Sports team coaching, an exercise to cultivate success

[Rene Sonneveld]

As a mental performance coach for various sports teams, I’d like to share an impactful team exercise I frequently conduct. The activity focuses on understanding the difference between result orientation and process orientation. Result orientation addresses the team’s objectives (for example: winning the championship or qualifying for the World Cup or the Olympics). In contrast, process orientation focuses on how the team will achieve those objectives by developing specific traits and actions.

A well-defined, systematic process is essential for sports teams to attain sustainable results, and this principle likely extends to corporate teams as well. Without a straightforward process, determining the reasons behind achieving a result becomes challenging, as does replicating that success. High-performance team coaching prioritizes the results and the PROCESS, which I emphasize in capital letters, to achieve them.

For this exercise, I randomly divide the team into four breakout groups, each tasked with answering one question:

– What behaviors must we eliminate?
– What behaviors must we develop?
– What behaviors must we reinforce?
– What behaviors must we maintain?

After about 30 minutes, each group presents their answers on a whiteboard while the rest of the team can ask questions and provide feedback. Based on team consensus, some answers remain on the whiteboard, while others are removed. The final product becomes part of the “team constitution.” I transcribe these points onto large, laminated sheets, which accompany the team wherever they go for training or competition. They will find it in their dressing rooms, hotel meeting rooms, and dining rooms.

In the attached ppt document, I’ve provided four examples from a recent sports team exercise on its way to qualifying for a World Cup to give you an idea of how these sheets might look.

In summary, this team exercise offers a valuable opportunity for sports teams (and corporate teams alike?) better to understand the importance of both result and process orientation. By engaging in this activity, teams can identify and refine their behaviors to improve overall performance and achieve sustainable results. By prioritizing a systematic process, teams can better comprehend the factors behind their success, enabling them to replicate favorable outcomes consistently. The team constitution, created through a collaborative and consensus-driven approach, is a tangible reminder of the team’s commitment to growth and excellence. Overall, this exercise strengthens team dynamics, fosters a culture of continuous improvement, and ultimately sets the stage for long-term success.

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