The team building/cohesion relationship:

What every coach should know to get the most out of their team

Stefanie A. Latham, Ph.DStefanie A. Latham, Ph.D..Contact info and Bio on Last slideContact info and Bio on Last slide

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“Naturally there are going to be some ups and down, particularly if you have individuals trying to achieve at a high level…when a pressure situation presented itself, we were plugged into one another as a cohesive unit. That’s why we were able to win, and that’s why we were able to beat more talented

teams” (Michael Jordon, 1994, 23)

Why you need to increase cohesion on your team

Teams do not succeed on talent alone!Teams do not succeed on talent alone! Success requires teamworkSuccess requires teamwork

““You’re not going to win with kids who are You’re not going to win with kids who are just All-Americans. A team must have just All-Americans. A team must have togetherness” (Pat Riley)togetherness” (Pat Riley)

Talent without teamwork=TROUBLE!Talent without teamwork=TROUBLE! Teamwork allows your talent to work together Teamwork allows your talent to work together

in harmony. (Cohesion)in harmony. (Cohesion)

Cohesion Defined

Cohesion is the tendency of a group to stick Cohesion is the tendency of a group to stick together and remain united while pursuing together and remain united while pursuing goals and objectives (Carron et al., 1998).goals and objectives (Carron et al., 1998).

Two types of Cohesion:Two types of Cohesion: Social – relates to relationshipsSocial – relates to relationships Task – activities team engages in to Task – activities team engages in to

accomplish goals accomplish goals Can be accomplished by team buildingCan be accomplished by team building

Team Building

Effective means to increase cohesionEffective means to increase cohesion Cohesion increases chances of success and Cohesion increases chances of success and

satisfactionsatisfaction Successful coaches and athletes credit their Successful coaches and athletes credit their

success to cohesionsuccess to cohesion Cohesion contributes to as much as 80-95% Cohesion contributes to as much as 80-95%

of team’s success (Yukelson, 1996; 2002)of team’s success (Yukelson, 1996; 2002)

Why Team-Building

Enhances task and social cohesionEnhances task and social cohesion Maximizes potential because the team is Maximizes potential because the team is

focused on common goalsfocused on common goals Enhances success by minimizing conflictEnhances success by minimizing conflict Increases your odds of winningIncreases your odds of winning Make the season more enjoyable for you Make the season more enjoyable for you

and your players!and your players! Important for team and individual sportsImportant for team and individual sports

More on Team Building

Coaches only devote 5-10% of practice Coaches only devote 5-10% of practice time to developing team chemistrytime to developing team chemistry

Team building can include games & Team building can include games & activitiesactivities

But also drills to sharpen focus, set goals, But also drills to sharpen focus, set goals, clear communication, imagery, build clear communication, imagery, build motivation and confidence, etcmotivation and confidence, etc

Cohesion is a product of team-building

Conceptual Factors that increase cohesion:Conceptual Factors that increase cohesion:

1.1. The Team’s EnvironmentThe Team’s Environment

2.2. The Team’s StructureThe Team’s Structure

3.3. The Team’s ProcessesThe Team’s Processes Each factor holds specific components Each factor holds specific components Research says TB in each area increases Research says TB in each area increases

cohesion but varies from team to teamcohesion but varies from team to team

Team Structure

Role Clarity, Acceptance, and AppreciationRole Clarity, Acceptance, and Appreciation Leadership (coaches and team leaders)Leadership (coaches and team leaders)

How are you going to chose leaders?How are you going to chose leaders? How are you going to increase leadership How are you going to increase leadership

on your team?on your team? Conformity to StandardsConformity to Standards

More likely if there is More likely if there is ownershipownership

Team Environment

TogethernessTogetherness Team wins together, loses togetherTeam wins together, loses together Social eventsSocial events Supportive teammates in practices and Supportive teammates in practices and

gamesgames DistinctivenessDistinctiveness

Sense of pride, traditions within the teamSense of pride, traditions within the team

Team processes SacrificesSacrifices

Team rules, high status membersTeam rules, high status members Goals & ObjectivesGoals & Objectives

Common team goals are associated Common team goals are associated w/greater success than individualw/greater success than individualProcess goals vs. outcome goalsProcess goals vs. outcome goals

Enhanced cohesion if players have a say Enhanced cohesion if players have a say = take ownership= take ownership

Cooperation (working together)Cooperation (working together)

BRAINSTORMING TIME!!!

Each group brainstorm and generate Each group brainstorm and generate as as many specific strategies as possiblemany specific strategies as possible that that they might be used for team building based they might be used for team building based on the conceptual factors discussed.on the conceptual factors discussed. Include TB activities for TS, TE, & TPInclude TB activities for TS, TE, & TP

Designate a transcriber and a speakerDesignate a transcriber and a speaker Time starts now……………………….Time starts now……………………….

SHARE TIME!

Speaker, quickly and briefly tell us Speaker, quickly and briefly tell us using your GYM voice what Specific using your GYM voice what Specific Strategies your group came up withStrategies your group came up with

Team Building Strategies for Building Social Cohesion Team dinners, go to the movies together, Team dinners, go to the movies together,

have your team play a different sporthave your team play a different sport Preseason retreat or training campsPreseason retreat or training camps Team scavenger huntsTeam scavenger hunts Support squads – pairs, goalsSupport squads – pairs, goals People bingo cardPeople bingo card Secret palsSecret pals

Team Building Strategies (cont.)

