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A “losing streak” is an invidious and destructive term. In professional sport, the media will seek to destroy the confidence of the team by reminding managers and players of their relative decline.
The best managers and coaches will create a bubble around their team so they can mentally ignore this.
At Manchester United FC, the former manager Alex Ferguson fiercely protected the players and the team as a whole by consistently “hammering home” a positive team message. Your task is to be unwaveringly positive and upbeat in your message, however bad things are.
Winning does not always equal success. The manner of a win can sometimes be as frustrating as the manner of losing.
Success undoubtedly breeds success, so change the targets, and set short-term objectives that can be achieved. Take the focus away from losing and concentrate on positive aspects.
American Football team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, suffered one of their worst seasons in 1976 (won 0 lost 14). When reporters asked coach John McKay what he thought of his team’s execution, he said: “I’m in favour of it.”
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