From Coach Traub:
Five clear lessons from geese:
Lesson 1 - Achieving Goals
Geese migrate literally thousands of miles and speed is critical. The birds use a 'V' or 'U' formation to take advantage of a wing-tip vortex, reducing drag and saving as much as 50% energy.
The point: Together we can do more than we can do alone. Would you rather run a few miles by yourself of with your teammates? You might be able to do it yourself, but it's much easier with others.
Lesson 2 - Encouragement
Geese flying in formation 'HONK' to encourage those up front to keep their speed up.
The point: Look for ways to empower teammates. Encouraging teammates to do what needs to be done is not childish or superfluous. Some people "need" it more than others. If it works, do it, and don't be shy about finding out if it works. In trying times, show extra support.
Lesson 3 - Stay Together
When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back to take advantage of the literally uplifting power of the birds in front.
The point: You need your teammates to achieve your personal potential, team victories, and even personal goals. Stay in formation and appreciate the opportunity to both give and receive help.
Lesson 4 - Sharing
When a goose tires of flying up front it drops back into formation and another goose flies to the front.
The point: It makes sense to take turns doing the hard tasks. Respect and protect each other's unique arrangement of skills and resources. If something a teammate does bothers you, realize first that you have almost no clue what that person has been through in life. Whatever has led to here, your job now is not to criticize, but to support. Do not get mad, get curious.
Lesson 5 - Empathy and Support
When a goose gets sick, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to the ground to help and protect it.
The point: It is often difficult to do the right thing when the poop is hitting the fan, but this is when you have the opportunity to define your character! Stand by each other in difficult times.
COACHING POINT - Don't assume. (Don't make an as* out of 'u' and me.)
Take the initiative and find a way to teach good "chemistry."
It would certainly be nice if our athletes came to us with a mature, selfless approach to competition, but they seldom do. The reality, then, is that those of us who can effectively teach our players to be a great teammate will have an edge over coaches who cannot, or choose not to invest the time required to build leadership skills. (Personally, I'm glad to have this opportunity to get an edge. Does this mean that I'm glad that players today are flawed??? Welll... yes: adversity is also good!) It is my belief that close to 100% of athletes not only want to be good teammates, but are psychologically strong enough to do so if they are in a healthy, instructive, empowering environment.
So how do we do it? There are countless books on this topic, but here's my summary: teach these five truths. Then, reward their application with piles of praise and criticize behaviors counter to these ideas.
1. The best way to improve the team is to improve oneself.
2. What your teammates really want from you is your best effort one play at a time -- no less is completely acceptable, and no more can be appropriately expected.
3. Anyone can do well when everything is going great. The measure of your character is how you respond to adversity.
4. Recognize the impact that all communication (verbal and non-verbal) has on others. "Winning" the mental game (momentum, confidence, relaxed, focused) is contagious. So is losing.
5. It's human nature to indulge in negatives such as worries, thoughts related to "that's not fair," and many forms of "why doesn't my teammate play better?" Just because it's normal doesn't excuse these selfish behaviors. Learn to do the unnatural: bring consistent positive energy to your teammates, showing your support particularly when they need it most - when they're struggling.
Your team has a culture. These key points may help you create the one you want. You certainly don't want to cross your fingers and hope, allowing your team's norms and expectations to go wherever your oldest and loudest players take it? The best team's I've seen have a culture of commitment to the team through excellence, enthusiasm, and forgiveness.
Joan Benoit Samuelson, "I look at victory as milestones on a very long highway." (Samuelson is an Olympic Gold Medalist.)
Unknown, "It is amazing how much you can accomplish when it doesn't matter who gets the credit."
Benjamin Franklin, "We must all hang together, or assuredly, we shall all hang separately."
Max DePree, "The key elements in the art of working together are how to deal with change, how to deal with conflict, and how to reach our potential...the needs of the team are best met when we meet the needs of individual persons."
Phil Jackson, "The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team."
Norman Shidle, "A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of himself and his contribution to praise the skills of the others."
Casey Stengel, "Gettin' good players is easy. Gettin' 'em to play together is the hard part."
Joe Paterno, "When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality."
Paul Bear Bryant, "In order to have a winner, the team must have a feeling of unity; every player must put the team first--ahead of personal glory."
Coach Wooden Quotes: "Never be disagreeable just because you disagree."
"Never make excuses. Your friends don't need them and your foes won't believe them."
"The time to make friends is before you need them."
"Treat all people with dignity and respect."
"Be most interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way."
