to force his way into a leadership role by taking on responsibilities of leadership thereby intentionally intruding on the accepted and expected role of designated leadership. This is where established standards and accepted norms for the team must guide the process.

Standards are the written rules that every team member is expected to conform to while norms are the often unwritten or informal rules all team members are expected to conform to. The norms are a teams culture and whether the norms are functional or dysfunctional a team tends to sanction those who violate the norms. A sign of growth would be when a team member or members take a stand against a dysfunctional team norm and gets the team to change it, Such a person would be viewed as a team catalyst.

Catalysts
A team catalyst is usually someone in a leadership role on the team. It does not have to be a designated leader as a secondary leader can aptly fill this role as well, but it  is probably best if it is a leader - the teams coach or team captain. Leaders provide direction, structure activities, provide and share information, promote positive relationships, support and encouragement,

Motivation or Energy
Every team has an energy all its own.  It is defined by how the individual energy of its members interacts with that of other team members. When individuals are motivated by team goals energy tends to be very positive. When individual agendas permeate a team its energy is usually very negative.

I do believe there is a general misconception that good team chemistry is devoid of conflict. This goes back to our diversity as a team. We will have many different perspectives on any given situation and an honest open exchange of ideas and opinions should be encouraged. The difference between a healthy team chemistry and a toxic team chemistry is found in the level of acceptance to what is ultimately agreed upon by the team as a whole.

It might be individuals believe they should be designated leaders on a team, captains, but were passed over for others. How those individuals deal with this disappointment can be critical to identifying team chemistry.  If they actively seek to continue campaigning for a leadership role or attempt to sabotage the recognized leadership negative energy will be rampant on a divided team.

Negative energy clouds the vision of what a team aspires to be.

Therefore a primary responsibility of leadership is to promote positive energy. Goals to motivate both the individual team members and the collective team are necessary to focus our energy in a single direction much like a laser beam.  Goals are often specific and measurable, but a vision... a vision is a collective goal of what a team can aspire to be.  A vision is what a team draws its inspiration and passion from as a collective group. A vision can be what makes a team an attraction,

Attraction or Cohesiveness
Growth in team numbers occurs when the team is an attractive destination. Before this takes place team members must be appreciative of being a member of the team and feel an attraction and devotion to the team. This cohesiveness fosters and facilitates a spirit of collaboration, mutual support and an infectious spontaneity of positive energy while also reducing counter productive conflict rooted in personal agendas.

Adversity
Collectively overcoming adversity is the surest way to develop cohesiveness. Trust is the single most important ingredient to collectively overcoming adversity.  It is easy to trust one another in an atmosphere of positivity but can a team sustain its trust in one another when adversity is encountered?  Will blame be cast or excuses made when things go against us? Or will we look into each others eyes to find a determination, respect and truthful trust that we draw collective strength from?

Honesty and Trust
Trust is the glue of life, the most essential ingredient in effective communication. Trust is the foundational principal that holds all relationships together. And relationships is what team chemistry is all about.  Without honesty their can be no trust and the resulting poor relationship will negatively impact the quality of performance ... and life.  Differing opinions and even constructive conflict are healthy parts of honest and productive relationships. It's only when individual agendas refuse to yield to the collective good that things turn negative and destructive.

Simplicity
Like so many things in life team chemistry is a very simple thing.  When the focus is on WE rather than ME good team chemistry exists.  When ME is the individuals primary motivation conflict exists with WE and team chemistry suffers.  It really is that simple,

In conclusion it seems to me our diversity is not the strength it might be. The commonality we share is soccer in a general sense.  It appears to me we must find a way to share soccer in a deeper way.  I sometimes refer to a difference between playing at soccer and actually playing soccer. That could also describe our current team chemistry situation.  We say a lot of the right things when in the collective but are not completely honest with one another. There is a reluctance to call someone out when they deviate from team standards or expected norms. Consequentially individualism is allowed to flourish over an attitude and atmosphere of the team.

I am not being negative in this assessment.

I am being honest.

In simple terms, we need more people putting WE ahead of ME,

We are Family! Maybe not so much.

We are Family was the Sister Sledge disco hit the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates adopted as their theme song on the way to a World Series title. Since then referring to a team as a family has been the popular thing to do, I'm sure the ideal is The Walton's, or the Cunningham family from Happy Days. If only all families could be like those TV families.  Stark reality tells us it just isn't so.

For example, I have an older brother who abused and perhaps still abuses drugs. He's mean surly and genuinely not a nice person to be around. I love him, but do I want him on my team?  No way!  He's family but he's not getting anywhere near my team.

When we hear the term "family" most of us will think of the fictional families portrayed on television. The warm fuzzy people who love and are loved unconditionally.  The championship teams, the championship cultures I have been a part of are not unconditional.  In fact, the championship teams I have been a part of have been highly conditional cultures.

Every team practices technique, tactics, physical conditioning and to some degree in one fashion or another psychology.  This last term, psychology seems to be a catch-all phrase for many. A big part of it to me is the culture of the team. Culture must be practiced and adhered to just as technical and tactical principles of the game must be practiced and adhered to.

