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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