TEAM CHEMISTRY
TEAM CHEMISTRY
Chemistry is a magic ingredient in successful sports programs. Very few great things are accomplished alone, which means you must have the help of others. Team chemistry is the common denominator of teams that win. The question is whether great chemistry is created by nature or nurture? Can you build it, or does it happen on its own? The answer is a little of both. I’ve been reading a book by Rick Pitino, a very successful college and professional basketball coach. In his book “Rebound Rules, The Art of Success 2.0”, he talks about the 8 key traits that can corrupt team chemistry. Take a minute to review this list and work with your team(s) to eliminate these traits.
1. Jealousy – this is a surefire way to disrupt the unity of any team. It’s important to instill a belief in all team members that everyone succeeds when one
person succeeds. There should be a sense of satisfaction from watching someone else
excel, knowing that we all had a hand in it. This is only possible when the stars are
humble and remember to recognize other teammates when receiving awards or
honors. To prevent jealousy, work hard to disburse credit equally among those in
your program. Know and understand your team members and watch those with a low
self-esteem to make sure they don’t fall into the ranks of the jealous.
2. Cynicism – cynical people believe they’re not part of the problem. They question
the plan and doubt the leader. That’s because cynical people don’t understand how to
find the proper solutions to the problem. In their minds, the end result will not be
positive, so they’re not going to fully commit to the group effort. Most negative
people don’t realize how they’re tearing the team apart unless it’s pointed out to
them. This type of behavior must change, so work with this type of person and create
a plan for how to change their behavior, and create checkpoints to monitor their
progress.
3. Inflated Ego – this type of person believes that the team cannot function or succeed
without them, because they’re so superior to the rest of their teammates. A person
with an inflated ego prevents others from reaching their potential by demanding the
spotlight, while simultaneously overestimating his own abilities. To help a
person with an inflated ego, make sure he is aware of the talents around him, and
encourage him to check his ego at the door. Point out to this person that he is not perfect and there is room for improvement in his performance. In many recovery
programs, ego is said to stand for “Edging God Out”. It’s worth reminding this type
of person that only the Almighty is immune to self-improvement.
4. Inflexible Personality – these athletes think they’re right all the time. They do far
more talking than listening, and find fault with others but rarely themselves. These
type of people will argue against every criticism of their performance, no matter how
small. Flexible people know how communicate and understand how compromise can
be crucial to accomplishing things in a timely manner. Help the person with the
inflexible personality understand that compromise helps the team succeed and is not a
sign of weakness.
5. Discipline Deficiency – part of great chemistry is a set of rules and regulations that
enhance discipline and are followed by everyone. Consistency is key and the simpler
the rules, the better. Don’t leave any doubt as to where you stand. A lack of
discipline leads to poor habits and poor habits become destructive to the team.
People who are on time will notice those who are late and wonder why that type of
behavior is tolerated. They’ll think you’re playing favorites, or the punctual people
start running late as well, figuring there is no accountability for it. Stay focused on
what it takes to succeed, emphasizing daily habits. Good habits include the way you
eat, sleep and exercise. Do those things right, do them productively, and you’ll feel
better about yourself which will translate into more productivity.
6. Lack of Passion – people lacking passion don’t enthusiastically seize every
opportunity to improve themselves. They love what success brings, but don’t want to
put in the hard work it takes to become successful. Everyone in your organization
should be passionate and driven enough to know what they want, to have goals and
expectations and to be able to articulate what they need to do to meet them. People
with a lack of passion often say “I don’t know” when asked a question. Remind them
that “I don’t know” people wallow in mediocrity. Make sure your own passion is a
beacon for others to follow and emulate. If you don’t have observable enthusiasm,
those around you might not either.
7. Excuse Making – when something goes wrong, it’s never their fault. These type of
people will point fingers in all directions except at the person in the mirror. Remind
these type of athletes or coaches that failure is ok if they own up to it and use it as
fertilizer to get better. Remind them that excuses are a sign of weakness and that type
of weakness will not be tolerated. To prevent excuse making, don’t make any
yourself! The first finger should point at yourself, let everyone around you know
you’re starting there and tell them what you’ll do better next time. This type of
modeling will keep the blame game from getting started.
8. Front-Running – front runners are at their best when everything is going their way,
but don’t respond well when times aren’t so good. To prevent front-running, keep the
hammer down during good times. Keep emotions on an even keel and maintain team
discipline. If people get overly comfortable when things are going well, it’s a signal
to other teammates to let their guard down and relax.
These eight traits commonly ruin team chemistry. To counterbalance them, remember what makes the formula work: care and discipline, a willingness to share and sacrifice for the greater good, and a positive view of common goals. Make sure your team leaders
provide positive peer pressure to accentuate good chemistry. If you have team members or assistant coaches with some of these traits, it’s important to identify them and work hard to eliminate them. The result will be better team chemistry and ultimately success for all involved in your program.
Good luck!
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