In this three-part series of articles, we are discussing the three-pronged We-Team-Up model of building a high-performing and socially connected team.

Our first piece, which appeared in RCW 120 (July 28th), broke down the We part of that - how a coach uses a shared purpose, identity and relationships to create the required foundations.

This week, we take the next step and explore the Team factors - how a coach uses the clarity of role, goals, incentives, scenario-planning and robust decision-making to create the conditions for optimum team flow.

Team factors

Team play is about creating the conditions for collaborating as a group of players.

These can be broken down into six key factors - goals; role clarity and norms; incentives; surfacing assumptions; ’if, then’ planning; and systemised decision-making.

Let’s look at these in more detail.

Goals

This is all about setting ambition targets to strive towards, and will stimulate both progress and high performance.

Forget SMART goals - nobody ever got out of bed for one of those. Team and individual goals need to be meaningful, near-in-time, stretching, reviewed regularly and celebrated once achieved.

Also, intrinsic goals are much better than extrinsic goals as they sustain over time and through challenge.

Role clarity and norms

Our brains treat uncertainty as a threat, so high-performing coaches strip out uncertainty wherever possible. Being clear on a player’s role - be it on-field or off-field - is also essential.

Leave no room, either, for uncertainty around playing strategy and expected behaviour norms within the group.

A powerful coach question is to ask players ‘What is fuzzy?’ about any chosen area and celebrate those that ask the questions.

One elite coach who has used certainty as a performance strategy is Phil Jackson, the former head coach of the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA.

Jackson implemented a coaching philosophy known as ’sacred hoops’, which incorporated elements of mindfulness to create a sense of certainty and trust among his players about what lay ahead in any game.

"The All Blacks have a culture emphasising collective success and team goals..."

Jackson established a clear and consistent team structure, including well-defined roles and expectations for each player.

This sense of certainty helped players focus on their individual responsibilities and contributed to team cohesion and 11 championships.

Incentives

Once we have clarity over what behaviours the team expects and what your norms are as a group, then coaches should incentivise players towards these and be unfailingly consistent.

Asking players what incentives they find attractive is a great way to make them shape your team. You should think very broadly - not all players are motivated by awards.

Consider the All Blacks, one of the most successful rugby teams in history. They have a team culture that emphasises collective success and team goals.

Their famous ’no d*ckheads’ policy focuses on selecting players with strong character and a commitment to the team, first and foremost. 

This is rewarded with the opportunity to wear the iconic All Blacks jersey, which is a powerful incentive for players to perform at their best for the good of the team.

Surfacing assumptions

Many a great plan or decision has been flawed because it was built on a stack of assumptions. Great coaches explore a plan or team decision to make sure it is not relying on assumptions and that everyone in the team is on the same page.

Every player has different life experiences so it is natural they will also have different assumptions about, for example, reasons behind a decision, like why they have been asked to play using a certain gameplan.