Sunshine notesSunshine notes Switch positions for the day (roles)Switch positions for the day (roles) I got your back (roles)I got your back (roles) Conflict skitsConflict skits Slogan/Themes/PostersSlogan/Themes/Posters Mission Statements & Common GoalsMission Statements & Common Goals

Balloon Train Have twice as many balloons as you have playersHave twice as many balloons as you have players Set up a slalom course using 4-6 cones and obstaclesSet up a slalom course using 4-6 cones and obstacles Zig-Zag the cones 5-10 yards away from each otherZig-Zag the cones 5-10 yards away from each other Players line up in straight single file line with inflated Players line up in straight single file line with inflated

balloon between their navel and the teammates back who balloon between their navel and the teammates back who is in front of themis in front of them

Walk through the course together as a team w/o busting Walk through the course together as a team w/o busting balloonsballoons

Afterwards, have each player share one thought on the Afterwards, have each player share one thought on the activity. Activity requires working closely together to activity. Activity requires working closely together to achieve a common goalachieve a common goal

Strung Together

Have a large ball of stringHave a large ball of string Team members sit down in a big circleTeam members sit down in a big circle Hand the ball of string to one player and have her hold one end Hand the ball of string to one player and have her hold one end

of itof it She tosses the ball of string to another teammate while holding She tosses the ball of string to another teammate while holding

the end of the stringthe end of the string She will talk about all the things the team needs from the She will talk about all the things the team needs from the

teammate she tossed the ball of string to in order for the team teammate she tossed the ball of string to in order for the team to be successfulto be successful

Encourage others to add to the statementEncourage others to add to the statement That player then hangs onto part of the string then tosses the That player then hangs onto part of the string then tosses the

ball to another playerball to another player

Strung together

Once everyone is holding a piece of the string Once everyone is holding a piece of the string (including you) have players discuss their (including you) have players discuss their perceptions of what the activity meansperceptions of what the activity means

i.e. everyone is dependant on each other in some i.e. everyone is dependant on each other in some way because of the connections of the stringway because of the connections of the string

Have them talk about what it means to be Have them talk about what it means to be connected. How that relates to responsibility, connected. How that relates to responsibility, accountability, and trustaccountability, and trust

Have them discuss what happens if connections Have them discuss what happens if connections are cut or a person lets go of the stringare cut or a person lets go of the string

FINAL THOUGHTS

Do not try to intervene on every conceptual Do not try to intervene on every conceptual factor at once. Too much = overload = less factor at once. Too much = overload = less cohesioncohesion

Determine with your players which factors Determine with your players which factors need attention for your teamneed attention for your team

Remember a strategy that is effect with one Remember a strategy that is effect with one team is not always effective with anotherteam is not always effective with another

TB activities should always have a purposeTB activities should always have a purpose

More Final Thoughts

Every activity should have an objective and Every activity should have an objective and end with discussionend with discussion

The most important part of team building The most important part of team building activities occur after the exercise and activities occur after the exercise and depends upon how you relate the activity depends upon how you relate the activity back to back to your your teamteam

Allow each person to share their thoughtsAllow each person to share their thoughts

Final, Final Thoughts

The role of the coach/teacher is to facilitate The role of the coach/teacher is to facilitate discussiondiscussion keep it on track!keep it on track! Keep it going!Keep it going!

Focus on solutions not the problems!Focus on solutions not the problems! Any criticism should be presented Any criticism should be presented

constructively!constructively!

Final Quotes to Ponder

““Talent wins games, but teamwork and Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships” (Michael Jordon)intelligence win championships” (Michael Jordon)

““A great collection of talent with unbalanced A great collection of talent with unbalanced chemistry and inappropriate attitudes can get chemistry and inappropriate attitudes can get knocked over by teams of lesser talent” (John knocked over by teams of lesser talent” (John Wooden)Wooden)

““Teamwork is taught. You don’t just lump a Teamwork is taught. You don’t just lump a group of people together in a room and call them a group of people together in a room and call them a team and expect them to behave like one.” (Pat team and expect them to behave like one.” (Pat Summitt)Summitt)

Stefanie A. Latham, Ph.D. (405-659-9770) Follow her on Twitter @stefanielatham

StefanieLatham@yahoo.comStefanie has worked in and around athletics all of her life. She was a dual collegiate

athlete in volleyball and track at Southern Nazarene University (1994-1997). Following her playing career she immediately began coaching volleyball as an Assistant Coach at the University of Central Oklahoma. She went on to the high school ranks establishing a winning record of 187-12 in seven short years. She was selected as the Oklahoma Coaches Association coach of the year for two years in 2001 and 2002. She directed and coached a premiere United States Volleyball Association club for five years with teams advancing to nationals every year. Stefanie left the world of coaching in 2003 to finish her Ph.D. in Sport Psychology. She served as the Chairwoman and Professor of Sport Science at Oklahoma City University for five years. She currently consults privately with individual athletes /teams and does research analysis for the BBN Network. She has also contributed to the peak performance of numerous winning teams across a variety of sports at the collegiate and high school levels including Oklahoma State University, University of Central Oklahoma, West Texas A&M University, and Oklahoma City University. Stefanie is a frequent and popular motivational speaker at many schools, workshops, and professional conferences across the country. As a result of her work and experience with elite athletes and teams, Stefanie has authored and co-authored several articles, books, and video programs covering peak performance issues and team-building.