The Well-Coached Team

The Well-Coached Team

A TEAM is far more than a group of individuals. The TEAM of participants and leaders who earn our respect in the community, in the classroom, and on the competitive field deserves commendation and high praise, yet does the right thing of its own accord, seeking neither praise nor recognition.

"That's us; that's not us." Grammatically incorrect, but defining WHO WE ARE has enduring meaning. Absent a worthy identity, TEAM simply lacks value.

Bring a positive attitude every day. "Nothing great is ever accomplished without enthusiasm." Enthusiasm is contagious. "Shout praise and whisper criticism." We know that after direct teaching, the TEAM leader's most important responsibility is to encourage TEAM members to perform at a high level.

Help your teammates. Consider your first responsibility to improve everyone around you. That might come via instruction, encouragement, correction, or motivation toward excellence. If I am the leader, I am doing enough to make OUR TEAM better?

Embrace your roles. Everyone can't be chief. But the chief can't do everything need by her 'tribe'.  The leader must create the "performance-focused, feedback-rich" environment that allows the organization to succeed, which allows members to grow and flourish.

Overcome adversity. "Life isn't a merry-go-round, it's a roller coaster." Adversity helps fuel the subsequent legs of our journey. A TEAM cannot succeed without lessons taught by setbacks. An individual setback may not lead to defeat, but serve as a vital 'teachable moment' catapulting a TEAM to high performance.

Create self-sustaining leadership. Often the best leaders emerge from your disciples. A program worth building is often mimicked or reproduced to the benefit of another community. Effective leadership with an effect program is no secret. TEAM members who benefit from your experience will want to share that with other communities. Leaders have the obligation to select, nurture, and mentor new leaders.

Be worthy of attracting followers. Want to establish a tradition that cultivates members and expands your goals and principles. Although everyone wants to win, we should want to develop a culture based on respect, shared values, hard work, and constant improvement.

Become a force for change in the community. In Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Stick and Others Die Floyd Lee, a retired Army cook, came out of retirement to make the Pegasus Chow Hall in Iraq a place where soldiers would risk their lives to experience. He took the same ingredients found in other military 'dining' and made the food and the community better. He re-enlisted simply to make a difference.

Show both ability and durability. Developing a successful organization takes initiative, energy, integrity, and time. The measure of our TEAM is its sustainability. Extended success requires continuing education and periodic change. Short-term success is great, but lasting success is wonderful.

Be consistent in approach, preparation, and discipline. Distinguishing between quality and 'position' aren't always easy. Having a position isn't the same as being a leader capable of results and change. TEAM members need to know what to do, when to act, how to do so, and why. The leader is accountable.

Invariably, everyone won't be 'on board' with your leadership, as it may be incongruous at times with their beliefs or philosophy. But in the long pull, is it about you or about us?

You may respond, that's asking a lot from our TEAMs and our young people. Should we require anything less?