It is important to build a strong team culture and just as important to protect the team culture. Just as we fight battles between good and evil in every aspect of our life on a daily basis, we must fight for and protect our team culture on a daily basis,

Winning is important. Success even more so. We must measure ourselves individually and collectively by our performance. Did we improve today? Am I a better player as I step off the pitch than when I stepped onto the pitch a couple of hours ago?  Did we improve as a team?

Accountability.

Accountability to the process must be a primary focus.  The great players hold themselves accountable to improving on a daily basis. They continuously hone their skill sets - technical, tactical, physical and psychological.  The members of special teams hold one another accountable.

Blame is unacceptable. Instead the great players and great teams look for the origin of the "problem" and then put their problem solving skills to work to make that problem go away.

There is no complaining. Instead ways to improve the situation are actively sought, researched and implemented.

There is no procrastination. There exists an urgency to get things done and get it done correctly as soon as possible

A spirit of determination exists that enables individuals and the team to give more than they are asked to give to the cause.

In conditional cultures the individuals seek as much responsibility as they can handle.  Eleven Captains on the field each leading in his own way. And yet they are smart enough and confident enough to share the load with teammates.

Continuous Improvement is a way of life. In the conditional culture there is a constant striving to improve both the individual and the team.

Trust is the glue of conditional cultures. It is the most essential ingredient in effective communication. Trust is the foundational principle that holds all relationships together. Relationships are what define culture and bind individuals together therefore honesty is the cornerstone relationships are built on.

In someways, and most regretfully so, a strong team culture can transcend a family culture. The truly great teams have this type of culture.  ... so too does a truly great family.

Team Culture in Soccer

Culture: the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time.

Philosophy:  a set of ideas about how to do something.

The culture of a particular team will be reflective of it's leadership. A coach's philosophy will go a long ways toward determining the team's culture. Player leadership will also impact a teams culture. Great team culture sees player leadership buy into the coach's philosophy.

Establishing a productive team culture is so important I write about it often.  Most recently I authored the article Culture eats Strategy for Breakfast based on a quote I found on Twitter.  The title says it all. We have all seen teams with great talent lose to "inferior" teams with great culture.

Every team has a culture be it great, good, indifferent or toxic. 

Just think about that for a minute.

A great culture enhances and magnifies a teams technical, tactical, physical and psychological abilities. Perhaps most importantly a great team culture manifests itself as passion to participate with teammates and play the game together as many working towards a common goal.

The foundation of great team culture is Honesty.

A soccer team is a group of people who develop, nurture and grow relationships based around a common interest - soccer. Trust is the foundational principle that holds all relationships together. Trust is dependent on honesty, on truth, to exist. Trust is the glue of life, the most essential ingredient in effective communication. Healthy relationships are all about effective communication.

Belief takes root in the ground prepared by Truth and Trust.  When a team believes, when a team buys in to the coach's philosophy, the potential for success increases exponentially.  The momentum created can be palpable. Confidence can be felt exuding from vibrant athletes who are eager to test themselves against opponents. 

When I scout a team the first thing I try to determine is its culture.

When I observe an opponent warming up, the first thing I try to determine is its culture.

Why?

Whatever problems an opposing player, their team or their teams tactics present can be dealt with and solved to the best of our ability.  The opponents culture?  If it is stronger than ours, we will face a difficult battle because there is virtually nothing we can do to counteract an opposing teams strong culture. We must match or exceed the opponents team culture.  This being the case, it is of utmost importance to establish a strong team culture and intentionally work on strengthening it every day.

Broken Trust

Much has been written about the importance of establishing trust in the team environment. Perhaps all the sayings and slogans are cautionary in nature. Surely there are tales of betrayed trust that have taught the value of true trust. I have seen very little on re-establishing trust in the world of team sports once it has been broken. Coaches are fired, players are benched, cut or traded - seldom do we hear or read of succssful instances of trust being rebuilt. Broken trust destroys relationships. In the world of team sports the desire and time to re-establish a relationship doesn't seem to exist. Seasons are simply too short and emotions run too high.

As a coach I work extremely hard to build working relationships with the players on our team. I also work hard on establishng working relationships between players. The same is true for coach / player relationships with referees and even opponents. If trust is the foundation in all these relationships, then truth is the cornerstone.

In the world of team sports, truth is all about effective communication. When communication breaks down truth, and therefore trust, are put at risk.

How does one go about repairing broken trust in the team environment?

My mind is drawn to training where the introduction of pressure is gradual to allow players time to establish comfort and confidence in the aspect of the game being worked on. This is a luxury the fleeting time of a season does not allow for in addressing broken trust. It is a high pressure situation with immediate importance.

Think of the instances in your life when you have either had to ask for forgiveness or have been asked to forgive. Forgiving is not an instantaneous endeavor. It takes time, a concerted effort and a desire to heal the relationship. If we are frank with one another we will admit it can be easier to move on even if that means throwing away the potential of a season in doing so. This a sad truth of team sports.