Five clear lessons from geese:
Lesson 1 - Achieving Goals
Geese migrate literally thousands of miles and speed is critical. The birds use a 'V' or 'U' formation to take advantage of a wing-tip vortex, reducing drag and saving as much as 50% energy.
The point: Together we can do more than we can do alone. Would you rather run a few miles by yourself of with your teammates? You might be able to do it yourself, but it's much easier with others.
Lesson 2 - Encouragement
Geese flying in formation 'HONK' to encourage those up front to keep their speed up.
The point: Look for ways to empower teammates. Encouraging teammates to do what needs to be done is not childish or superfluous. Some people "need" it more than others. If it works, do it, and don't be shy about finding out if it works. In trying times, show extra support.
Lesson 3 - Stay Together
When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back to take advantage of the literally uplifting power of the birds in front.
The point: You need your teammates to achieve your personal potential, team victories, and even personal goals. Stay in formation and appreciate the opportunity to both give and receive help.
Lesson 4 - Sharing
When a goose tires of flying up front it drops back into formation and another goose flies to the front.
The point: It makes sense to take turns doing the hard tasks. Respect and protect each other's unique arrangement of skills and resources. If something a teammate does bothers you, realize first that you have almost no clue what that person has been through in life. Whatever has led to here, your job now is not to criticize, but to support. Do not get mad, get curious.
Lesson 5 - Empathy and Support
When a goose gets sick, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to the ground to help and protect it.
The point: It is often difficult to do the right thing when the poop is hitting the fan, but this is when you have the opportunity to define your character! Stand by each other in difficult times.
COACHING POINT - Don't assume. (Don't make an as* out of 'u' and me.)
Take the initiative and find a way to teach good "chemistry."
It would certainly be nice if our athletes came to us with a mature, selfless approach to competition, but they seldom do. The reality, then, is that those of us who can effectively teach our players to be a great teammate will have an edge over coaches who cannot, or choose not to invest the time required to build leadership skills. (Personally, I'm glad to have this opportunity to get an edge. Does this mean that I'm glad that players today are flawed??? Welll... yes: adversity is also good!) It is my belief that close to 100% of athletes not only want to be good teammates, but are psychologically strong enough to do so if they are in a healthy, instructive, empowering environment.
So how do we do it? There are countless books on this topic, but here's my summary: teach these five truths. Then, reward their application with piles of praise and criticize behaviors counter to these ideas.
1. The best way to improve the team is to improve oneself.
2. What your teammates really want from you is your best effort one play at a time -- no less is completely acceptable, and no more can be appropriately expected.
3. Anyone can do well when everything is going great. The measure of your character is how you respond to adversity.
4. Recognize the impact that all communication (verbal and non-verbal) has on others. "Winning" the mental game (momentum, confidence, relaxed, focused) is contagious. So is losing.
5. It's human nature to indulge in negatives such as worries, thoughts related to "that's not fair," and many forms of "why doesn't my teammate play better?" Just because it's normal doesn't excuse these selfish behaviors. Learn to do the unnatural: bring consistent positive energy to your teammates, showing your support particularly when they need it most - when they're struggling.
Your team has a culture. These key points may help you create the one you want. You certainly don't want to cross your fingers and hope, allowing your team's norms and expectations to go wherever your oldest and loudest players take it? The best team's I've seen have a culture of commitment to the team through excellence, enthusiasm, and forgiveness.
Joan Benoit Samuelson, "I look at victory as milestones on a very long highway." (Samuelson is an Olympic Gold Medalist.)
Unknown, "It is amazing how much you can accomplish when it doesn't matter who gets the credit."
Benjamin Franklin, "We must all hang together, or assuredly, we shall all hang separately."
Max DePree, "The key elements in the art of working together are how to deal with change, how to deal with conflict, and how to reach our potential...the needs of the team are best met when we meet the needs of individual persons."
Phil Jackson, "The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team."
Norman Shidle, "A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of himself and his contribution to praise the skills of the others."
Casey Stengel, "Gettin' good players is easy. Gettin' 'em to play together is the hard part."
Joe Paterno, "When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality."
Paul Bear Bryant, "In order to have a winner, the team must have a feeling of unity; every player must put the team first--ahead of personal glory."
Coach Wooden Quotes: "Never be disagreeable just because you disagree."
"Never make excuses. Your friends don't need them and your foes won't believe them."
"The time to make friends is before you need them."
"Treat all people with dignity and respect."
"Be most interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way."
