Little league lessons part 2 (buy into the team)

This past weekend marked the end of another long soccer season. I’m the coach of my daughter’s U12 team and the assistant coach for my son’s U8 team.

As I reflect back on this past season, there are 3 things I’ve learned that can apply to your studio and the team you have built around you. I am going to spend the next few posts sharing these three things with you –

1. The importance of teaching foundational skills and strategies. Find that post HERE.
2. Why it is important each player buy into the team.
3. The value of every team member believing the team can compete and win.

2. Ensure that each player buys into the team.

It seems like each year I inherit one player who feels like the team rules don’t apply to them. When it comes to participating in drills, running before and after practice and giving maximum effort they don’t want to be a part. Even worse is when that team member is a gifted player. It tells the rest of the team that hard work isn’t important.

This is when your high salaried coaching position really is put to the test. Do you give in to the player? Do you fight them? Do you find a different way to motivate them?

As a business owner/boss, you can always just fire an employee who doesn’t follow or bends the rules. But what if you really see talents and abilities in that can greatly improve your studio? Can you find the way to reach that team member?

What happens when you are pushed to the limit?

This year, we had a player who was naturally a leader of the team. Unfortunately, he started off the season by leading in a negative direction – teasing younger and less talented players, slacking off, etc. After about 3 weeks of up and down behavior, I had finally had enough.

After he half-heartedly jogged through another round of sprints and terrorized half the team, I sent him running and then to his parents. He and I had a talk, where I explained he needed to “get on the bus” or quit the team.

I also encouraged him that he as a very good player that the others looked up to. He had the opportunity to lead if he really wanted. I also talked with his father (probably the biggest reason). Independently my assistant coach also challenged him to step up and be a leader of the team.

The next practice, I found a new kid. One who led by example, worked hard, and did what was asked of him. His parents most likely played the key role in this transformation, but it started with me not allowing him to destroy the team from within. I think the other important part of the story was him being individually challenged by myself, my assistant coach and his parents to lead.

Discipline and motivation

Every person has different ways of being motivated – internal, external, publicly, privately, and the list could go on. As the owner and leader of your team, it’s your job to find those buttons, and push them before it’s too late. When it’s too late, you lose the entire team.

The right mix usually involves both understood disciplinary actions and external motivation. This means if you are having issues with employees arriving late, they receive a slap on the wrist if it occurs twice within a pay period (or the time of your choosing). Continued tardiness could lead to suspension or dismissal.

It also means that there are rewards for being on time (early) on a continual basis. Maybe it’s as simple as an extra amount of time for lunch, a small bonus, or a gift certificate.

No matter what the problem is you are the coach/boss, and you are being asked to lead. John Maxwell, the leadership guru, says that when your team has a weak link, you will eventually be considered the weak link if you don’t deal with the issues at hand.

What are your experiences of coaching little league sports? What have you learned that you have applied in your business?