There is no template for how to go about quickly repairing a broken trust. This is especially true when the time constraints of a sports season are considered. I believe an earnest effort must be made to do so.  An effort based in good faith and belief that success is not only possible, but necessary for the team to succeed to its fullest potential.  I have seen success when both parties put aside differences for the good of the team. I am unsure if these are rare instances or if the success stories are overshadowed by the pain of lost opportunities in the failures to be truthful with one another and re-establish trust. I do know the best course of action is to not betray a trust in the first place. Be truthful, even if the truth is painful. Just deal honestly with one another - a key to success in life.

Communication

Every great team has great communicators.

Great communication begins at the top and trickles down through the ranks. Good coaches make sure everyone hears the message. Great coaches go a step further to make sure everyone understands the message and lives the message on the pitch.

Team sports are about relationships. Communication is at the heart of coaching. Not only what is communicated, but how it is communicated. Coaches must be master communicators on many different levels

1) As teachers of the game.
2) Setting roles and responsibilities with assistant coaches
3) When helping team members and the collective team to set goals and define expectations.
4) Dealing with administrators
5) In forging working relationships with game officials
6) Caring for the logistics for training, matches, travel
7) Effectively dealing with parents

These are but a few examples of people and groups a head coach must effectively communicate with. It is a continuing process and hopefully one you will strive to improve in throughout your coaching tenure.

An athletic director I once coached under gave me all types of grief because I related to an athlete that it wasn't what a player was saying, but how she was saying it that was causing friction amongst her teammates. He basically said I was full of shit, but never has anyone been more completely 100% wrong than he was. Tone has everything to do with how a message can be perceived and received. The tone of your deliver will directly impact the emotional response your message generates and therefore the efficiency of the delivery of your message.  If your tone generates a defensive mentality in the recipient not only might your message not be received, but you might create an entirely different problem to deal with.  When the person delivering the message becomes more of a focus than the message itself the relationship is in serious trouble.

That same athletic director was very big on treating everyone equally.  This was another area of disagreement between us. I believe in treating everyone fairly. Each player is different and responds differently to various stimuli. Every player coach relationship is different. Therefore the way in which we communicate within each relationship will vary somewhat. Older or more mature players may be able to handle direct criticism far better than younger players, for example. Where we can directly address the quality of decision making with an older more mature athlete it may well be necessary to remain in a teaching, enabling mode with younger less experienced players.

And it should go without saying that how we deal with teenage players will be different than how we deal with adult administrators, officials and parents.  Even on the adult level, how we deal with our boss (administration) will likely be different than how we deal with peers and officials which will in turn differ from how we deal with parents.

The common denominator in working relationships is respect. 

In regards to respect, yes, every one receives equal measure. The foundational pillars for respect are openness, honesty, sincerity and trust.  Respect must be present in our communication with everyone.

Respect is a two way street as is communication. Relationships are not built solely on one's ability to communicate his message to others, but also one the ability to receive input from others graciously and respectfully. Yes, it is true that great communicators are also great listeners. As a head coach you are the de facto leader of the team, but that does not men you are above anyone. If you fail to listen to, consider and value the input of your staff, the players, administrators, referees and even parents, how respectful are you actually being? 

One sided relationships are a recipe for disaster.  This means communication must be a two way street. You do not have to agree with everyone else, but if you dismiss others opinions out of hand you will find yourself isolated and potentially missing out on information that could be of benefit to you and your team.

The buzzword for what we are now talking about is a communication block.  We tend to be very aware when somebody we are addressing throws up a communication block.  Inattentiveness or failure to make and maintain eye contact. The rolling of eyes as you speak. Someone speaking while you are speaking. These are examples of communication blocks.

There are other examples to be considered as well.

When a player and or parents wish to speak with you about team issues chances are strong that it is because their perception of things differs from your own. You may find yourself discussing subject matter where a common base of knowledge is not present forcing you into a teaching role before the actual subject can be discussed intelligently. In-game execution and playing time issues are examples.

Personality clashes are common in team sports. How often have we heard a coach say "I don't care if you like one another but you will respect one another." The sentiment is well taken, but respect cannot be forced upon someone. Respect is earned by developing trust through open, sincere and honest communication.

Positive communication, even when providing direct criticism, goes a lot further than strict critical negative communication.  The "Oreo" or sandwich approach to correcting players is a great means to communicate constructive criticism. Begin by acknowledging a positive then address the mistake before finishing with another positive.  Think of it as complimenting something the player or team has done well. Then addressing something the player or team could do better. Finish with a discussion on how the player and team can improve.  In all three phases it is important to listen to input as well as provide input, but it is especially critical that this is the case in the third and final stage where improving performance is discussed.  Remember, we want communication (two way exchange of information) and not to give a lecture (one-way imparting of information).

The most important lesson to be taken from this article is the value to be found in the exchange of information. Coaches must be opportunists open to using any and every available resource. A one way flow of information is not conducive to learning and growing from a coaching or playing perspective. Everyone in our lives is capable of teaching us something but only if we are interested in learning from them. This is where open, honest, sincere communication with (as opposed to communicating to) others develops, nurtures and maintains trust and in turn benefits everyone allowing each of us to make those around us better.  Together Everyone Achieves More is a message about the importance of communicating effectively for the betterment of all.