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Coaching Superstar Teams
The Mental Game Of Team-Building
Bill Cole, MS, MA
Did you know that you might be a team-building coach but may
not know it? If you influence others as a group, you are a
team coach. You might be a parent and coach your kids. You
might be a manager and coach your subordinates. You might
be a PTA leader, board member, social club leader, association
leader, or peer group leader. You might direct a neighborhood
association. You might merely have influence over a casual
group of people.
If you want to have a more intentionally positive influence
over a group, then this article is for you.
Let's see how the team-building experts help their teams reach
for greatness. The overarching area to focus on in building
a great team is communication. Quality communication equals
great respect for and from each team member. What you sow,
so shall you reap.
Here are ten mental game success strategies that peak-performing
coaches use in team coaching:
1. Are You Pushing Or Pulling Your Team?
Do you inspire (pull) your team or do you dictate (push)
to your team? People can immediately feel the difference and
respond with enthusiasm or lifeless obedience. The best coaches
motivate and inspire by treating each team member as special.
2. Do You Raise Your Team's Self-Esteem With Every Interaction?
Your team decides if they want to continue being on your
team every day. Each time you end an interaction with your
team, they walk away feeling positive or negative about that
experience. Decide to make every team contact intentionally
uplifting.
3. Do You Orchestrate A Robust Flow Of Information?
Do all members of your team feel they are "in-the-know"?
Or do they feel that information is being withheld from them?
Is there regular disclosure of appropriate information so
people feel part of the team?
4. Do You Regularly Praise Your Team, Or Do You Just Assume
They Know You Appreciate Their Efforts?
Do you assume that your team knows how you feel about them?
Do you intentionally honor the efforts of each team member,
even in casual ways? Even the smallest gesture of appreciation
to your team can last a long time, and reap huge benefits.
5. Do You Personally Model The Kind Of Behavior You Wish
Your Team To Have?
Team members may be more influenced by your behavior than
by your words. How you relate to them as people speaks volumes
of how you expect them to relate to you in return.
6. Do You Maintain Consistency In Conveying Information
To Your Team?
Does your team learn of your policies through the grapevine?
From unofficial sources? From multiple, conflicting sources?
High-achieving teams feel secure that the information they
receive is from a valid, consistent source.
7. Do You Over-Communicate Or Under-Communicate?
The best team coaches err on the side of having too much
communication, not too little. Do you keep your team in the
information flow, or do you they have to struggle to learn
about what's happening?
8. Do You Seek First To Understand, Or Seek First To Be
Understood?
The best coaches are so secure that they seek first to understand
their team members, and only then to be understood. This respect
fosters a mutuality that results in smoother teamwork. Which
style do you model?
9. Do You Create An Environment That Your Team Brags About
To Others?
The best teams advertise about their quality naturally and
openly. You as coach can create that pride in your team by
treating them like family so they feel honored and respected.
10. Do You Seek To Continually Improve As A Coach?
Just because your team does not complain to you, it doesn't
mean they are happy. Assess your team regularly to see what
impact you are having on them. The best coaches care about
every interaction they have with every member of their team.
Your Mental Game Action Plan:
What action will you take this week in becoming better at
team coaching? Here are three questions to get you started.
1. What system can you develop to increase awareness about
yourself and your team?
2. Who can you partner with to assist you in your team coaching
quest?
3. How will you translate what you learn about yourself and
the team into immediately useful action?
To learn more about how team building can help your organization
reach its potential, visit Bill Cole, MS, MA, the Mental Game
Coach™ at www.mentalgamecoach.com/Programs/MentalGameOfTeamBuilding.html.
Copyright © Bill Cole, MS, MA 2005, 2008 All rights reserved.
This article covers only one small part of the mental game.
A complete mental training program includes motivation and
goal-setting, pre-event mental preparation, post-event review
and analysis, mental strengthening, self-regulation training,
breath control training, mental rehearsal, concentration training,
pressure-proofing, communication training, confidence-building,
breaking through mental barriers, slump prevention, mental
toughness training, flow training, relaxation training, psych-out
proofing and media training.
For a comprehensive overview of your mental abilities
you need an assessment instrument that identifies your complete
mental strengths and weaknesses. For a free, easy-to-take
73-item executive leadership skills assessment tool you can
score right on the spot, visit https://www.mentalgamecoach.com/Assessments/ExecutiveSkills.html.
This assessment gives you a quick snapshot of your strengths
and weaknesses in your mental game. You can use this as a
guide in creating your own mental training program, or as
the basis for a program you undertake with Bill Cole, MS,
MA to improve your mental game. This assessment would be an
excellent first step to help you get the big picture about
your leadership mental game.
Bill Cole, MS, MA, a leading authority on peak performance, mental toughness
and coaching, is founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching
Association, https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com.
Bill is also founder and CEO of William B. Cole Consultants, a consulting firm that helps
organizations and professionals achieve more success in business, life and sports.
He is a multiple Hall of Fame honoree, an award-winning scholar-athlete, published
book author and articles author, and has coached at the highest levels of major-league
pro sports, big-time college athletics and corporate America. For a free, extensive
article archive, or for questions and comments visit him at www.MentalGameCoach.com.
Article Source: MentalGameCoach.com
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