There are a number of reasons why teams fail to live up to their potential, but many of the problems tend to fall into the same general categories. When teams pull together and share the same goals, often the team overachieves beyond what others would have predicted. Conversely, an otherwise talented team expected to win can under-perform when team division and dissension emerge. Raw talent certainly contributes toward team success, but it isn’t the only variable — and in some cases may not even be the most important. The big question every coach faces, therefore, is how to get the most with what he or she has on the team.
The top 5 reasons why teams experience dysfunction
- Poor attitude from the top. If the coach gives the impression he or she isn’t invested, how can you expect the team to be excited? Remember, attitude is a choice, and it’s a vitally important one for coaches who want to lead a successful team. Coaches who appear to be bored, lacking focus, disinterested, or simply tired run the risk of their players giving back those same exact qualities.
- Lack of vision/goals. How do you know where you are going if you haven’t taken time to set goals? I find that coaches who lose their team often do so by not having any roadmap for the team to follow, creating a “me-first” attitude on the team.
- Players in the wrong positions. While it may take patience, it’s incredibly important for coaches to objectively evaluate each player so that they are in the right positions. Players need to own their position, and feel as though if they missed a game or practice the entire team would suffer without their unique contributions.
- No buy-in from players. Do the players on your team buy into the coach’s vision, philosophy, and expectations? Do they think the coach is authentic and genuine, and will always have their back? Teams that buy-in give maximum effort, while those that don’t tend to check out.
- Players thrown under the bus. Great coaches never blame players publicly, and always shoulder the blame whenever possible. Poor coaches, on the other hand, immediately dismiss their errors and mistakes, and instead point outward to team members.
Final thoughts
Coaches can make — or break — the overall success of the team. Coaches who take the time to develop relationships, lead by example, and stick up for players generally develop trust and respect from the team — qualities often witnessed on winning teams. As the old saying goes your players don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care, illustrating the importance of developing positive relationships whenever possible.
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